Old School Rumbas Revisited

Clave y Guaguancó c. 1967
Photo Credit: Photo by Maria Eugenia Haya, "Marucha" from Patricio's collection.
Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Today we are reposting this collection of rare "old-school" rumbas, with some updates and corrections.

* * *

First, two of the tracks here are by a group I mistakenly thought were called "Los Parranqueros." El Goyo corrected us. He writes:

"El grupo que canta "La Virgencita de mi Camino," se llamaban "Los Parragueños," le pusieron ese nombre a su grupo, porque todos eran de Párraga, un barrio del municipio "Arroyo Naranjo" donde yo vivía. Todos sus miembros eran amigos mios y con todos ellos yo rumbeaba en el solar "El Marinero" en dicho barrio...Gravaron una sola vez y fue en los estudios de Radio Progreso"

["The group that sings "La Virgencita de mi Camino" is called "Los Parragueños." They were called that because they were all from Párraga, a neighborhood in the Arroyo Naranjo municipio where I lived. All the members were friends of mine and I used to go to rumbas with them in the solar "El Marinero," in the same neighborhood... They recorded only once, at the studios of Radio Progreso."]

He goes on to tell us that the members of Los Parragueños were:

Amado Pestana — cantante (singer)
Arsenio Pedro — cantante
Jesús Pérez — cantante
Lázaro Pérez — los palitos ( catá )
Camilo — maracas
Francisco Alejalde — tres / dos
Vicente — tumbador
Silvio Hernández — quinto

* * *

Next, this time we are including some "old school rumba" photos with the post, of the mid-60's version of "Clave y Guaguancó," who perform four of the tracks in this collection. (If you've ever listened to Yoruba Andabo's "Chano en Belén" and wondered who "Flor de Amor" and "Agustín el bongosero" were, look no further.)

Agustín Gutierrez "El Bongosero"

Gonzalo Díaz

Gustavo Martínes "Cucharas"

Agustín Pina "Flor de Amor"

* * *

Finally, I found one other track by Clave y Guaguancó that I had left off the earlier post. Find that track, "Sarabanda Kimbancero," here.


The other tracks (originally posted on July 28 2006) are:

1. Mañana te espero, niña — Los Muñequitos
2. Recuerdos — Los Muñequitos
3. Omelé — Los Muñequitos
4. Lo que dice el Abakuá — Los Muñequitos
5. Yambú — Los Muñequitos
6. Llora como lloré — Los Muñequitos
7. Guaguancó Sabroso — Clave y Guaguancó con Miguel Angel "Aspirina"
8. Quando me toca a mi — Clave y Guaguancó con Miguel Angel "Aspirina"
9. Al Soñar que era feliz — Clave y Guaguancó con Miguel Angel "Aspirina"
10. Sarabanda Kimbancero — Clave y Guaguancó con Miguel Angel "Aspirina"
11. Virgencita de mi camino — Los Parragueños
12. Si en vano te juré — Los Parragueños
13. La China Linda — Roberto Maza "El Vive Bien"
14. Porque tu no quieres? — Carlos Embale y Roberto Maza "El Vive Bien"
15. Soñando guaguanco — Carlos Embale y Roberto Maza "El Vive Bien"

Download these tracks here.