new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

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new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby davidpenalosa » Sun Mar 14, 2010 4:37 am

Hello,
I recently finished writing my latest book Rumba Quinto, due to be released this summer. It's an instructional book with over 200 music examples. I cite the minutes and seconds on commercially available recordings where you can hear some of the examples. I also made a point of citing the particular quintero on the recording, as well shwoing a photo if I can find one.

Does anyone have a photo of the late quinto player for Los Muñequitos—Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa? I'd also like to know the year he was born. Thanks in advance.
-David
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby jorge » Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:37 am

For more information on Titi, if you can't get to Matanzas, talk to Sandy Perez and Toto Berriel, they both knew him. I asked Sandy about him last year, he knew him pretty well. If you can get to Matanzas or if the Muñequitos come here anytime soon, talk to Titi's son Eddy Espinosa, tumbador de los Muñequitos, and the senior members of the group.
The only pictures I have seen are in videos on Mark Sanders' website. Maybe you can get permission to use a still clip from Harry Belafonte's video Routes of Rhythm, although I think the other videos on Mark's site like the one with ChaCha have closer and clearer pictures of Titi.
I think what you are doing, documenting and disseminating information about the greatest of the great rumberos, is really important, so people can see some of the most influential but underrecognized creators behind son, salsa, songo, timba, latin jazz and other modern Latin and African-based music. Titi was definitely one of the greatest. I hope you also have pictures and info on Papin, ChaCha, Pelladito, Regalao (Afrocuba), Giraldo Rodriguez (Alberto Zayas rumba group), Alejandro Publes (Clave y Guaguanco), El Chori (Yoruba Andabo), Palito (Yoruba Andabo), Orlando Rios "Puntilla", Pedro Vero Alfonso (Rumboleros), Mario Jauregui, the quinto player for Columbia del Puerto (I don't know his name), Jesus Alfonso, and some of the best quinteros of the younger generation Adonis Panter Calderon (Yoruba Andabo), Sandy Perez, Roman Diaz, Ivan and Freddy Alfonso (Muñequitos). In my opinion, these are the best of the recorded quinto players I have heard. I admit to having an "old school" bias favoring clean style and not a lot of rolls or overplaying.
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby davidpenalosa » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:06 am

Hi Jorge,
Thanks, I thought of Sandy as I was writing this. I need to contact him about a couple of things. I cite Sandy in the book, as well as Mongo, Chano, Chacha, Papin, Leonel Torriente, Angel Pellado, Jesús Alfonso, Pedro Mena, the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional (who is the quinto player quinto, Mario?) and Carlos Vidal (played quinto on the first recording of folkloric rumba in 1948). I also cite some examples of timableros who used quinto phrasing in their solos (Manny Oquendo, Willie Bobo, Steve Berrios and Anga).

I draw my examples from some of the earliest recordings because that's where you find the archetypal phrases. "Old School" is definitely the foundation.

This is the complete rumba discography from 1947 to 1960 as far as I know:

1947 SMC 78 RPM Ritmo Afro-Cubano series (Chano Pozo y su Ritmo de Tambores)
1948 SMC 78 RPM Ritmo Afro-Cubano series (Vidal Bolado y su Ritmo de Tambores)
1952 SMC Tambores Afro-Cubanos (Mongo Santamaría’s Afro-Cuban Drums)
1954 Changó (re-released as Drums and Chants) (Mongo) (1954);
1955 Guaguancó Afro-Cubano (Alberto Zayas)
1956 Festival in Havana (Ignacio Piñiero with Carlos Embale)
1956 the two songs "Los muñequitos" and "Los beodos" on a 45 RPM phonorecord (Los Muñequitos)
1956, 1958 Guaguancó v. 1 and v. 2 (Los Muñequitos/Papin y sus Rumberos)
1958 Rumba abierta (Los Muñequitos)
1958 Oriza (Sylvestre Mendez)
1958 Yambú (Mongo Santamaría)
1959 Mongo (Mongo Santamaría)
1960 Bembé (Mongo Santamaría)

If anybody takes issue with my discography, I would love to hear from you. I have not been able to learn the date of the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional's first record. I was not able to learn the date of their second record either, which was frustrating since I wrote the liner notes to the CD re-release. EGREM, who made the record, had no info.

Unfortunately, photos taken from video do not have a high enough resolution for printing in a book.
-David
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby Thomas Altmann » Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:19 pm

David,

according to the liner notes of the Caney CD, "Drums and Chants" was released in NY in 1955. Was this the re-release date?

TA
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby guarachon63 » Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:40 pm

This sounds like a great project, David, really looking forward to it.

Patrice Banchereau in Toulon posted a lengthy article on his blog a while ago on early rumba recordings:

http://rumberosdelahistoria.blogspot.com/2010/01/festival-in-havana-1955-primer-disco-de.html

It's in Spanish, I have been working on a translation for my blog but it seems to never end! :)

He mentions some early Arsenio recordings that fit within that time frame. Have you consulted Cristobal Diaz Ayala about this? I am sure he would be happy to help, I wouldn't be surprised if he knew about the CFN discs too.

For pictures of Titi contact Lisbet Tellefsen, she has some great ones that she can scan at high quality. If you need contact info for either her or Cristobal send me an email or a PM.

I am curious about one recording you mention:

1948 SMC 78 RPM Ritmo Afro-Cubano series (Vidal Bolado y su Ritmo de Tambores)

Do you have any more info on that one?

Thanks
Barry
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby davidpenalosa » Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:22 pm

guarachon63 wrote:I am curious about one recording you mention: 1948 SMC 78 RPM Ritmo Afro-Cubano series (Vidal Bolado y su Ritmo de Tambores) Do you have any more info on that one?


Hi Barry,
Thanks for posting that link.

Between 1947 and 1948 (or '49) SMC released the four 78 RPM phonorecords of their Ritmo Afro-Cubano series that contain the earliest known audio documentation of folkloric rumba. Two of the records (sides 1 through 4) were recorded under the name Chano Pozo y su Ritmo de Tambores. The personnel are Chano Pozo, Carlos Vidal, José Mangual, Kiki Rodríguez (Arsenio’s brother and conguero) and the vocalist Miguelito Valdés.

The term folkloric should be qualified here in regards to the Pozo tracks. To be sure, these are not band adaptations of rumba; the tracks consist of voice and percussion only. On the other hand, this is not a full rumba ensemble; it’s just six guys with a conga and a set of bongos. The quinto and bonkó parts are played on the bongos (by Pozo and Mangual). It is also noteworthy that the tempos are significantly faster than the guaguancós recorded in the mid-50s, especially those recorded by Los Muñequitos. The fast tempos could reflect the influence of the cabaret, as Chano performed cabaret-style rumbas at the Tropicana and other venues. In fact, if you were to remove the non-percussion instruments from the Chano tunes "Muna Sanganfimba" and "Nagüe," you would hear pretty much the same type of fast rumba. All of these songs I just mentioned can be found on the box-set Chano Pozo El Tambor De Cuba.

The other two 78s: sides 5 though 8, are under the name Vidal Bolado y su Ritmo de Tambores. Vidal Bolado is the conguero better known as Carlos Vidal. The personnel are listed as Vidal Bolado, Merceditas Valdés, Chonguito, Monguito, Willie and Candito. The four Vidal sides consist of a guaguancó, a columbia, an abakuá and a bembé. The guaguancó and columbia tracks are the earliest authentic folkloric rumba recordings I'm aware of.

None of the Vidal tracks have been re-released on CD. Even more frustrating, I've been told that after SMC went out of business, the heirs threw out the master tapes! Surviving 78s are extremely rare. My friend Zeno will be posting these rare rumba tracks on his website later this year. I'll announce when that happens in this forum.

As many of you know, Carlos Vidal was Machito's conguero and José Mangual was his bongocero. By far, the strongest "quinto" player on the Ritmo Afro-Cubano series is José Mangual. Carlos Vidal is the next strongest and Chano is clearly the least strong. Researching these early recordings, I have gained more appreciation of José Mangual. Also, I came to the conclusion that Mongo Santamaria was the first quinto virtuoso to be recorded (1952). Once I got into the early Muñequitos recordings years ago, I did not listen to the more flashy Mongo so much. However, my recent research has given me a renewed appreciation of Mongo's contribution.
-David
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby davidpenalosa » Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:30 pm

Thomas Altmann wrote:David, according to the liner notes of the Caney CD, "Drums and Chants" was released in NY in 1955. Was this the re-release date?


Hi Thomas,
That may be the case. I compiled my discography information several years ago. I have spent a considerable amount of time this morning looking for my notes, but have not found them yet. I hope to have an answer for you soon.
-David
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby davidpenalosa » Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:32 pm

While we are on the subject, can anyone email me a hi-resolution scan of that classic photo of the original Muñequitos? Also, can anyone identify all the members in that photo? I'm dedicating my book to them.
-David
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby guarachon63 » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:05 pm

I haven't been able to find a good quality image of that photo on the internet, this is about the best I have found. I am pretty sure Carlos Aldama has a print of it in his house, if you are in touch with him.

Image

Re the names of the members, these were confirmed in April 2007 by Tomás Jimeno Diaz, but it probably wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion:

Standing (L to R): Florencio Calle "Catalino," Gregorio Díaz "Goyito," Esteban Vega Bacallao "Chachá," Pablo Mesa "Papi," Ángel Pellado "Pelladito."

Seated (L to R): Hortensio Alfonso "Virulilla," Esteban Lantri "Saldiguera," Juan Bosco Mesa.

saludos
Barry
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Re: new quinto book & Victoriano "Tití" Espinosa

Postby davidpenalosa » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:14 pm

Thanks Barry!
-David
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