congaplace.com

Posted: **Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:08 am**

Hi for a long time I have been curious about these videos I have, they must be among the earliest "home" videos of rumba in Cuba, I imagine from the mid-80s.

Anyone have any information about them, when they were shot? I would love to get a better quality copy as well.

After asking around a bit I was able to identify some of the players.

The first is of Clave y Guaguancó at San Isidro Square:

(L to R) Víctor Quesada "Tatín"; Alfredo Gomes Paula "El niño"; Gustavo Martines "Cucharas." (Note the spoons-on-the-box "guagua.")

Julio Embale (Carlos' Brother)

(L to R) Gloria Mora; "El Monibonko de Ibiabanga"; Miguel Chappottín; Juan Cámpos Cárdenas "Chan."

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas with Titi on quinto (far left).

Thanks for any info.

Saludos

Posted: **Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:46 am**

Hi guarachon63,
The scene of Clave y Guaguancó is from a “home-made” VHS tape made by Kim Atkinson, Rob Holland, Michael Pluznick, Brett Gollin and the late Jerry Shilgy (sp?) in Havana, 1985. Your copy looks better than mine!

This scene was shot at the weekly Sat. rumba.

On this same trip, these five Cuban aficionados were brought to Pello el Afrokan’s house by the great rumbero Carlos Embale. Pello showed the gang his original mozambique rhythm. Up until then, they (and me) only knew the NYC version created by Eddie Palmieri and his rhythm section.

These guys brought the original Cuban mozambique back to the West Coast. Kim later released two mozambique instructional videos and Michael used the rhythm on his CD “Rhythm Harvest”.

I can't identify the Muñequitos tape. Sorry.
I’m afraid I can’t help you with better versions either. I finally transferred my tapes to DVD and they have degenerated a bit over the past two decades.
-David

Edited By davidpenalosa on 1192032240

Posted: **Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:20 pm**

Thanks for that info David! Yes I also have the part where they are singing in the house with Carlos Embales, beautiful.

These really are classic recordings, and priceless - the only recording I know of with Julio Embale, among other reasons.

For years I had an edited version which is pretty good quality - but someone had inexplicably cut all the songs out, just leaving the coros and the dancing. I recently came across the complete footage, with the songs, but it is many generations removed from the original and the audio and video is really bad. I am planning to move this to over to DVD but first wanted to see if I could get a better version, and also to give credit and thanks to the filmmakers.

Yes the Muñequitos tape (I see you edited your post) looks definitely home-made and not part of a TV special. The cameraperson for both of these tapes really knew what they were doing though, and given that they are from the same time period I have a feeling they were done by the same person.

I am also still trying to get the real name of "El Monibonko de Ibiabanga," if anybody happens to know it...

saludos
Barry

congaplace.com

Anyone have these videos? - Or know who shot them?