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

Early 80’s, Melcochita hooked up with Monte Adentro in New York.
This album, recorded under direction of Alfredo Valdes jr., also
starring; Mario Muñoz ‘Papaïto’ was produced by Aboudou Lassissi
for Sacodisc and contains the sweetest son imaginable.

tracks;

1 A commer lechon
2 Mulata
3 Mi tres
4 Moliendo cafe
5 El divorcio
6 Madre

From the same year as the previous Sacodis LP, with Laba Sosseh, is this
album, ‘Lassissi presents Monguito el Unico’. Also produced by Aboudou
Lassissi and with the participation of Chocolate, Alfredito Valdez and
doing the background vocals, the great Adalberto Santiago.

tracks;

1 Demuestrame tu que sabes
2 Bailare tu son
3 Echale candela
4 Beto no se ve
5 Manicero
6 En mi casa bailen rumba

Good afternoon, today I felt like playing a little merengue and
who sings a better merengue than Joseito Mateo ? This LP on
Ansonia of which I cant seem to find any information, brings
us Joseito like no other. I am fund of this cover, with that
old microphone. Goza con el merengue de Joseito Mateo !

tracks;

1 Perjura
2 La vacuna
3 Carmen
4 Si me agarras goza
5 Fui
6 El amargado
7 A Baracoa me voy
8 Estoy amargado
9 Tienen melao
10 Borinqueña
11 Conozco tu pasado
12 Anoche soñe

From the Dominican Republic is this trio, I know absolutely
nothing about them but I just liked the cover. I bought it and
when I got home and played it, I instantly liked the music too.
Listen.

tracks;

1 Ellos cantan asi
2 El diablon
3 El dolor de Micaela
4 Porque no me das tu amor
5 Quiereme
6 Que humanidad
7 Tu no hace de na
8 Baila conmigo
9 Suavecito
10 Que lengua
11 El son del fuego
12 Ponte en la cosa

The brother of that Arsenio Rodriguez album of last week. It has a
cover by the same artist, that much is clear. I guess it must be
more or less from the same year aswell. It sure sounds like it.
One of the inventors of Cuban Son with a great LP.

tracks;

1 Quimbombo
2 Canallon
3 Rompe Saraguey
4 Yo si como candela
5 Me voy contigo
6 Ay que canuto
7 Yo soy tiburon
8 No tiene telaraña
9 Que se fuñan
10 Aunque mami no quiera
11 Fidelina
12 Nereyda

He was eight years old when he got kicked by a horse and became blind.
Cuban tres player and Band leader Arsenio Rodriguez is still the
main name if we speak of 40’s and 50’s Son. They say he is one of the
most influential figures in Cuban Son, together with trumpeteer Felix
Chappottin. Salsa we hear today is still based on the sound that these
great musicians made some 50 years ago. This is a rare and classic
Cuban album, get it while you can.

tracks;

1 Carraguao alante
2 Hay fuego en el 23
3 Buenavista en Guaguancó
4 Devuelveme la ilusion
5 Adorenla como a Marti
6 El homenaje esta hablando bien
7 Blanca paloma
8 Mami me gusto
9 Que feliz yo fuera
10 Besame aqui
11 La fonda de bienvenido
12 Recuerdo bien

Puerto Rican singer Ismael Rivera used to work with Latin
percussionist Rafael Cortijo for many years. On this solo
project, Rafael joins him again as an invited guest.
Rivera had a great voice, they called him ‘el Sonero Mayor’.
Beautiful 70’s piece of latin, a must have.

tracks;

1 Soy feliz
2 Son son sonero
3 Tonto del amor
4 Yo no quiero que te enamores
5 Las tumbas
6 No soy para ti
7 Parece que le gusta
8 Boriqueneando
9 Si yo pudiera
10 Los apuros de Miguel

Pianist Alfredo Valdes Jr. comes in at Global Groove.
he shows us plenty selfknowledge on this LP, ‘La fiesta
no es para feos’, ‘The party is not for ugly people’.
“who ?, me ? I’m not ugly, I’m Alfredo.”
Produced by Roberto Torres, great album, and great cover.

tracks;

1 La fiesta no es para feos
2 Despuès que decías
3 Oigame compay
4 Cacungaca
5 El apagón
6 El amor