Some bad news to start the year. Our friend and teacher Gregório Hernández, "El Goyo" passed away today. He was 75. Apparently he had a series of strokes and operations and never recovered. What is there to say? He was one of the greats. So knowledgeable and generous. He will be missed all over the world.
Here is a playlist of videos in which El Goyo appears:
I'm also re-posting a profile of Goyo first published here in 2006.
¡Felíz Cumpleaños! to El Goyo, born Nov 17, 1936.
A founding member and instructor with Conjunto Folklórico Nacional for 25 years, a folklorist, professor, stage manager, percussionist, composer, and actor, El Goyo is probably best known as a singer, with such classic performances as "Mayeya" on Rapsodia Rumbera, and "La Jerigonza" on Tata Güines' Aniversário solidifying his legend. He has also worked with jazz saxophonist and flautist Jane Bunnet, most notably on her Chamalongo CD and her Cuban Odyssey DVD. But El Goyo has much more in the works...
El Goyo was born in Pinar del Rio, but soon the family moved to the impoverished Havana neighborhood of Las Yaguas. Curiously, his birthday also marks his aniversary as a public performer, in a way.
In the early 40's Gregorio's father, Isidoro, went into business for himself as a "botellero," rising early each morning, going through the streets of Havana with a cart, "pregonando" and buying empty bottles from residents to resell at bottle collection companies.
One morning as Isidoro was preparing for the day's work, Goyo made a request that surprised him. As María del Carmen Mestas tells it in her book "Pasión de Rumbero" (which is the source for much of the info in this article):
"Papá, today is my birthday and for my present I want you to take me with you to pregonar.""al poco rato ya andaba el chiquillo de siete años lanzando al aire sus pregones entre la admiración de los que disfrutaban aquella voz melodiosa."
Later the family moved to El Moro, where Goyo really developed an interest in rumba, first as a dancer, then later playing palitos and tres-dos, and finally singing.
("soon the 7 year-old was pregonando to the admiration of those who enjoyed that melodious voice.")
It was an opportune moment for a budding rumbero. The advent of the victrola, radio and televisión gave rumba, formerly hidden in the barrios, much more visibility, and new groups "exploded" onto the scene:"Te digo que fue toda una explosión: nacieron grupos como Alejo y sus muchachos, Los Chicos Buenos, Las Estrellas Amalianas, Los Principales, Rumboleros, Los Parraqueños, y Los Tercios Modernos, hasta llegar posteriormente a ese cuarteto magnífico que forman Los Papines."
El Goyo formed his first duo with Carlos Águila, then later worked with Daniel Sánchez, Jesús Estrella Gutierrea, Fico Fabelo and with Juan de Dios Ramos (both in CFN and later in El Sicamarié, Mambo Chambo and Los Principales.)
A renowned singer of Abakuá, El Goyo became curious about the secret male society with Calabar roots as a result of hearing the many Abakuá references in rumba:El mundo del Abakuá está muy vinculado al de los rumberos y, especialmente, al de los cultivadores del yambú y el guaguancó; por eso, desde que me inicié en la rumba sentí interés por esa sociedad.
Later he became an Abakuá himself (his "plaza" is Moruá Iyuansá Uriabón) and through diligent study has become an expert in its songs and practices. "Lo que sí sé hacer es hacer al íreme salir del cuarto fambá," he says. ("One thing I know how to do is make the íreme come out of the fambá room.") His mastery of Abakuá song is evident in his work on the Antología de la Música Afrocubana vol. X, a long out-of-print LP collection recently reissued on CD.
Today El Goyo is as busy as ever. In 2000 he gathered the greats of the genre in the studio to tell the history of rumba from the bandos de calle and the coros de clave through guarapachagueo and rumba-rap in the CD "La Rumba es Cubana" (Abdala UN-CD6004).
As for future projects, besides attending conferences in the Festival Guanana 2006 in Cienfuegos, and at the ¨Festival La Conga y La Rumba, en Bejucal, El Goyo has plans for a DVD which he is going to call "De las Raíces a las Síntesis" ("From the roots to the synthesis") about his investigations into the interaction between the Spanish and African roots in the Cuban musical synthesis, especially the contributions of rumba to son.
He also has 3 CDs planned, for which he says he needs "apoyo material." They are "Goyo y sus Amigos," "Homenaje al Tío Tom," and a third as-yet-untitled disc which will explore how rumberos have sung about national and international political events.
Thanks Goyo for sharing your talent and your knowledge with us, and may you spend many more birthdays pregonando to the world the wonders of cuban music.
Gracias Goyo por compartir su talento y su gran conocimiento con nosotros, y que pases muchos más cumpleaños pregonando al mundo las glorias de la música cubana.
For a complete overview of El Goyo's career, download his Curriculum Vitae.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
El Goyo: Ibae
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Los Principales
"Los Principales"From left to right: Cesar, Lázaro Massip "El Tao", "El Huevo",
Héctor de la Caridad Santos Gobel "El Áspero", "Papito, el Buman",
Hipólito Calderón, Francisco Calderón"
(Photo courtesy Raúl González Brito "Lali" - retouching by Mark Sanders)
"Los Principales" was a rumba group formed by Hector Santos, "El Áspero," composer of "Aleida va por la calle" and "Se pierde en esta vida." Our friend Lali gave us the picture above to share from his collection, and El Goyo and Loquillo helped us get the names of the members.
El Castillo del PríncipeThere was a lot of turnover in this group ("El Áspero" evidently lived up to his nickname, which means "rough" or "sour" in Spanish, so members didn't last too long) and many well-known rumberos have played in it at one time or another, including, Ricardo Llorca "Chacho" (later with Los Muñequitos), Juan de Díos and El Goyo.
Celeste MendozaThey begin each number with the same little tune:
invitarle a escucharnos
con Celeste Mendoza;
escucha el güiro, óye el mambo
¡y tu verás!"
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Ibae: Ricardo Gomez Santa Cruz Ribeiro
Ricardo Gómez Santa Cruzundated photo, collection El Goyo
Born July 26 1932 in Havana, at Santiago 5, between Zanja and Salud, "Santa Cruz" was a member of the comparsas Los Marqueses, La Jardinera y Los Dandys de Belén. He was a founding member of the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional. He was known principally as a singer and dancer, and especially admired as a "columbia" specialist.
His singing can be heard on the 'Homenaje a Jesús Pérez" LP, and on the unreleased album known as "Rapsodia Rumbera 2" here.
Santa Cruzin the Conjunto Foklórico Nacional Catalog, 1963
Santa Cruz in Atarés,February 2008
Here is some video of Santa Cruz singing guaguancó in 2008. Tremendo rumbero, que descanse en paz.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Ibae: Manuel Martínez Olivera, "El Llanero"
"El Llanero," a beloved and revered figure in New York's Central Park rumba scene, passed away on Friday January 29th, around 10pm.
Funeral Services will be held Monday, February 1st from 3 to 10pm at Funeraria San Francisco, at 1st Ave & 115th Street in El Barrio.
Berta Jottar writes:
“El Llanero” was born in Havana, Cuba on January 1st 1930, and grew up in Cocosolo, Marianao.
He was raised in a traditional rumba family in Los Pocitos, Marianao; his sister had a virtuoso rumba voice, his cousin Patato Valdés was an internationally known rumbero already living in NYC since the 1940s; and his cousins Los Chinitos from the Korea neighborhood in San Miguel del Padrón remember him as the one who coined the name "guarapanchanguero" for the rumba style they invented which eventually became the distinctive sound of contemporary rumba in Havana.
El Llanero was a rumbero completo — the highest rank of rumbero, one who knows every facet of rumba singing, dance and percussion. He traveled to Matanzas to study rumba with the elders, and was particularly known for the cadence of his guaguancó, his privileged melodic voice, and his improvisational skills.
Upon his arrival to New York City with the 1980 Mariel Boatlift, a community of young, mostly Newyorican musicians quickly embraced him. Felix Sanabria, Abe Rodriguez, Eliot "Yeyito" Flores, and the Jewish-American folklorist Paula Ballan would collaborate with him for the rest of his life.
Later the same year after arriving in New York, El Llanero co-founded the rumba ensemble Chevere Makun Chevere with Juan "Bambu," and a pair of brothers with eminent rumbero pedigrees: recent marielito arrival Enrique “Kike” Dreke, and Juan "Curva" Dreke, who had been living in New York for some time already and had already worked on the legendary rumba LP "Patato y Totico" (1968). (Both were brothers of the famous rumbero Mario "Chavalonga" Dreke.)
Chévere Macun Chévere at Soundscape, Winter, 1981
(Left to right: Juan Vega "Bambu", Yeyito Flores, Felix D. Sanabria,
Manuel Martinez, Yah Yah Maldonado, Abraham Rodriguez)Photo courtesy Felix Sanabria
El Llanero also performed several times as a guest artist with the prestigious folklore ensemble of Orlando "Puntilla" Rios y su Nueva Generación.
However, El Llanero was a major player in Los Afortunados, a folkloric group specializing in Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puertorican traditions founded in 1985 by his dear friend Paula Ballan, along with Felix Sanabria and Abraham Rodriguez.
Together they performed in the Natural History Museum, Philadelphia Folk Festival, at Nassau Community College with the sponsorship of the NEA, NYFA, the Arts Connection, Community Works, and the Brooklyn Arts Council.
Los Afortunados performed often at important grass roots cultural venues such as Galeria Blanco y Negro in the Bronx, founded by Renny Molenaar and famous for its effervescent Cuban cultural nights.
Los Afortunados at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, August 1986
(Manuel 5th from left)
Photo courtesy Felix Sanabria
Los Afortunados recorded two collectable cassettes, “Los Afortunados" (January 1985) and a second edition (September 1989). Manuel toured with them natioanlly until 1989, when his health worsened.
Although El Llanero was illiterate, he composed songs based on his everyday experiences. For Alfredo Díaz “Pescao,” he was a jilguero (songbird) who combined different phrases to compose a theme, and his voice had the classic tonality of Afrocuban folklore. El Llanero would ask Abe Rodriguez and Felix Sanabria—both of whom were his rumba disciples—to write down his songs.
Abe Rodriguez, (El Llanero’s singing partner par excellence) remembers in particular El Llanero’s gift of improvising a response to any given situation on the spot. For example, "caminando por la calle yo la vi" was a response to "Ay, nena."
Abe also admired El Llanero’s way of combining stories to create a song. “He would sing santo and would merge one canto to another, and it would be always in tune. El tenia íbiono mendo, (he had feeling).”
El Llanero would link each song; for instance, the beginning of one song with the end of the last song, and to do that, Abe asserts, one must have an innate sense of tonality and range. Abe’s ability to sing songs “back to back” is rooted in El Llanero’s practice.
Another secret that El Llanero passed along to Abe was that the singer must be able to sing with the guagua, because the clave is in the guagua. If you cannot do it that means that you don’t have clave. Abe said, “El Llanero was like Tío Tom (Gonzalo Ascencio), él cogia cosas y creaba, así, simple y en tiempo de rumba.” ("He was like Tío Tom, he took things and created, simple and with rumba feeling.")
Perhaps one of El Llanero’s biggest contributions to the New York City rumba community was his teaching to several generations of musicians who frequented the internationally acclaimed rumba scene of Central Park. Every summer since 1981, El Llanero would arrive and organize the rumba musically; indeed, he would lock the rumba circle.
As soon as he approached the rumba circle, people quickly congregated, knowing that ya la rumba se formó! —that now the rumba was really going to start!
The amplitude of his tranquil voice would extend to the upper side of the rumba area, allowing everybody to hear him. Since the late 1960s, Central Park has been a laboratory and workshop for rumba practitioners, and it was there where El Llanero, with the joy of his voice made our lives possible in this harsh city.
El Llanero, exhuberant in Central Park
Photo courtesy Berta Jottar
May Manuel Martínez Olivera, El Llanero, rest in peace. His voice and musical candor will always resonate in our hearts.
Manuel Martinez, el Llanero Solitatio (the Lone Ranger) died last night. He was 80 years old. He came to New York via an internment camp in Wisconsin, where he had had been sent after getting off the boat that brought him from Havana’s Mariel harbor.
He was, as his Lone Ranger title would suggest, one of a kind. He left home at age 9 to pursue the rumba and he traveled throughout Cuba surviving as a street musician by his talents, charm and guile.
He studied with elder musicians, both urban and rural; and became a master of the rumba and its traditions. He was not easily manageable in the scope and demands of Fidel’s Revolution. He could sign his name and read and write numbers, but was otherwise non-literate.
His life style and personality made him a nuisance to the new order. When the boat lift began, he, like many others, was rounded up and dropped off at the harbor. He was recognized by other musicians at the internment camp and received a sponsorship from some Cuban musicians who had already made their way to New York.
He joined them here, and became the King of the Central Park Rumba: an anarchistic gathering on warm, sunny Sundays at the southwest corner of the rowboat lake. Manuel’s voice did not need amplification. His songs and choruses transformed dozens of participants into a wall of syncopated, harmonized music.
His energy and charisma was astonishing and his songs were infectious, humorous, political, heartbreaking and unforgettable. For more than 20 years he brought joy and music to musicians hungry for the authenticity of the roots he so generously shared.
We were fortunate to have shared his music and unique personality and will sing his songs and tell stories of the times we shared. Many American folk musicians, in deference to Woody Guthrie’s influence, are referred to as Woody’s Children.
Those of us who learned the rumba from Manuel, gladly embrace the title el Llanero’s Children.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Martha Galarraga about to be expelled from France by the French State: an absurd cultural scandal…
Martha Galarraga is no ordinary artist: she's the daughter of Lázaro Galarraga, one of Cuba's greatest akpwones, reknowned as a major artist in the USA.
Considering her career and talent, Martha is one of the most famous afro-cuban akpwonas, like Amelita Pedroso, Caridad La Bembona or Teresa Polledo.
Martha went to live in Europe in 1998, first in Germany, without any problems on a permanent residence permit. Then she came to live in Paris in 2002, where she did not have any problems until 2008.
The Préfecture de Paris (French local authorities) then transferred her case for inquiry to the French DDTEFP (Direction Départementale du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle, Authority for labour and employment), which is part of the French Ministry of Work, Social Relationship, Family, Solidarity (what a nice word!!) and Town.
On September 29th 2008 they refused to renew her work permit. The DDTEFP demanded a permanent work contract for at least three months by one single employer. Martha did find one (we believe it was from French association Odduara) that guaranteed 43 gigs in 12 months, which the DDTEFP refused to validate. They put the limit even higher, demanding a minimum six months contract, that Martha also obtained: and was denied again. What zealous state servant can be dull-witted enough to ignore that a musician in France only very seldom obtains such a contract, unless he works with a major artist or a theater or dance company able to tour for six full months??
"On the 26th of May Martha's resident card has been seized by the 6th bureau of sous-direction for foreigners of the Préfecture de Paris. Martha no longer has any right to work".
Here are the disastrous consequences in sequence:
-1° Martha becomes a "paperless" worker
-2° She won't get any money from French ASSEDIC (unemployment insurance)
-3° She can't leave French territory: farewell to the London Lukumí Choir of which she's the director.
-4° She lost every job in France, including her job in Paris ISAAC where she was a teacher.
-5° She lost her job with the Ensemble Nord-Sud that had a tour in Brazil
-6° She has to wait 1 or 2 years a decision from French Tribunal Administratif
-7° She can be sent off back to Cuba at any time: return to point zero.
-etc, etc…
What is Martha suspected for? How can such a right, sane, human, joyful and serious person be disliked to such a degree by (supposedly) competent authorities?
Some sources say Martha would "change too often her employers". What kind of crime is this? Others say Martha "wouldn't pay enough taxes" and "wouldn't have a sufficient professional activity".
Who could have the right to crush so absurdly the international career of any foreign artist whoever s/he is? Martha has not got any problem with anyone, not with the Cuban state - is she accused of communism? Would the French state prefer she asked for political asylum? Martha does not want any arranged wedding, nor does she want any scheming to obtain a resident card. She's a right and honest person, and she's tired of so many fights with absurd authorities which decided to make her an outlaw.
Martha has nothing to fight back with other than cultural weapons. Her case has to make enough noise to reach French new Ministre de la Culture, Mr Frédéric Miterrand, for he alone can save her.
SO LET'S MAKE SOME NOISE!!.
Journalists, writers, scholars: it's up to you!! Martha's lawyer needs media stuff to consolidate her defense.
Let's remember a big petition in Europe signed by 1300 people did not sway the French institution one single second.
Let's now try to answer to the argument saying:
"Martha Galarraga wouldn't have a sufficient professional activity":
- just try "Martha Galarraga" in a Youtube search and you'll get 18 results. Martha can be watched there in many different contexts (which proves she's a polyvalent artist not being locked up in one single musical style), in France, in Cuba, in Mexico, in Martinique…
- try "Martica Galarraga" or "London Lucumí Choir" (11 answers), or 'Galarumba".
- try "Martha Galarraga" in Google and you'll get… 18,100 results!!
- try "image search" and you'll get… 6 470 results.
Here are some discographic elements in Martha's career (there are many others):
HER CURRICULUM VITAE:
-Martha was born in 1969 in the barrio of Luyanó, Havana.
She's the daughter of master drummer and singer Lázaro Galarraga, co-founder of Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, one of the greatest akpwones of all time.
-In 1990, aged 21, she entered Conjunto Folklórico Nacional, for eight years, as a dancer, then solist-singer.
-At the same time, she sings in many Yoruba rituals in Havana.
-In the late 1990s she came to Europe. First in Germany where she worked in her first musical productions in Europe, together with the Rotterdam Conservatory, and in a salsa group « Macumbachè » in Frankfurt. Then she came to Paris, teaching at the ISAAC (Institut Supérieur des Arts Afro-Cubains).
-She entered Omar Sosa's group, one of the world's main Latin-Jazz artists, playing one concert at Carnegie Hall. In 2000, her meeting with Omar Sosa will carry her to USA, Japan, Morocco, Puerto Rico, and Brazil, for 4 years.
-She formed her own group in 2003: Martha y su Galarumba.
-Since she came to Europe, Martha has taught in many masterclasses in singing and dancing in Germany, England, Holland and France.
in the film "In Cuba they're still Dancing")
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saludando: Raúl González Brito "Lali"
"Lali" in Madrid, June 2009On a recent trip to Spain we had the great fortune to meet Raúl de la Caridad González Brito, known as "Lali" to his friends and legions of students around the world.
We hung out for a bit and had a great time, listening and talking about rumba over some jamón, queso, olives, and a couple of cold "Mahou" beers. He patiently helped us resolve quite a few long-standing doubts we had about some rumba lyrics, for which we are extremely grateful!
Here's a bit of his background.
Lali was born on January 14, 1949 on Calle San Gabriel between Magnolia and Florence in the Cerro barrio of Havana. Later he moved to the Calzada de Buenos Aires # 419 between Paz and San Julio, where he has lived (and held rumbas) for years:
Verdaderamente es una peña de la rumba en el Cerro de hace muchos años inclusive de ensayos de comparsas, rumbas con Los Papines, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Yoruba Andabo, Los Chinitos de Jacomino, Chucho Valdes, Chavalonga, Los Aspirina, Juan de Dios, El Goyo, Pancho Quinto, Rumberos de Cuba y por supuesto Clave y Guaguancó y muchos más que no tendriamos tiempo para enumerarlos. Mi casa es la casa donde se ha hecho mas rumba en toda Cuba!Lali currently lives in Madrid with his wife who is there working for a Cuban company.
Lali's main inspiration in Cuban percussion was his cousin Alejandro Brito Publes, with whom he began playing tumbadora at 14, and then batá drums, becoming Omo-Añá during a tambor fundamento at which Alejandro played.
In 1970 he founded a group of rumberos in El Cerro, called the Estrellas de Guaguancó. They played the Cabaret Parisien at the Hotel Nacional, along with several groups like Pello El Afrokán, Los Papines and Changuito.
Lali was a co-founder of Juan de Dios' "Raices Profundas," and was with them for three years.
After that he entered the group of "Tato de Atarés" with Puntilla, and then the group Wemilere Jonas Bombarlé, and Luis Chacón Mendivel's group Alafia. He also was director of the group Ero Ayé.
Since 1970 he's had his own group to play religious events (batá and cajón espiritual, guiro and even violín a los Orichas) and rumba, called: la Fundación Babalú Ayé.
He traveled to Italy with the group of Omo de Akokán.
He worked with one group Aché where the director was the poet Olga Navarro, and in another group Aché directed by "Sarita" Reyes.
He worked with the Orquesta América under the direction of bassist Jorge Machado, the saxophonist "El Chino" Lang's group, in several cabarets, and in the group Caracol directed by "Nacho."
Laly graduated in Cuban Percussion (medium level) and in 1980 was evaluated in the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional, then with Danza Nacional and in Música Popular with Orquesta América.
For three years he taught technical classes at the ENA.
He joined Conjunto de Clave y Guaguancó in 1988 (along with Alejandro Publes) where he remained as percussionist, singer and administrator until 1992. There he recorded the group's first album, "Cantaremos y Bailaremos," released in the states as "Songs and Dances." The disc is a true classic containing the first "official" recording of the style known as "guarapachangueo."
While in Clave y Guaguancó, Lali was involved in a quick side project called "Rhythm and Smoke" that resulted in three killer and never-released tracks that we are happy to share with you here. About those sessions Lali tells us:
"Eso fue en el año 1990 , con un proyecto que se llamó "Ritmo y Humo" financiado por unos japoneses y Chuck Silverman "Palito" que vive en California, profesor de percusión y muy amigo mio estaba a cargo de este proyecto, se grabó música en formato de "charanga", son, changüí, música campesina, batá y por supuesto rumba. Palito se me presentó en la casa un jueves y me dijo, "El sábado estas en los estudios de "Sono Caribe" para que grabes lo que tú quieras." [Laly cuenta un poco de su vida a Palito aquí. — Ed.]
Pués sólo tuve tiempo de buscar la gente y pensar ¿qué? iba a grabar ya que quería hacer algo fuera de lo que siempre se hace y recopilé fragmentos de algunas rumbas callejeras de autores anónimos; aunque algunos pedacitos son conocidos, y sin ensayar fuimos para el estudio ya que no podía perder la oportunidad de grabar algo ideado por mí.
La muchacha que canta se llama Inés Carbonell, ella cantaba en Danza Nacional de Cuba y después Carlos Embale la buscaba para que le hiciera la voz tercera en sus grabaciones. "Cotó" está tocando el trés, a pura improvisación, "El Chispa" en el bajo, improvisando igualmente,"El Chino" en la percusión y Regino el que canta rumba conmigo y yo tocando y reforzando las voces."
"That was in 1990 with a project called "Rhythm and Smoke" funded by some Japanese and Chuck Silverman "Palito" who lives in California, a professor of percussion and a good friend of mine, was in charge of this project. They recorded music like charanga, changüí, música campesina, batá and of course rumba. Palito came by my house on Thursday and told me, "Saturday you are booked in the "Sono Caribe" studios to record whatever you want!" [Laly tells Palito a bit more about his life here. —Ed.]
So I only had a short time to get some people together and think about what I was going to record. I wanted to do something different than what is normally done and so I collected fragments of some "rumbas callejeras" by anonymous authors, although some pieces are known, and with no rehearsal we went into the studio, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to record my ideas.
The woman who sings is Inés Carbonell, she sang in "Danza Nacional de Cuba" and then Carlos Embale sought her out to do the "voz tercera" (high harmony) on his recordings. "Cotó" is playing the tres, pure improvisation, "El Chispa" is on bass, improvising too,"El Chino" on percussion and Regino is singing and I am playing and singing to reinforce the voices."
These really are some great examples of rumba mixed with tres and bass, among the finest I have heard. So here for your enjoyment, with special thanks to Lali and Chuck Silverman, are the three tracks from Lali's All-Stars:
Se vende un corazón
El Trovador y su musa
La rumba es cubana
Download them all here.
If you'd like to get in touch with Lali his contact is: nereraul2004 (at) yahoo (dot) es
Lali's Groups:
-Estrellas de Guaguancó
-Raices Profundas
-Wemilere de Jonas Bombarlé
-Alafia de Luis Chacón Mendivel
-Ero Ayé
-Fundación Babalú Ayé
-Omo de Akokán
-grupo Aché de Olga Navarro
-grupo Aché de "Sarita" Reyes
-Orquesta América
-grupo del Chino Lang
-grupo Caracol
-Conjunto de Clave y Guaguancó
-Alejo y sus muchachos
-Tripulación Salsera
-Cuarteto Adagio
Lali's Compositions:
2-EL TIEMPO SERA TESTIGO
3-ELEGIA PARA ALFREDO
4-EL DINERO NO TIENE AMIGOS
5- EL LALI RUMBA BATA CA CHE
6-DEJA LA GUARA
7-PUBLICO OYENTE
8-TUMBAITO
9-EL REFRANERO
10-RASCATE SI TE PICA
11-PONME A GOZAR
12-REFRANEANDO
13-ME COGISTE PA ESO
14-EL DICHO QUE NO HE DICHO
15-PARA SER UN BUEN SONERO
16-LA SERPIENTE Y LA LIMA
17-PELOTICA DE PING PON
18-MI CANCION PREFERIDA
19-DIME YA QUE SI
20-LA ENVIDIA Y EL ENVIDIOSO
21-LAS COSAS DE LA VIDA
22-EL SAPITO CANTOR
Lali's Discography:
-Conjunto de Clave y Guaguancó "Cantaremos y Bailaremos" (Xenophile GLCD 4023, 1990)
-Orquesta América (números del autor colombiano Hernando Vasquez), re-editado en "Las Leyendas de la Música Cubana - Orquesta América with Cuban All-Stars" (Tumi Gold)
-Lalí All-Stars
-Ensalada Musical
-Ritmo y Humo
-un disco de Conga premiada (dir. Pello el Afrokán)
-Popurrit Picaresco (Homenaje al Pícaro Evaristo Aparicio)
-Quiero ser yo (con Marlin Ramazzini)
Lali's Filmography:
Monday, June 08, 2009
Ibbae: Jesus Alfonso Miró
I guess by now everyone has heard the sad news, so I will just post this here for the record, along with a video showing the man and his art at its best.
Comunicado:
A las 6 y 45 minutos del día de hoy, 3 de junio de 2009, a los 60 años de edad, falleció en su ciudad natal, Jesús Alfonso Miró, director musical de Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, compositor y percusionista excepcional.
Hijo de padres matanceros, único varón de la familia Alfonso Miró y padre de 8 hijos, todos dedicados a la rumba como músicos o bailarines. Dos de ellos han sido parte de esta agrupación y en la actualidad Freddy Jesús Alfonso Borges, dotado también de la destreza de su padre, es el quinto del grupo y ya comienza a seguir también su camino como autor de sentidas rumbas.
Como músico de Los Muñequitos Jesús conoció casi todos los continentes; donde quiera que estuvo sembró amigos, discípulos, brilló en cada escenario, pero nunca olvidó su raíz y vivió toda una vida orgulloso de su estirpe rumbera, saboreando cada esquina de su barrio: la Marina.
Desde los siete años hasta la fecha, participó como músico y bailarín en la Comparsa La
Imaliana, fundada por su padre y por Félix Vinagera. Por un tiempo fue integrante de la Orquesta de Música Moderna de su ciudad y el grupo de Papa Goza. Desde 1967 es Director Musical y quinto del grupo Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, agrupación a la que amó profundamente y dedicó la mayor parte de su vida.
Como compositor fue imprescindible en el repertorio de esa agrupación, siendo conocidas sus obras en el mundo entero, como autor de Congo Yambumba, la Llave, Chino Guaguao, Lengua de Obbara, Saludo a Nueva York, y muchas otras que ya son clásicos de la rumba cubana. Muchos intérpretes prestigiosos como Eddy Palmieri dan cuenta de la sabrosura y popularidad de sus obras, incluyéndolas en sus discos y mencionándolo como un imprescindible en la música de nuestro continente.
Siendo aún muy pequeño de edad, junto a otro de los grandes de Los Muñequitos: Ricardo Cané, Jesús Alfonso partió a las montañas de Cuba para alfabetizar a los campesinos, graduándose más tarde como joven maestro revolucionario. Por sus grandes aportes a la música y a su pueblo, le fue conferida la condición de Hijo Ilustre de la Ciudad de Matanzas.
Jesús Alfonso, perteneciente a la sociedad matancera Efí Irondó Itá Ibekó, respetuoso portador de la regla de Osha, será recordado por todo su pueblo y muy especialmente por los rumberos de todo el mundo. Su nombre nunca será olvidado, su recia voz indicando cómo tenía que vibrar la música y el sonido de sus manos en el cuero, perdurarán en la memoria de todos los que le
conocimos y le reconocemos como uno de los más insignes músicos de todos los tiempos, porque Jesús fue a la rumba como Cuní o Chapottín al son. Jesús le dio a la rumba su vida toda. Su nombre está sin lugar a dudas, junto a Chano, Tata, Papín y todos los grandes de la música cubana.
Su cuerpo se encuentra expuesto en el lugar donde cada día ensayan Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, en la calle del mismo nombre de la ciudad, número 7906, entre Contrera y Milanés. Se le honrará como merece hasta que sea sepultado en horas tempranas del día de mañana.
A su esposa Dulce María Galup, a sus hijos y demás familiares, a Diosdado Ramos y todos sus compañeros de rumba que tanto le han admirado y hoy están sintiendo profundamente su pérdida, les expresamos nuestras más sentidas condolencias.
CARY DIEZ
* * *
For immediate release:
At 6:45 a.m. today, June 3 2009, at 60 years of age, Jesús Alfonso Miró, musical director of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, exceptional composer and percussionist, died in his home town of Matanzas, Cuba. The only son of the Alfonso Miró family, he was the father of 8 children, all dedicated to the rumba as musicians or dancers. Two of them have been members of the
Muñequitos and at present, Freddy Jesús Alfonso Borges, a practitioner of his father’s art, plays the quinto of the group and has begun to follow as well in his path as the composer of heartfelt rumbas.
As a musician of Los Muñequitos Jesús traveled to almost all the continents. Wherever he went he left friends and disciples. He shone on every stage he played on, but he never forgot his roots and lived a full life, proud of his lineage as a rumbero, enjoying the flavor of every corner of his barrio, la Marina. Beginning at the age of seven, he participated as a musician and dancer in the Comparsa La Imaliana, founded by his father and by Félix Vinagera. For a time he was a member of the Orquesta de Música Moderna of his city and of the Papa Goza group. From 1967 he was musical director and quinto of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, a group which he profoundly loved and to which he dedicated the greatest part of his life.
As a composer he was indispensable to the repertoire of the group, with his works known worldwide. He was the author of “Congo Yambumba,” “La Llave,” “Chino Guaguao,” “Lengua de Obbara,” “Saludo a Nueva York,” and many others that are now classics of Cuban rumba.
Prestigious interpreters including Eddie Palmieri took note of his sabrosura and the popularity of his works, including them on their records and mentioning him as indispensable to the
music of our continent.
When Jesús Alfonso was still very young, together with another of the great figures of Los Muñequitos, Ricardo Cané, he went to the mountains of Cuba to teach literacy to the people of the countryside, graduating later as a young revolutionary teacher. For his great contributions to music and to his community, he received the title of Hijo Ilustre (Illustrious Son) of Matanzas.
Jesús Alfonso, member of the Matanzas society Efí Irondó Itá Ibekó and respectful observer of the regla de Osha, will be remembered by all his community and especially by rumberos around the world. His name will never be forgotten. His strong voice and the sound of his hands on the skins will remain in the memory of those who knew him and recognize him as one of the most celebrated musicians of all time, because Jesús was to the rumba as was Cuní or Chapottín to the son. Jesús gave his entire life to the rumba. His name is next to Chano, Tata, Papín, and all the greats of Cuban music.
Viewing will be in the place where Los Muñequitos de Matanzas rehearse every day, at 7906 Matanzas Street, between Contrera and Milanés. After respects are paid, he will be buried in the early hours tomorrow.
To his wife Dulce María Galup, to his children and other family members, to Diosdado Ramos and all his compañeros in the rumba who have so much admired him and are today feeling his loss, we send our heartfelt condolences.
CARY DIEZ
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Celebrando: Guillermo "El Negro" Triana
Guillermo "El Negro" Triana CrespoHavana, Feb 2008
(photo: Barry Cox)
While El Negro is appreciated by everyone as an all-around rumba singer, equally adept at guaguancó, columbia, yambú and Abakuá, his preference is for voz tercera, the high harmony part in a vocal duo. He also enjoys creating arrangements, adapting songs from other genres such as boleros, splicing them together into a creation all his own.
El Negro has enjoyed a long and varied career. In 1965 he joined Pello El Afrokán's Mozambique group and later joined Luis "Aspirina" Chacón Medivel's group Sicamarié.
He also worked with Lacho Rivero in carnavales, and even worked as a music therapist in a psychiatric hospital.
In 1970 he began working with Carlos Embale, playing tumbador on the LP "Conjunto Guaguancó Carlos Embale."
Later he began working with the great Coro Folklórico Nacional, (initally formed by Ignacio Piñeiro), with whom he continues today.
He was married to the great rumba singer Zuzana Calzado until her passing several years ago.
He has also been called more recently to participate in groups with Pancho Quinto as well as Ventu Rumbero, working with Chavalonga, Fariñas and Román Diaz.
GROUPS:
-Grupo de Pello El Afrokán
-Grupo Sicamarié
-Grupo de Lacho Rivero
-Grupo de Carlos Embale
-El Coro Folklórico Cubano
-Grupo de Pancho Quinto
-Ventú Rumbero
Discography:
Coro Folkórico Cubano "En un Solar Habanero" (Egrem 0424, 1991)
Pancho Quinto "En el Solar La Cueva del Humo" (RWCD 9704, 1997)
El Goyo: "La Rumba es Cubana - su Historia" (Unicornio UN-CD6004)
Pancho Quinto "Rumba sin Fronteras" (Riverboat 2003)
Clave y Guaguancó "La Rumba que no Termina" (2007)
Filmography:
-DVD "Rumbambeo" (Boogalu Productions) de Santiago Garzón Rill "Chaguito"
Sources:
Liner notes, DVD "Rumbambeo" de Santiago Garzón Rill "Chaguito".
Pequeña Enciclopedia de la Rumba Cubana.
Singing "Una vez me dormí" in 2008:
Una vez me dormí
Autor: "Violino Tzigano (after Cherubini)" de Carlo Buti (La décima es de Tio Tom)
Género: Guaguancó
Grabación: Guillermo Triana "El Negro" in situ Feb 2008
Una vez fui a dormir
Y soñé que un vuelo
Un camino cogí
Y de pronto me vi
En la puerta del cielo
Y en el cielo rumor
De canciones venian
Y una diana de amor
Alivió mi dolor
Que en mi pecho sentia
Pues bueno,
Anoche estuve soñando
Que al cielo me transportaba
Apolo que me esperaba
Me recibió improvisando
Luego estuvimos hablando
Luego estuvimos hablando
Sobre de astrologia
San José y San Fernando
San José y San Fernando
Con Jesus Cristo llegaron
Y asombrado se quedaron
De la improvisación mia
María un beso me dió
Timbero, María un beso me dió
San José reza y suspira
Apolo botó la lira
Y Jesus Cristo me aplaudió
San Isidro y San Fernando
Mandaron a San Ignacio
Que construyera un palacio
Y el nombre mio llevara
Para que yo administrara
Y asombrado quedé yo
Y asombrado quedé yo
Del trato tan alagueño
Solo sin saber que sueño
Hacia el cielo me llevó
Y una vez me dormí...
Coro: Yo tuve un sueño feliz, y quise hacer una canción
Coro: Pa' que me mira con malos ojos, si malos ojos no mata a nadie
Singing voz tercera with Juan de Dios in 2001:
Singing "La Rana" in 2008:
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Rumba in Artemisa. The cradle: Pueblo Nuevo, a poor neighborhood. Chronicle of an Epoch. By Berta Martínez Páez
[Note: El Goyo recently put us in touch with the author of this piece, historian Berta Martínez Páez. A remarkable study of an important historical rumba scene, we are publishing it here for the first time with her permission, along with our own translation. Enjoy. —Barry]
Celedonio Capote González, "Bacardí"Around the last decade of the 19th century, due to the promiscuity which existed as a result of the precarious social, labor, and housing conditions in the area, the morals and ethics of the "poor but honest" Cuban began to erode, and (among other vices) humanity's oldest profession appeared: prostitution.
Later, the perpetuators of those initial pioneers in the profession, who offered their favors to the passers-by and others in the first bars which appeared soon after the founding of this town (in the decades following 1804 or 1805) as an agricultural resettlement precipitated by the fire in the Havana neighborhoods of Jesus María and Calzada de Guadalupe on April 25, 1802, began to settle within a certain area of two or three block.
[The fire left nearly 9,000 homeless in an already overcrowded Havana, and so the victims were] offered plots of land in the demolished Corral de San Marcos. These people became the first colonists of which later became one of the most prosperous regions for the cultivation of coffee, sugar cane and also smaller crops. The town was then known as Villa Roja [due to the fertile red soil found in the area].
Almost a hundred years passed. The land was worked, many coffee plantations and some sugar mills proliferated, and the town grew.
There was also pain and death, as Artemisa suffered greatly under the various wars for Cuban independence from Spain.
In the 20th century, the first decades of the republic were hard years, and the town suffered shortages and oppressions as a result of political problems and the disastrous economy with which the new Cuban republic began.
In Artemisa, as in other places of the island, quarrels among the neighborhood leaders were common, yet already Pueblo Nuevo had grown since the end of the 19th century, with the construction of shacks of palm boards and thatched roofs. We suppose that this neighborhood grew thanks to Padre Arocha, parish priest of the town since 1893, who in early 1897 built some barracks and shacks for the refugees of the war of 1895-98, which cost Artemisa more than 5,000 lives.
Soon the bars and houses dedicated to the "sale of caresses" began proliferating, perhaps as a consequence of the recently ended war and of Weyler's Reconcentration camps, so ill-fated for this town, as the inhabitants, less cultured and excluded from society, sought to escape from so much poverty, damage and suffering.
Thus began a marginalization, created by the men and women of the rest of the population, based essentially in racial and social discrimination, which would criticize by day, but many used for their own pleasure by night.
The investigator and musicologist Helio Orovio tells us so eloquently:
"The poor — blacks, mixed, and whites without a penny — crowded into the solares of the cities, in bunkhouses and outbuildings, and in the middle of that subhuman world, to mitigate – perhaps to fight – the misery, they lifted their voices and music. Rumba was the music of hunger. Song sprouted from the bowels of asphalt [and earth] in the urban centers and suburbs, from the Havana neighborhoods of Belén, Jesús María, los Sitios, Atarés, Pueblo Nuevo, from the poor Matancero districts of Simpson and La Marina, and from the humble areas of Marianao, Regla, Guanabacoa, Güines, Jovellanos, Unión de Reyes, Alacranes, Sagua la Grande, [and also Artemisa].
And within this newly created Artemisian neighborhood the rumba took root, its fundamental rhythms and songs arising from the tears of the shanties, sprouting in this inhospitable climate, like a tree in a desert.
It could not have been otherwise: this music flows like a cry from those who were cruelly taken from their land, and then took parts of the music and dances of their "masters," transforming into the originality of our Cuban music, and as Orovio tells us, "the music was more than music, more than song, drumbeat and dance, it was an expression of the Cuban being, a fiesta of the humble, disinherited, dispossessed, which in this manner hit upon an identification of his native culture."
And so among women of "the easy life," and their pimps, the drinking and roughousing, the rumba reigned supreme, binding these elements together.
From time to time, guests from other places, some famous such as Chano Pozo. Personalities of a bygone era, impression of a town, its culture and idiosyncrasies; some in fact not so good (prostitution, fights, stabbings, drugs, etc.) and others terrible (settling of scores, deaths) but that marked an entire generation and that undoubtedly constitutes part of our history of the place, which in the end makes up the history of the nation.
With their virtues and defects, passions and misfortunes, hatreds and quarrels, music and dances, they left, perhaps without intending to do so, an indelible track in this town — a past turbulent and deeply rooted forever in its history.
These are the traces that we try to capture with this work, as a memory of that time; good or bad, I do not know. I am not, nor do I believe anyone to be, in a position to judge them; for me they were only human beings, playing the role that fell to each one according to their destiny and to those musicians, natural-born rumberos, thanks to the gift with which nature endowed them, although mostly they did not have the privilege of musical instruction, making it worth twice as much.
This investigation is supported by testimonies of their descendants, from what's left of the neighborhood and of others related to Pueblo Nuevo. They have made this work possible. Some, after almost eight years of conversations, have now passed away, but their information remains, and in some cases even recordings of their voices.
Testimonies about not only the person or people who are spoken of, but to the neighborhood, to the environment of those years, that made it possible to almost reconstruct it as it was in the 1940s, house by house, block by block, family to family. There are legends, anecdotes, stories, experiences related by them, forming a proud oral tradition.
To all those who kept these memories to be shared, our infinite thanks. That's what this work is about.
Humanity is like it is: it's not a matter of changing it, but of knowing it.
Besides the families helped by Padre Arocha, others soon came to settle. They were just as poor, mainly blacks, former-slaves and their descendants, whites without means, a few Chinese, brought from the early and middle 19th century to build the railroad and to work on coffee and sugar plantations.
These are the people who originated the identity of this neighborhood, with their range of races and cultures, marginalized by the class-conscious society in the difficult times of the war and then in the uncertain beginning of the Republic; illiterate, humble people, fighting daily for their lives; others, riotous and quarrelsome, for this reason, perhaps, some woman with no alternative first began to sell her caresses for pennies, perhaps as she had done during the war, for some crusts of bread to stave off hunger.
The frequent idle time was filled with gambling and music, which everyone brought from their ancestors, and if the blacks (now freed) didn't have a drum, then they grabbed a codfish box, some spoons and some claves. Thus ritual music became urban, as they adapted it to the environment, adorning it with the brushstrokes of Spanish music, making it accessible to the surrounding human conglomerate, transculturizing the musical roots as as they did with their gods.
Here we have the original neighborhood, its people and its music: the rumba, a sonic escape from states of mind, from protests, from yearnings.
Beginning in the 1920s, small businesses grew in the area, bodeguitas, stands, a meat market at Calles Agramonte and Yara (today called 23rd and 44th streets), shacks were added to some solares, which were rented for prostitution.
According to the census of 1901 the neighborhood had 89 houses of thatch and palm board, the remainder of the population had 87 houses of masonry and tiles and 246 of wood; the inhabitants numbered a little over 2000.
Zenea y Yara, site of El Negro and Juana Mena's bar
Bar de El Negro, Bejuco y amigosDiagonal to this was the bodega EL CAMBALACHE.
El Cambalache, corner of Zenea and Yara, Pueblo Nuevo
Map of Pueblo Nuevo c. 1940s-1950sCircle indicates "cradle" of rumba in Pueblo Nuevo
(Credit: Berta Martínez Páez)
Sabino CantoColumbia dancer
However, from the rest of the streets from Baire to Agramonte, Zenea to the Avenida 28 de Enero and from there to Agramonte one could find other houses and bars with their shacks out back dedicated to the commerce of the "paid pleasure." This is the cradle.
The years between 1940 through 1959-60 can be described as boom years for the neighborhood, with some brothels and bars becoming more sophisticated. There were rumbas every weekend and also on holidays and saint's days, and according to one informant, Matilde Collazo Barceló, "to have a rumba all that was needed was for a few people to get together, it didn't matter the day or the time."
They all had their specialties, as musicians, singers, or dancers. Visitors came from far away, attracted by the fame of the neighborhood, to enjoy the art of rumba and to compete with their hosts. The young and not-so-young from the middle class were known to frequent these parties, and to enjoy the rest that the neighborhood had to offer, hidden from their families, as always.
Somewhat peculiar to the rumbas of this neighborhood was the way in which the participants dressed. Some rumberos used suits of Drill 100, Hacendados and many with guayaberas of bramant linen and gold buttons. The shoes were Ingelmo or other brands, two-tone cordovan leather, caramel or black and white with dots. Several people attested to this, among them Susana Sierra de Armas.
Pueblo Nuevo had its intangible limits. The inhabitants were discriminated against simply for their marginality, living in a society that closed its eyes to indigenous art. It was a vice zone, immodest and coarse, and no visionary from high society ever tried to take this rhythm and its performers out of their element, to perfect them.
Nothing was recorded, nothing was written, and so this rich period of people and personalities was lost to history, though still recalled today in spite of the passing years. Although from an environment of vice and corruption, they were natural art, "diamonds in the rough" as they say Chano Pozo called Sabino Canto when they met in the 1940s.
Chano Pozowho visited Pueblo Nuevo in the 1940s
Sabino was without his usual fine clothes or shoes, but when Chano and friends came to the bar, all dressed very elegantly, Sabino showed them that he was the best columbia dancer of all.
This story has become the main legend (among others) of the neighborhood, to the extent that even many people born after the event tell it very proudly as if they had been eyewitnesses.
Pueblo Nuevo had many colorful personalities dedicated to the rumba, such as Bacardí, Cabo Corto, Félix Junco, EL SHERIFF and others. Also many of the hundreds of "easy women," or "women of the windows," who passed through this suburb, without another alternatives in life, many times their families not knowing what they were doing, chose to live here. Women such as ROSE FCA. URIARTE MARTÍNEZ, Bejuco; VIRGINIA, Tania; Sangre Azul, ESTER Musiquilla, Mantecao, and so many others throughout almost 60 years.
Other personalities also left their mark, such as BACHILLER padre, LOLA, EL NEGRO, VERENA XENÉS, PANCHITA, bar owners and many others who we treat in detail in and many more than yes we treat in detail in our investigative work: Pueblo Nuevo. Sus mujeres públicas, sus chulos y proxenetas. (Unpublished paper).
This in broad strokes then, is the much commented-upon Pueblo Nuevo, where prostitution provided a framework for the rumba in Artemisa to shine, and they both passed into history for posterity. The musicians, dancers and singers from the town set a precedent in this neighborhood and so, without meaning to, won the right to enter the town's history.
How many hours of sweat, how many hands aching from striking cajones and drums, how many throats gone hoarse from singing, how many tired bodies, especially feet, from so much dancing, how many fights and guapería caused by too much rum and aguardiente, and arguments ending in spilled blood?
But it was all part of the environment. It was impossible to extract that musical discipline from the environment in which it was born and developed, they are consequences of each other, and the music stemmed from the heart, oppressed by so much marginality, and the rumba was the voice of the feelings of that man in pain.
MUSICIANS WHO PLAYED IN PUEBLO NUEVO
From Helio Orovio we've become aware of probably the first rumberos from Artemisa such as Tumbalaye, Higinio Montes y Catalino Navalé, who were possibly famous even in the first decades of the 20th century, and if it weren't for Helio their names would have been lost to history.
The list that follows we have compiled from the memories of those we interviewed. There were probably many others who played or started the rumba in this neighborhood, but sadly, as we have said before, they have been forgotten with time. The "mayores" (elder rumberos) must have started out in the 1930s or 40s as young lads. Then in the 1950s other younger players came along and took their first steps alongside their maestros.
The "mayores" (elder rumberos) of Pueblo Nuevo in the time of this study (1940-1960):
† LÁZARO REINALDO DOTRES HERNÁNDEZ (N) Macho Dotres.
† VÍCTOR REINALDO DOTRES HERNÁNDEZ (N), Vitico.
† ORESTES DOTRES HERNÁNDEZ (N), Manguire
† FÉLIX JUNCO KESSEL(N)
† JESÚS PEÑALVER ZAYAS (N), Macuto Zapote
† LUIS PEÑALVER ZAYAS, (N) – Cabo Corto
† RAMÓN VALDÉS DÍAZ, (B) – El Niño de Utrera
† PEDRO PABLO PORTALES ESPINOSA, (N)
† EMILIO TRÁPAGA PEÑALVER, (N) – Nemo
† ELIO PEÑALVER, (N) – Zumbío.
† PABLO SIERRA___________(N) Musa
† PEDRO PABLO PORTALES XENÉS (N) – Chumbo.
† ADOLFO XENÉS (N)
† FACUNDO ORTA PRIETO (N) Pata de palo
The younger rumberos in the time of this study:
† DOMICIANO TRÁPAGA CHIRINO (N) – Bombo
RODOLFO MESA BLANCO (M)
OSVALDO SIERRA ECHENIQUE (N)
† RODOLFO CASTRO (N) – Mellona
JESÚS BENCOMO AGUIRRE (M) – El Chino
† LÁZARO SIERRA DE ARMAS (N)
RUMBA DANCERS IN PUEBLO NUEVO
The elder rumba dancers in the time of this study:
† ELIO PEÑALVER, (N) – Zumbío
† JOSÉ BARRIOS CHAPPOTÍN, (N) – Chifón
† MIGUEL ÁNGEL PIEDRA PLASENCIA (N) – Tanganica
† RUPERTO AMARO SOA (N)
† SABINO SAN MARTÍN (N) – Sabino Canto
† CELEDONIO CAPOTE GONZÁLEZ (N) – Bacardí.
† ELIO PEÑALVER (N) – Zumbío
† JESÚS PEÑALVER ZAYAS – Macuto Zapote
† JUAN FRANCISCO BACHILLER GONZÁLEZ (N)
† SANTIAGO DORTICÓS (N) - El Vate, Tatayo
Dancers around 30 years old:
HUGO BARRERAS MACÍAS (B)
EUGENIO MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ (N) – Mayimbe
actualmente es el único buen bailarín que queda vivo. Columbiano
† VÍCTOR MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ – Bolo Mayimbe
† DEMETRIO PEÑALVER GONZÁLEZ (N)
† LÁZARO__________ ___________
Those about 15 or 20, in the 1950s and early '60s:
JESÚS BENCOMO AGUIRRE (M) – El Chino.
† EGNES DOTRES_____________ – Fafarruco, Fafi. _____________________________ - Tatín.
JACINTO SEOANE____________ (N)
SILVITO ___________ _________ (M)
LÁZARO BÁEZ_______________ (M)
† FRANCISCO JAIME___________ (N) – Anquito
OSVALDO GONZÁLEZ LOMBILLO (N) – Pompo.
RENÉ PEREIRA GONZÁLEZ (N) – Tatá
__________KESSEL____________ (N) – El Veterano
The women were:
MERCEDES COLLAZO XENÉS (M) – Mecho
TERESITA COLLAZO XENÉS (M)
__________ COLLAZO XENÉS (M) – La Gallega
† JULIA PÉREZ PÉREZ (N) – Mercedita
† MATILDE COLLAZO BARCELÓ (N)
MARÍA JOSEFA GRANDAL __________ (M) Fefa
The places where rumba was played in the 1940s and '50s:
Bodega / bar EL CAMBALACHE, located at the corner of Yara (44th) y Zenea (21st), as it was called until Sabino Canto made it his and called it EL BARRACÓN DE PAPÁ. They used to start the rumba on Zenea, in front of the little quiosque that Sabino had in this corner of his solar, where his house was and also other rooms in back. The palm at the right was witness to so many rumbas at the bar. As the sun got stronger, they moved to the side, in the shade of the bar belonging to EL NEGRO and JUANA MENA. To rest and refresh they went to the nearby solar on Yara, sitting in the shade of an old mamey tree (which still exists). Then they all ended up in EL CAMBALACHE.
Corner of Baire and Zenea, site of Bar BACHILLER(foto: Berta Martínez Páez)
Bodega of Hermógenes "El gallego," at Agramonte (23rd) and corner of Yara (44th)
House of DOMINGA DÍAZ, "Mamita," on Agramonte (23rd) between Baire (42nd) and Yara (44th)
House of MANUELA, "LA QUEMÁ," in the 50s and 60s, next door to Mamita's.
House of Yoyo Lima, La Matilde.
Without music, life would be a mistake.
About the author Berta Martínez Páez:
Born July 4 1940 in Artemisa, formerly Pinar del Rio Province, now La Habana. Professor of Piano, Solfege and Theory, accountant and economist. Local history researcher.From 1982, during my work as an economist, I began researching documents on the coffee plantation ANGERONA in the Archivo Nacional y Biblioteca, Archivos Parroquiales and others. En 1996 I presented a paper on this plantation at the 110 ANIV. DE LA ABOLICIÓN DE LA ESCLAVITUD, Taller Científico Internacional, sponsored by UNESCO, at the Universidad de Matanzas. Other events followed of the same category such as the II Taller Internacional, MUJERES EN EL UMBRAL DEL SIGLO XXI, Universidad de La Habana en 1997, and the Ier CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL. DE HISTORIADORES LATINOAMERICANISTAS, in the Casa Benito Juárez in 1998. From there other events, "conversatorios," TV and radio programs, etc., with this history such as the chapter La Leyenda de Angerona, from the La Isla más Hermosa series, broadcast on CubanTV cubana and other English and French speaking countries. I am considered the biographer of Úrsula Lambert and the researcher who has the most documentation on the history of Angerona in Cuba and in Germany.
After I retired in 1995, I began to dedicate myself to local history full time. As a result I have completed the following studies (all unpublished):
- LA RECONCENTRACIÓN DE WEYLER EN ARTEMISA ¡Perdonemos, pero no olvidemos! (1er. Lugar en Simposio de la Cultura l998, también Mesa Redonda prov.)
EMILIO, OTRO PEÑARREDONDA DOLLEY, PATRIOTA – Se da a conocer la historia del hermano de la insigne patriota Magdalena Peñarredonda. Premio en evento municipal y distinción en Simposio Historiadores previo Congreso Nacional 2008.
SAN MARCOS DE LA ARTEMISA. Orígenes, fundación, primeras épocas. (Investigación presentada al PCC y Gobierno, para determinar nuestra fecha de fundación. Se escogió como guía.)
LA RUMBA EN ARTEMISA. Su cuna: pueblo Nuevo, barrio marginal. Crónica de una época. (Rescate de tradiciones; fue parte de un programa de TV, Catálogo Cubano, evento teórico CUBADISCO en Pinar del Río. Buena evaluación por el Dr. Gómez Cairo, Dtor. Nacional de la Música).
ÚRSULA LAMBERT, la singular haitiana del cafetal Angerona. (Personaje fundamental de este cafetal. Crónica de esa época, del cafetal y sus personajes).
JUAN PÁEZ FLORES, un isleño palmero asentado en Alonso de Rojas, Cuba. (Historia de mi bisabuelo y abuelo canario y la familia Páez-García).
Sobre la prostitución en el barrio marginal de Pueblo Nuevo, será parte de una colaboración de un libro con el Dpto. de Historia de la Universidad de Yale.
Web page about ANGERONA, 2003
I am now working on other research of vital importance for local history.