In 1996 I went to Paris on my honeymoon with my second wife, a late friend of mine Emilio, was very close with Anga' and he gave me Anga's number. I called him when I got to Paris, at the time he was living there with his wife Maya. I invited him and her out for diner and we had a wondurful time together, he gave me some "mano secreta" tips on top of the table at the restaurant and this annoyed some French people that were there. We only met that one night because the next day he flew to Israel with Ray Hardgrove's group. I inquired if he had any Cuban SONOCS that he wanted to sell, he said that back in La Habana he did, but in France he was endorsed by Toca and that was all he had. He recommended I go to the NEW MORNING, a jazz club in Paris that was featuring "Maraca", (Orlando "Maraca" Valle). I did go and saw Roberto Vizcaino Guillot on congas and Jesus Alfonso, from Los Munequitos, as invited guest on quinto, I even sat in with them on a Son Montuno tune that Maraca did. It was an evening I'll never forget.
ANGA LIVES!
Dario
