To make up for the failing post of this morning, some
son montuno to cheer you up. I saw them around the
time they made this cd. It was in Utrecht and I remember
how Marcos González made a big impression, great band.
Get this Cuban sweetness now..

tracks;

01 – Juana peña
02 – Dundunbanza
03 – No me llores mas
04 – Bururú barara05
05 – Chango ta’ veni
06 – Mi guajira son
07 – Cangrejo fue a estudiar
08 – Kila kike y chocolate
09 – El gago
10 – El reloj de pastora

Not long ago we had the first Ignacio Piñeiro at the GG,
today it’s turn for another. I must thank our buddy Sanjay
for finding this one. It was recorded in 1958 and a true beauty.
This is a re-issue from I don’t know what year.
Son montuno of old fashioned quality.

tracks;

01 – Buey viejo
02 – Echale salsita
03 – Don lengua
04 – Alma guajira
05 – Lejana campiña
06 – La batidora
07 – Se fue la montuna
08 – Eterna primavera
09 – Llego la tora
10 – Vueltabajera

One of the key figures in latin music was this great man.
Arsenio Rodríguez is considered father of the modern afro-cuban
sound. His musical roots lay in the Congolese rituals of his
family, instilled in him by his grandfather who was a slave,
and it is said that he brought many of the toques used to
adress deities into son. He was a predigious composer –
his sones remain dominant in the repertoire – and his group,
which he expanded with first congas and later an extra trumpet,
more percussion and piano, became the most influential of the
1940’s. Rodríguez also changed the structure of son, expanding
the montuno with a descarga section of improvised solos.
Arsenio Rodríguez ( 1911 – 1970 ) was blind from age eight,
he was kicked by a horse. He was a superb tres player and one
of Cuba’s all time great bandleaders and son composers. Arsenio
grew up in a ‘solar’, a small neighbourhood community. It was his
custom to play the guitar, his neighbours would join in both
vocally and instrumentally, using sticks, pieces of chairs, boxes
or anything they could find to create a musical sound. On such
a night, someone used a cowbell as their contribution to this
primitive music and it was from this that the cowbell evolved as
part of the instrumentation of today’s Latin-American rhythm
sections. ( Rough Guide and backsleeve )
Congolese composer Grand Kalle was called the father of rumba,
he became inspired by Cuban artists like Arsenio Rodríguez, so now
we can see the circle close, afro-cuban getting round and round.
tracks like Independence cha cha and Africa Boogaloo are typical
examples, from Congo to Cuba and back,
music works miracles don’t you think..
listen to Arsenio Rodríguez,
( do we hear Monguito
there ? )

tracks;

1 La pasion
2 Me engañastes juana
3 Lo que dice justi
4 Rumba guajira
5 Coplas de españa
6 Que mala suerte
7 Fiesta en el solar
8 Me equivoque contigo
9 A gozar mujeres
10 No lo niegues
11 El lema del guaguancó
12 Guaguancó de puerta tierra

Okay fellow groovers, back to reality. When I first saw
this lp, I was naive and thought it had something to do
with Colombian salsa band ‘Sonora Carruseles’. And
when listening to the first track one continues to feel
a certain link with the group. However after searching
the web for it, I didn’t find anything. Listening to the lp
I got captured by surprise, as pleased as punch, “lo
Primero Conjunto Miramar” found it’s self another fan.
Original songs, no salsa but cumbias, porros, pregon,
Guaracha, son and guajira, pure sweetness to the ear.
Now I have tried to convince you before, so no more
superlatives, just get it and give it a spin..azúcar !..

tracks;

1 Carruseles
2 Reina de cumbias
3 Sufre negra
4 Picale
5 La silenciosa
6 Pregonando
7 Chela
8 Salpicon
9 La pestañita
10 Mar adentro

Here’s another lp by the brothers Martin and Cuco Valoy,
better known as Duo Los Ahijados. Being from the Dominican
Rep. theirselves, they were famous for their voicing of Cuban music.
Very relaxed sound, perfect for your summer pick-nick & such..

tracks;

1   Timoteo
2   Bembeteo
3   Dime como estas
4   Llevame contigo
5   Doña vereda
6   Caminito
7   La tia quedada
8   No pienses en mi
9   La receta del curandero
10  El reclamo de un obrero

Conjunto Chappottín and his Stars was founded in 1950: African
Cuban tres-guitarist, composer and bandleader, Arsenio Rodriguez,
known as el Ciego Maravilloso, or the Marvelous Blind One, had settled
in New York to recover his vision. He decided from there that his All Stars
band, which he left in Cuba during his 1948 move to New York, should be
transferred into the professional care of his first trumpetist, Felix Chappottín.
From that moment, the original Arsenio Rodriguez All Stars band was
transformed into Conjunto Chappottín y sus Estrellas. The group was Led by
Felix Chappottín with Luis (Lili) Martinez Grinan as the arranger and Miguelito
Cuni the lead singer. Under the leadership of Felix Chappottín, only to be
compared with Louis Satchmo Armstrong, the band rose to international
fame, moving and amusing dancers in different parts of the world.
( info from AfroCubaWeb )

I bought this lp from a friend who used to collect Cuban music with passion.
One day when he was in need of money, he sold me his entire collection
with the idea to buy it back some other time. Unfortunately Dirk has left
this world a couple of years ago. I am taking care of the music, keeping it
together and sharing some of it with you, like today. Hope U like.

I found that the same lp was also released with
a different cover, as shown in small picture,
don’t know which one was the original.

tracks;

1   Romance fatal
2   Que se fuñan
3   Cienfuegos tiene mi guaguanco
4   Canto al monte
5   Yo si como candela
6   Nosotros los amalianos
7   Jala la pata
8   Pa bachatear
9   Y del vedado que
10  Yo soy tiburon
11  Los jovenes de la defensa
12  A bailar con la guajira

I didn’t hear any complaint about not having that Soundcloud-player
anymore. I suppose nobody really misses it. Maybe we’ll have
another player some day, for now just download and listen.

Duo Los Compadres was formed by Lorenzo Hierrezuelo in 1947.
Second voice and ‘tres’ was taken care of by Compay Segundo.
We hear them performing on this album which was a re-release
from during the seventies. Can you tell us the year of the
original release ? Listen and enjoy in the mean time.

tracks;

1 Todo a tus pies
2 Con el temporal
3 El gato y la gata
4 La rebelion de mayo
5 En la casa de Don Juan
6 Envidia de amor
7 Yo tengo pena
8 En el monte
9 Pruebe este tono
10 Descripcion de la rumba
11 Paloma mensajera
12 Preparen candela

Abelardo Barroso y la Sensación were an institution
within the marvelous music of Cuba. In their days
this was a famous record and today it is pure history.
It goes for rediculous prices on the web so, take it
and listen to this rarity free of cost.

tracks;

1 Bruca maniguá
2 El cangrejito
3 San Luisera
4 El fantasma del circo
5 Guajiras de hoy
6 La mulata canela
7 Suavecito
8 Changüi monte
9 Los tamalitos de Olga
10 Vacila con tu trago
11 Resabroso chachacha
12 Lo que la vida enseña

One of my favourite latin voices belongs to Celina Gonzalez.
Together with her husband Reutilio they form this historic duo.
On Suaritos we have this delightful album, it contains some
of their all time greatest songs. La casa de Yagua for instance,
or Cita en el Platanal, are just two of the 14 magnificent tracks.
Glad to spread the word on this splendid LP, Get it now !

tracks;

1 Que bueno baila Celina
2 A la virgen de las Mercedes
3 Papa Boco
4 La caña brava
5 Cita en el platanal
6 La casa de Yagua
7 Agua pa mi
8 Canto a Borinquen
9 La prangana
10 Ritmo cordonero
11 Me tenian amarrao con “P”
12 No me conviene tu amor
13 ‘Ta Cirilo
14 Homenaje a la virgen de Guatalupe

Happy New Year to all of you !
Thank you for your kind wishes and let’s make 2011
a new musical share-year like none before, long live the internet.
To start off, an album on Kubaney with music from the Dominicans.
Brothers Cuco and Martin Valoy are back with a fine LP of son and
guajira. Recover slowly with this laid back latin sound.

tracks;

1 Amargado
2 El vacilon de pantaleon
3 No me sabes querer
4 Don Lengua
5 Quiero un vacilon
6 Prendela
7 El lunar
8 Vuelve otra vez
9 La puchunguita
10 Mariposita nocturna
11 Nadie me quiere
12 Esa eres tu