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Greetings rumberos buenos, just found this.

1979 - I had just started playing percussion that year, timbales at first!

It was a different time,
a different world,
different spirit.

Note the cáscara variations.

Thanks for posting!

Thomas

We've got to thank Martin Cohen (and "Javier") I didn't think such a visit from him and Johnny "Dandy" Rodríguez to Cuba would have been even possible at the time. It must have been an exciting time to be around.

Merceditas (!), Cachaíto, Tata, Barreto and Dandy, serious funky descarga! Guillermo Barreto's cáscaras and campanas are amazing. I wonder if he's mostly playing on the sides of the floor tom? The clave is pretty much "hidden" in some patterns, right?

I love the electric piano, but I found no credits to the player. Any ideas who can it be?

Martin Cohen aka "Martín Coro" de "Latin Percusión"

I believe that the clip was facilitated in connection with the "Intercambio Cultural" production with the Típica '73 in Cuba in 1979 (great record). It's presumable that the session was initiated by Cohen to promote his instruments and his company. The Cuban connection had just been brought to foreground by the Irakere concerts and live recordings at Newport and Montreux in 1978, and around that time in 1979-1982, the LP catalogues listed the Irakere percussionists, Changuito, Barretico and Pello el Afrokán, not specifying whether they had signed an endorsement or just happened to jam on them at one single occasion. As a side effect, Cuban percussionists also recognized that beside the Cuban instruments, there were others on the planet that could be played. When I had my lessons with Changuito in 1988 (or '89?), he acknowledged "either LP or the Cuban tumbadora". I guess that in Cuba almost no one ever heard of Junior Tirado, Skin on Skin, or even Gon Bops at that time.

Thomas

Hello everybody.

Nice picture, Siete Leguas.

I've seen this picture already, I believe it was somewhere on Faceboo.

Here's the album of La Típica 73 in Cuba : https://www.discogs.com/fr/Tipica-73-En-Cuba-Intercambio-Cultural/master/792272 I've got it

And here is their record list :
https://www.discogs.com/fr/artist/303186-Tipica-73

Típica '73 - I have all of their records, most of them as LP and CD as well. Besides the Conjunto Libre perhaps my favourite Salsa band!

Thomas

Additional info: Tata Güines and Guillermo Barreto had already been in the 1978 edition of the LP catalogue, before the clip was filmed. I don't have any earlier editions.

TA

Thanks for the info! That Típica '73 record and those LP "endorsements" must have used some kind of loophole in the US-Cuba relations, I guess?

I also learned that Merceditas Valdés and Guillermo Barreto were married since the 1950s until his (their) death in the 1990s. And that Johnny "Dandy" Rodríguez actually played congas with the Típica '73.

Can't stop listening to this. What a fantastic piece of music! Great job by "el compañero Martín Coro, presidente y director de todos los instrumentos folclóricos de percusión de Nueva York".

BTW, I love rumbas with bass player, such as this one with Cachaíto or the one from the film "Calle 54" with Andy González. On the "Patato y Totico" record from 1967 there are also some beautiful tracks with Cachao on bass (and Arsenio on tres).

If anyone knows of similar traditional rumbas with bass (or, while we're at it, with electric piano), feel free to comment/recommend!

Hi Siete Leguas,

1. I Think Johnny Rodríguez Jr. was a conga player before he started to focus on bongos; most likely, he was the conguero on the Celia & Johnny recording of "Quimbara". But he could play any of the percussion instruments in Salsa. With Ray Barretto, Johnny had played bongó already (as on the classic 1972 records "The Message" and "Que viva la música"). The Típica '73 started as an offspin of the Barretto band. In the beginning of Típica '73, Johnny played congas, with Orestes Vilato doubling on timbales and bongó. When Orestes left to form Los Kimbos, José Grajales joined on congas and eventually Nicky Marrero on timbales, which enabled Johnny to take over the bongó chair. This was the band's percussion section on "Intercambio Cultural".

2. For rumba records with harmonic accompaniment, check out "Totico y Sus Rumberos" on Montuno Records, both of the Grupo Folklórico y Experimental albums, and Patato's "Ready for Freddy" on LP Ventures.

As to the "loopholes", there have at times been opportunities for exchange, travels via Mexico etc. - Our U.S. Americans on the forum should be able to tell you more.

Greetings,
Thomas

Great descarga, one of the best rhythm sections ever and Merceditas Valdes was in top form singing. Beautiful cascara variations by Guillermo Barreto that all swing but with different feeling. Just to help all of us lifelong students of clave feel better when we occasionally cross the clave, check out 7:24 where he flipped the clave for a few seconds while Tata stayed the course.

By the way Siete Leguas, for rumba with bass check out the new recording of Osain del Monte Sin Comentarios with Alain Perez, one of the best Cuban bass players ever. Bata, Abakua, Jazz then rumba and timba with bass and horns and incredible lyrics, I think sung by Ruben Bulnes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmW50VNHrNc
I wish the CD was available somewhere, I could find nothing but Youtube and downloads and I am an old school CD lover. Is there anywhere in Europe you can buy the CD?

Hey guys, thanks for your recommendations! Great stuff!

Totico y sus Rumberos: That's what I'm talking about! Love it!


Osain del Monte: I have only listened to a few tracks on YT, but it looks like brilliant record. The title track "Sin comentarios" is a banger! I'm usually not a fan of those Timba/Cubaton kind of coros, but it's one of the best percussion ensemble recordings I've ever heard - headphones recommended! Maybe it is a doorway for me into some more Timba stuff. I guess Barbarito Crespo "Machito" is on the salidor/cajon? He is one of my favourite drummers. I love the Columbia and Silvio Rodríguez' "El Necio" tracks too. I will ask a friend who is a crazy vinylhead record collector, maybe he knows where to get the CD or LP.

BTW, for those of you who enjoy the Jazz side, there is an upload on the YT channel of the Ministerio de Cultura de Cuba from a relatively recent outdoor online concert of Alain Perez' quintett, with Adonis Panter on congas and Rodney Barreto on drumkit, great drum section! The channel has been uploading many live online concerts during the pandemic, also on the folkloric side (Muñequitos, Yoruba Andabo...).

Thanks for posting that video link, what a beautiful Afro-Cuban Jazz rendition! Amazing, a bit like a very relaxed Jerry Gonzales 2.0 style. Cool!