Historic Photo - Chano Pozo.

[zaragemca]

This is a Historic Photo of Chano Pozo.Dr.Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1147377674

[ABAKUA]

I recognise that photo from La Jiribilla site...
Thanks for sharing here.


A very sad day in 1948 that was.

In Habana, his death had timely definition with the commencement of the Chango festivities. Some argue it was a coincidence his shooting in the States and the significance of the date, others see it as a clear message. This is not the place for that debate however.
Chano was shot to death in El Rio Bar and Grill by ex-US Army Corporal Eusebio 'El Cabito' Muñoz ("El Cabo" at times, a decorated WWII veteran), who worked as a numbers runner and marijuana dealer; the most likely motive was Cabito's machismo-driven revenge for public humiliation after Pozo physically assaulted him, claiming to have been sold weak dope. Cabito was jailed for five years, the mild sentence due to his war record and testimony of character witnesses; Pozo was buried in Cuba

Que la Paz del señor se haga con el espiritu de Chano Pozo.













Edited By ABAKUA on 1147545878

[zaragemca]

Thanks for the brief and the rest of the pictures.Dr. Zaragemca

[ABAKUA]

Que bola Zara... thread title edited, naming whos photo it is to encourage viewing, reading and learning about a man who made very big footsteps in the journey of our tambores (drums) and music.

While browsing some articles from http://www.cubanow.net/index.php website,
I stumbled onto this one, though some may find it sensationally 'enhanced' ala Hollywood style, for me, as I read it, it was as if I could see it, hear it, feel it.. Imagine for a moment what it mustve been like to have been there. hanging out in a bar, music playing , people all around, then the whole scenario depicted below:

Luciano Pozo González aka "Chano Pozo"
Born: Jan 7th, 1915
Death: Dec 3 1948 (I have read it was the 2nd as well, unclear if it was 3rd or 2nd Dec, my understanding is it was the 3rd)

Caridad Martínez, Chano's wife, told journalist Omar E. Llep, who researched the musician's murder that "Chano left home that day happier than ever before. He was thinking about his debut at the Strand. He mentioned the incident with El Cabo, but he didn't think much of it.

Is it true that Chano tried to take 15 dollars from him?

The fact is that Chano handed El Cabo the money to take somewhere, but since El Cabo didn't do so, Chano shouted at him and slapped him.

Chano was not one to worry about 15 dollars. Some friends broke up the fight and El Cabo was willing to forget the incident as long as Chano excused himself. But that reconciliation never came through.

"The truth of the matter -Caridad Martínez told Llep- is that El Cabo was instigated to act as he did."

THE CRIME

Chano put a nickel in the record player slot. A disc dropped onto the rotating plate and the initial rhythms (trumpets and bongos) of a half wild music started flowing from the black spiral grooves.

Harlem's Café Río began to fill thanks to the furious drumming in Manteca's melodies. Chano stood still for a moment; his eyes fixed on the record, and absorbed by the way the needle translated into sounds the beats of his latest composition, his Manteca, the successful be-bop which had made him famous in the New York music scene

His fingers started shaking and his hands stretched out as if he were, unconsciously, automatically, feeling for his drums, those that no one else could play the way he did.

The catchy be-bop rhythm worked its way into Chano's body. His hips swayed, his eyes glowed and he began to dance, alone, physically and mentally alone.

The Café Rio's glass door opened slowly. A mysterious intruder stepped inside in such a way that he didn't even use his hands, tucked deep inside his overcoat pockets. He kept the door from closing with the tip of his foot. Then, he bent his knee and pushed... The musical notes of Manteca escaped out the door and across Lenox Avenue.

It was Eusebio Muñoz, El Cabo, his hands still in his pockets. Standing his ground, he looked for an opening in the crowd and then he saw Chano's chest in the middle of one of his dance spins. He pulled out his right hand and held it up at eye level.

Just one shot and Chano collapsed, his dance cut by a brutal blow, his heart broken by a bullet. Eusebio Muñoz, pale-faced and lips shut tightly, took several steps forward, approached Chano's lifeless body, looked at him for a second and without saying a word, fired his gun again, twice, six more times at the composer and musician, lying in a puddle of blood.

The record player's needle kept running through the mechanical translation of the last rhythms of Manteca.

From: http://www.cubanow.net/global....CBR.htm


Que sentimiento me da
cada vez que yo me acuerdo
de los rumberos famosos
que sentimiento me da
oh, oh Chano, murió chano Pozo.

La muerte de Andrea Baro,
Malanga también murió.
Cayo Lilón y Pablito
Murió Mulence y René,
oh, oh chano, murió Chano Pozo.

Sin Chano yo no quiero bailar
Sin Chano (coro)
Pero no puedo más
Sin Chano (coro)
Cosa buena yo no voy más ¡eh!
Sin Chano (coro)
A la rumba yo no voy más
Sin Chano (coro)
Caballero, yo no voy más ¡eh!
Sin Chano (coro)
si Anita quiere tocar ¡eh!
¡Rómpete muchacho, rómpete! (hablado)
¡Vaya, que Dios te tenga en la gloria! ¡Eh! (hablado)
ay mira nena no quiero bailar
Sin Chano (coro)
a la rumba yo no voy más
Sin Chano (coro)
si Chano Pozo no vuelve, yo no voy más
Sin Chano (coro)
a la rumba yo no voy más ¡eh!
Sin Chano (coro)
cosa buena yo no voy más ¡eh!
Sin Chano (coro)
me da la gana, yo no vuelvo más
Sin Chano (coro)
¡Vaya Anita! (hablado)

[SkinDeep]

His fingers started shaking and his hands stretched out as if he were, unconsciously, automatically, feeling for his drums, those that no one else could play the way he did.

WE CAN ALL RELATE TO THAT!!!

[zaragemca]

I didn't want to talk about it but, both Miguelito Valdez and Mario Bauza knew that the killing was instigated becouse the jelousy toward Chano Pozo at that time,(Eusabio, by itself wasn't inclined to do it).Dr. Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1147712788