Let’s forget about the vuvuzela’s and concentrate on music instead of football for now.
I first heard the music of Orquesta Revé through ‘La Explosion del Momento!’.
( small picture )
It was released in 1989 on Peter Gabriel’s Realworld label. Changüi is a form
of ‘Cuban son’, and was played only in the eastern parts of Cuba. I quote the
late Elio Revé, founder of this group and the one who re-invented changüi. “I play
son-changüi: they call me the father of changüi – although changüi has been around
far longer than I have. Changüi is a very old and traditional form…The son left the
eastern provinces and, via Havana, went around the world; but changüi has just
stayed at home untill I took it to town and dressed it up.”
On this LP we don’t hear the distinctive voice of old Elio Revé, his son Elio jr. is
following up his father but I am not sure if he is the one we hear on this album.
It doesn’t give any information on the subject so we have to guess. If you can
shine a light on the matter, please do. One way or another, although this LP has
quite a dark and sad cover, the music is a lot brighter. If anyone knows anything
about it, let us participate in that knowledge, thanks folks, listen.

tracks;

1 Yo soy el changüi
2 Yateras changüi
3 Changüi morena
4 Juaniquita
5 La betea changüi
6 Pulmeron
7 Mi ritmo changüi
8 Conel diablilo
9 Sama
10 Rigodon
11 Changüi esta en la calle
12 Los Reve del changüi lamas

According to the little survey I kept, it appears over 70% of our
visitors prefer to find African music and a good second with over 40%
is in for latin. Of the other styles I gave as an option 23% likes calypso,
26% digs reggae and only 15% can appreciate some samba.

From 1980 this is a classic album on Sacodis. Lassissi presents
Monguito el Unico and his All Star Band. Monguito has a unique voice
indeed, I even like his version of ‘Mi guajira’, a song recorded way too often.
Monguito is ‘algo diferente’, something else!

tracks;

1 Con todo el corazon
2 Suavesito
3 Los problemas de pantaleon
4 Mi guajira
5 Vuela la paloma
6 Palo de caña

Now this is something really good. Guillermo Portabales is
a hero. I love his bright and dynamic music, Guillermo’s
guitarstrokes are so firm and sparkling, nothing can compare.
Where do you find such guitarist with such a voice ?
Absolute fantastic collection of his songs. I can even cope
with his version of Guantanamera, a song I use to avoid
like a toothache. One of Cuban’s biggest.

tracks;

1 Cumbiamba
2 De 1920
3 A la orilla del cauto
4 Nostalgia guajira
5 Asi es mi guajira
6 Tristeza guajira
7 Oye mi son
8 Guantanamera
9 Junto al rio
10 El arroyo que murmura
11 Cuando sali de Cuba
12 Yo te canto Puerto Rico

Monguito’s unique voice is what gave him his name ‘el unico’.
He’s one of my all time favourite latin singers and spoils us
with 10 sweet songs, perfect material for your saturdaynight.
Enjoy Monguito ‘el unico’.

tracks;

1 Seboruco
2 Que te hace pensar
3 Pasito tun tun
4 La protesta de Baragua
5 Don Ramon
6 No hay yaya sin Guayacan
7 Vida, que beso !
8 Sacando palo del monte
9 Mi guaguanco es moderno
10 Al son del Carame

Most of time, Bolero is too sweet for my ears but Carlos Embales
brings it with some little rough edges that make it exactly right.
Embales is famous for his rumba but for this occasion he treats us
with Bolero, Guaguancó, Pregón and Son, his beats are imbeatable.

tracks;

1 Me duele el corazon
2 El final no Llegara
3 Mayeya o no jueges con los santos
4 Sola y triste
5 La vida es una semana
6 Coco may may
7 Imperdonable
8 Cardenas
9 Llego el dulcerito
10 Crei que era mia
11 Llora como llore
12 Tu, mi Afinidad

It must have been 1997 or 8 when one of my friends gave me this ticket
for my birthday. It was for a night in the Amsterdam theater ‘Carré’.
Performing that evening was the fantastic group, Buena Vista Social Club.
It was also my first encounter with Pio Leiva who was one of the old
Cuban singers in the original set up. Wim Wenders was filming the band
for his movie that evening and we had a sweet time. This is an old LP
by Pio Leiva I found not so long ago. One of our visitors requested
some Cuban folk and I thought this one to be appropriate.

tracks;

1 Oye como suena
2 El pirimpimpin
3 Como mango
4 Te lo juro
5 Pobre Nicolas
6 El Pio mentiroso
7 Mis tres mujeres
8 Chachaguere
9 Anabacoa
10 Dime adios Caramelina
11 Adios Mariquita linda
12 Cariñoso si, mentiroso no

In August of 2008 I posted an album by Orchesta Revé, this one
is by the same artist but under his own name. Find the other
here . Elio Revé created a sound totally unique.
Born out of ‘Son’, his ‘Changüi’ with it’s almost funky warm bass
and hypnotic rhythms is the most famous. I found some more information
on this_page.

tracks;

1 Negra con pelo
2 Señores silencio
3 Tu eres mi ilusión
4 Mi ritmo changüi
5 A mí
6 Oyan coro
7 Matingó
8 Tu lunar
9 Vamos a Artemisa
10 Manyé pa’Catalina

Ever since I first heard the voice of Celina Gonzalez, I am
under her spell. She’s got such power in her singing, superb.
Just get this album and it shall convince you.

tracks;

1 Quiero bailar con Celina
2 Romance guajiro
3 Oracion a la caridad
4 A un presidiario
5 Yo soy el punto Cubano
6 Mi conga por Santiago
7 A Francisco
8 Celina canta a Puerto Rico
9 Papa candelo
10 Su laud
11 Anda
12 Son guajiro del monte

‘El Guapo de la Canción’ they called him, Rolando La’Serie used
to be percussionist in the original group of Benny Moré.
At first they didn’t think he could sing, but when he scored some
huge hits, he proved them all wrong. This is Rolando’s last
recording on Cuban soil. In 1960, after Fidel’s take over,
he left Cuba for the US where he played with lots of greats.
With ‘Tito Puente’ and with ‘Cortijo y su Combo’ among others.
This LP is with ‘Orquesta Sabor de Bebo Valdes’.

tracks;

1 Rio Manzanares
2 Que te vas
3 Doña Mariquita
4 Desilusión
5 El que siembra su maíz
6 Las mirlas
7 El gavilán
8 Dejenme en paz
9 La Ola Marina
10 Como tú no hay nadie
11 El biberón
12 Si lo encuentro lo mato

La Sonora Matancera is a group that played with almost every great latin
singer from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominicans. This fine LP is with
Puerto Rican hero ‘Daniel Santos’. He was the most delightful singer,
loved by many. It is from 1950 and brings a few cracks but for
it’s age, some 59 years, I think it sounds swell. Enjoy Daniel Santos.

tracks;

1 A la buena de dios
2 Amnistia
3 Asi- asi
4 Celos con Lola
5 Como me da la gana
6 Moñito
7 El bobo de la yuca
8 El granito de maiz
9 Siempre contigo
10 Mambo pide la gente
11 Amor de ayer
12 Escribeme