Chano's Main Reason For Coming to NY. - Conga History

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Postby Doctorumba » Sat Mar 20, 2004 4:35 am

I have read in this forum that Chano was brought to the US by Arsenio,that's not correct,Chano's main reason for leaving La Habana was a light skin beauty who dance with him in "La Comparsa De Los Dandy's",her name was Cacha Martinez, a beautiful Cuban mulatta,that precissely left Cuba to get away from Chano.Chano,eventhough he lived a turbulent life in La Habana (shoot with 5 bullets) was very well off and drove a Cadillac,his compositions were very popular.If anyone helped Chano come to the States,it was Rita Montaner and Miguelito Valdes (the real Mr. Babalu).Once in NY, Miguelito took him to meet Mario Bauza,who got him together with Dizzy and the rest is history, Manteca,Cubano Beep,Tintindeo..... Saludos, Dario :D
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Postby RayBoogie » Sat Mar 20, 2004 4:50 am

Thanks for the info Doctorumba. Very informative...
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Postby zaragemca » Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:21 pm

Well that is your version of the subject,My version is that Arsenio Rodriguez came to the U.S. for an Eye operation which didn't have the results he wanted,but took his time to do some recording later returning to Cuba and comming to the U.S. for goods and later recruting Chano Pozo to play with his Conjunto( there are recording conducted both in Cuba and in the U.S corroborating what I said),Chano Pozo did recording with Arsenio Rodriguez,before recording with Machito Band,and it is Chano Pozo even singing in some of the recording,after that taking the advantage that Chano was in the U.S.,Bauza invite Chano Pozo to do recording with him(becouse the Congero for Machito at that time was Carlos Vidal).Then Dizzy was in the sessions of Machito Band recording and Bauza,not Miguelito Valdes introduced Chano Pozo to Dizzy G. and did all the translation for them becouse Chano didn't speak English.( I have the picture of the historic recording of Machito Band ,where Dizzy G. meet Chano Pozo and Arsenio Rodriguez.



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Postby Johnny Conga » Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:35 pm

You guys are both right about what went down. Yes Arsenio went to NYC for an eye operation that didn't turn in his favor and he wound up staying in NYC till he died in 1971. I believe "we" have those recordings today of Arsenio and Chano collaborating. The Chano 4 CD set. Which I don';t have yet, and keep trying to get me a copy from somewhere. It sold very fast......JC JOHNNY CONGA....
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Postby zaragemca » Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:43 pm

I have never listened to any story of any,any musician comming to the U.S. following any Mulata,all the musicians are comming to the U.S. looking for better opportunities to make more money,and some of them after the Revolution in Cuba.And there is not recording in Cuba or in the U.S. corroborating Chocolate as playing Congas with Arsenio Rodriguez,neither of Mongo Santamaria playing with Arsenio Rodriguez.In the biography of Mongo Santamaria there is absolutely nothing of ever playing with Arsenio Rodriguez.



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Postby Johnny Conga » Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:05 pm

I'm gonna referee this one :D OK Dario ur turn.....JC JOHNNY CONGA..... :;): all in fun guys......
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Postby Doctorumba » Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:13 pm

Cacha Martinez was the leading dancer with "Los Dandy's" a comparsa group where Chano was the choreographer an "quinto mayor".Cacha came to NY to get away from Chano,that drove Chano crazy and that was his # 1 reason for leaving Cuba.Chano was a very renown composer in Cuba and didn't come to NY for economic reasons.Chano did record with Arsenio,I have the 78's RPM from Spanish Music Center,Miguelito was the one that took Chano to Bauza and Macho and eventually Dizzy came in the picture.For your information,Mongo played with Chano's Conjunto Azul in Cuba.Arsenio had 2 Conjuntos at the same time in Cuba,Raul his brother and I spoke about this.Chocolate and Papa Kila were in one and Mongo and Alberto (bongocero) were in the other.Mongo also played tumbadora with Conjunto Matamoros before they left to Mexico. JC, you know Mongo was like my father,I'm in the process of writing his biography,aside from Mongo (32 yrs. close friendship) I have extensively interviewed Armando Peraza and Candito Camero and they can corroborate my statements.By the way, is "conguero",not "congero". Alafia, Dario :D
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Postby Johnny Conga » Sun Mar 21, 2004 2:46 am

Okaaaaaaaaay....round 2....DING!.......I'm luvin it!....JC JOHNNY CONGA.....eso la verdad...
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Postby zaragemca » Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:27 pm

Ok,pointing out that Mongo was a composer and was making money in Cuba is not a reason for not comming to the U.S.,all the great musicians which came before Chano,like Lecouna,Socarras,Bauza,Touzet,Cugat,Miguelito,Azpiazu,Arsenio,Antonio Machin,Rene Hernandez,etc.,were making money in Cuba also, but not the kind of money and exposure that you get when comming to the U.S...In another reference I know that Mongo did have interaction with Chano Pozo(that was never part of this discussion),when you say Chocolate,it is like what?,there are a lot of people in Cuba which have that nickname,.If Mongo ever played with Arsenio it is up to them to point it out which they have never done it.And as a Professional musicians I don't get in to personal blisters about musicians which I could not corroborate,more less when they are already dead.Also I know that Miguel Matamoros went to Mexico with Benny More,and later Benny got together with Damaso Perez Prado when he(Damaso) went to Mexico.That's what I spend my time on, on things which people could corroborate ,not on 'Chismes',about musicians.A musician could take his picture with anybody which requested(you know what many times I have been requested to take a picture with somebody?),but that doesn't give anybody the right to come with chismes about musicians .



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Postby Johnny Conga » Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:35 pm

This is also true!.....DING!.....round 3....Doctor Rumba if you please.......reminder all in fun guys........I know Dario very well and would go to his house and see Mongo sitting in his living room and watching baseball with him. It was a great experience for me, also........JC JOHNNY CONGA....here is a picture of Mongo and me from 1980...u gotta love that smile...

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Postby Doctorumba » Tue Mar 23, 2004 4:24 am

Oye Zaragemca,
All you have to do is contact Armando Peraza and corroborate what I have said.Armando was part of the scene back then in Cuba and here in the US.

Esto es para ti,yo no necesito meter chismes y se muy bien lo que digo, Chocolate (Israel Rodriguez) fue el tumbador del primer conjunto de Arsenio y Papa Kila el bongocero.Lo que tienes que hacer es documentrate antes de ponerte a criticar.La amistad mia con Mongo era de muchos an~os,como te indico Johnny Conga (JC).
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Postby Johnny Conga » Tue Mar 23, 2004 5:41 pm

Si Senor....DING!.. round 4.....reminder all in fun guys, but very informative I must say....JC JOHNNY CONGA... :;):
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Postby zaragemca » Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:43 pm

Well if you are comming with that stuff about Chano Pozo which many musicians which have been close to him have never said when he was alive,to me it is a chisme.In relation to Chocolate now with the specific name we could know which'Chocolate' you are talking about.I would not go to ask Peraza or anybody else, I'm not in the business of promoting chismes,I have better preference to teach and play music.



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Postby zaragemca » Sat Mar 27, 2004 5:41 pm

To rectify some information Israel Rodriguez nickname is 'Quique' which was Arsenio Rodriguez congero untill 1946 when Felix'Chocolate'Alfonso replaced him in 1946.The information in reference to the Bongocero Antonin Suarez'Papa Kila' is correct.



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