Giraldo Rodriguez-Afro Tambores Bata - by Tomas Altmann
by davidpenalosa » Sat Jul 01, 2006 4:36 am
I have something to add to Thomas Altmann’s illuminating article "The Giraldo Rodriguez Record" ("Afro Tambores Bata"):
http://www.ochemusic.de/artgiro.htm
Thomas Altmann:
"The first drummers to start playing and teaching batá in the United States in the 1960’s were Julito Collazo, Eugenio Arango "Totiko", Onelio Scull (who soon moved to Puerto Rico) and Francisco Aguabella. In New York, Julio Collazo is generally credited for having layed the foundation for Havana-style batá drumming, sharing his knowledge with people like Teddy Holliday Sr., Manny Ramos, John Amira, Milton Cardona, Steve Berrios, Hector "Flaco" Hernández, and "Cachete" Maldonado, among others. The only musical notations of the toques batá that were accessible were the books of Fernando Ortíz, which proved to be not as accurate as desired. So the record published under the name of Giraldo Rodríguez was worth its price in gold back then."
Me:
The Giraldo Rodriguez record "Afro Tambores Bata" was a crucial element in the forming of the "indigenous" batá community in the United States. North Americans were playing batá in NYC BEFORE Julito Collazo or any other Cubans taught in this country. Therefore, that vinyl LP was a kind of "subversive" component, in that it facilitated the learning of batá when there were no willing teachers.
My first batá teacher was Marcus Gordon, who was playing with John Amira, Gene Golden and John "Windcloud" Montalvo during the early 60’s in NYC. There’s a photo of Marcus Gordon (iyá), John Amira (itótele) and Gene Golden (okónkolo) in the chapter "The Music of Santeria" (pg.59) in the book "Salsa" by Charley Gerard and Marty Sheller. That photo pre-dates Cubans teaching the U.S. As I remember being told, Marcus and the other drummers used the charts in the Oritz book and memorized "Afro Tambores Bata". As they were exposed to other rhythms they would fill-in the gaps of their knowledge. The impression I got from hearing these stories was that Julito thought these guys were upstarts, but their proficiency was such that they were eventually called to play bembes and were hired by Celia Cruz and Katherine Dunham, among others. Marcus said that he had the first carved set of batá in New York City.
He also told me that the drummers he hung out with in the early 60’s refined their ability to pick rhythms off of records. They could play the entire Muñequitos (called Grupo Matancero back then) record "Guaguancó" verbatim. They used that same focus with the "Afro Tambores Bata" record. There were no folkloric teachers at that time. You learned by watching and listening.
--Johnny Conga please correct me if I’m wrong here — -
That particular record and those upstart North Americans had an essential role in the launching the batá scene in NYC. I believe that it may have even been as late as the 70’s when Julito Collazo began teaching the local drummers mentioned in the article.
By that time Marcus had moved to San Francisco and founded that city’s famous annual Carnaval. Bill Summers first learned batá from Marcus. I found this page where that history is discussed.
http://www.highbeam.com/library/docFree ... 1:54968573
I began taking batá lessons from Marcus Gordon in 1980. "Afro Tambores Bata" was my basic model too. The transcriptions in John Amrira’s batá book "The Music of Santeria" are close to the Marcus’ repertoire I was taught. It reflects a study of batá in which the information came hard. The particular arrangements come from different sources. They had to take the information where they found it and the Cubans didn’t share the info.
With the Cuban exodus in 1980, batá drumming became more accessible in the U.S. Alfredo Videaux initiated the SF drummers and Puntilla initiated the NYC drummers. All the gaps in the local drummers’ knowledge was filled. John Santos’ Tambo Cuba (Santos, Harold Muñiz, Mike Spiro) performed the oru igbodu as taught by Videaux in San Francisco one night in 1980 on the same bill as Francisco Aguabella’s band. Francisco had not played batá in years. Hearing those rhythms inspired him to invite the Tambo Cuba drummers to join him in his own batá battery. Thus, Francisco Aguabella was once again a formidable force in the batá scene.
By the mid-80’s my friends were traveling to Cuba, we met Cubans in Mexico several times and Cuban masters began teaching here regularly in the 90’s. If anything, there’s more information available now than I can probably learn. If there is a recording now that I would compare to "Afro Tambores Bata", it would be the CD by the late Regino Jimenez’ Grupo Ilu Aña’s "Sacred Rhythms". Mike Spiro produced it with batá students in mind and you can hear everything clear as day.
The LP "Afro Tambores Bata" reminds me of the time when the rhythms were closely-guarded secrets and you appreciated every little scrap of information you could get your hands on.
-David
http://www.ochemusic.de/artgiro.htm
Thomas Altmann:
"The first drummers to start playing and teaching batá in the United States in the 1960’s were Julito Collazo, Eugenio Arango "Totiko", Onelio Scull (who soon moved to Puerto Rico) and Francisco Aguabella. In New York, Julio Collazo is generally credited for having layed the foundation for Havana-style batá drumming, sharing his knowledge with people like Teddy Holliday Sr., Manny Ramos, John Amira, Milton Cardona, Steve Berrios, Hector "Flaco" Hernández, and "Cachete" Maldonado, among others. The only musical notations of the toques batá that were accessible were the books of Fernando Ortíz, which proved to be not as accurate as desired. So the record published under the name of Giraldo Rodríguez was worth its price in gold back then."
Me:
The Giraldo Rodriguez record "Afro Tambores Bata" was a crucial element in the forming of the "indigenous" batá community in the United States. North Americans were playing batá in NYC BEFORE Julito Collazo or any other Cubans taught in this country. Therefore, that vinyl LP was a kind of "subversive" component, in that it facilitated the learning of batá when there were no willing teachers.
My first batá teacher was Marcus Gordon, who was playing with John Amira, Gene Golden and John "Windcloud" Montalvo during the early 60’s in NYC. There’s a photo of Marcus Gordon (iyá), John Amira (itótele) and Gene Golden (okónkolo) in the chapter "The Music of Santeria" (pg.59) in the book "Salsa" by Charley Gerard and Marty Sheller. That photo pre-dates Cubans teaching the U.S. As I remember being told, Marcus and the other drummers used the charts in the Oritz book and memorized "Afro Tambores Bata". As they were exposed to other rhythms they would fill-in the gaps of their knowledge. The impression I got from hearing these stories was that Julito thought these guys were upstarts, but their proficiency was such that they were eventually called to play bembes and were hired by Celia Cruz and Katherine Dunham, among others. Marcus said that he had the first carved set of batá in New York City.
He also told me that the drummers he hung out with in the early 60’s refined their ability to pick rhythms off of records. They could play the entire Muñequitos (called Grupo Matancero back then) record "Guaguancó" verbatim. They used that same focus with the "Afro Tambores Bata" record. There were no folkloric teachers at that time. You learned by watching and listening.
--Johnny Conga please correct me if I’m wrong here — -
That particular record and those upstart North Americans had an essential role in the launching the batá scene in NYC. I believe that it may have even been as late as the 70’s when Julito Collazo began teaching the local drummers mentioned in the article.
By that time Marcus had moved to San Francisco and founded that city’s famous annual Carnaval. Bill Summers first learned batá from Marcus. I found this page where that history is discussed.
http://www.highbeam.com/library/docFree ... 1:54968573
I began taking batá lessons from Marcus Gordon in 1980. "Afro Tambores Bata" was my basic model too. The transcriptions in John Amrira’s batá book "The Music of Santeria" are close to the Marcus’ repertoire I was taught. It reflects a study of batá in which the information came hard. The particular arrangements come from different sources. They had to take the information where they found it and the Cubans didn’t share the info.
With the Cuban exodus in 1980, batá drumming became more accessible in the U.S. Alfredo Videaux initiated the SF drummers and Puntilla initiated the NYC drummers. All the gaps in the local drummers’ knowledge was filled. John Santos’ Tambo Cuba (Santos, Harold Muñiz, Mike Spiro) performed the oru igbodu as taught by Videaux in San Francisco one night in 1980 on the same bill as Francisco Aguabella’s band. Francisco had not played batá in years. Hearing those rhythms inspired him to invite the Tambo Cuba drummers to join him in his own batá battery. Thus, Francisco Aguabella was once again a formidable force in the batá scene.
By the mid-80’s my friends were traveling to Cuba, we met Cubans in Mexico several times and Cuban masters began teaching here regularly in the 90’s. If anything, there’s more information available now than I can probably learn. If there is a recording now that I would compare to "Afro Tambores Bata", it would be the CD by the late Regino Jimenez’ Grupo Ilu Aña’s "Sacred Rhythms". Mike Spiro produced it with batá students in mind and you can hear everything clear as day.
The LP "Afro Tambores Bata" reminds me of the time when the rhythms were closely-guarded secrets and you appreciated every little scrap of information you could get your hands on.
-David
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by JohnnyConga » Sat Jul 01, 2006 4:05 pm
HI David ..I believe Julito started to teach in the late 60's not he late 70's...Gene Golden and a few others learned from him...You mentioned sombody I worked with back in the mid 60's Manny Ramos-a timbale player from Chicago that settled in NY and recorded with Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the Latin Jazz Quintet, which I was a part of in 1967 with Manny Ramos on timbs..Is that the same one? Is he still alive? If so do u know where he is ?.... I would love to talk with him....the last time i saw him he was in dire straights with kids to feed and living in squalor on the lower east side...it was sad to see...what a telented and nice guy .. I got my first Eco Tone conga from him. He needed money to feed his kids and he sold me his pawn ticket for the drum, so he could feed his kids...true story..."JC" Johnny Conga...
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by davidpenalosa » Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:25 pm
JohnnyConga wrote:HI David ..I believe Julito started to teach in the late 60's not the late 70's...Gene Golden and a few others learned from him...You mentioned sombody I worked with back in the mid 60's Manny Ramos-a timbale player from Chicago...
Hi Johhny,
Manny Ramos was actually mentioned by Thomas Altmann (article excerpt), not me. I'm afraid I can't help you, sorry.
-David
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by Thomas Altmann » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:01 pm
Dear members of the CongaBoard,
I noticed that, while I announced the publication of my article on the BataDrums forum, the real discussion went on right here, thanks to Jorge Ginorio (Hi Jorge!). After I had received a private message from David Penalosa, I decided to register myself in this forum. Naturally, I had a glance at some of the threads here, and it seems to me that good old internet communication culture is still held up here.
So, hello everybody. About myself: I am a drummer/percussionist in Hamburg, Germany, vintage 1954. Fate brought it that I am more known for what I wrote ("Cantos Lucumi a los Orichas") than for what I am playing. For any more info I invite the interested to visit my homepage at http://www.ochemusic.de .
First of all let me thank you all for sharing YOUR knowledge about the record and its circumstances. As a matter of fact, I received so much response and additional input upon this particular article that I cannot but write it all anew, as soon as I got all the info together. I also wrote to ORFEON, Mexico, directly, to hear what they have to say. I therefore have to apologize for temporarily cutting down the article to the root information until I'll be able to write a revised, more thorough version of it.
In order to enter the discussion at this point, I would like to clarify some issues and ask some questions.
Firstly, it is my intention to bring as much accurate information to the interested internet public as possible. It is not my intent to ride the ego horse. I can meanwhile count upon the information and the support of several, partly illustrous, contributors to the topic, and with their permission, I will cite them all and give everybody due credit. In the end, I might have the least share in the article, except for putting the material together, but that is still an honor for me. It doesn't always show, but basically I'm a perfectionist; so I am going to finish what I started with this article.
As to the information I offered, it must be clear that I was neither physically present when the recording took place, nor when the New York batá scene took its inception. As most other people, I just report what I was reported - literately and orally. In this respect I am thankful to everybody who shares his view on history. I have expressed this to David already. I have the hope that in future I have the chance to learn more about batá history from you, and certainly I am more than willing to share what I know, or what I believe.
To become specific now, I would like to ask Dr. Zaragemca, what his occupation as a record producer looks like, and what his experience with Cuban sessions was? Also, I am eager to learn how it should be possible to make a clandestine studio recording with living musicians? What might be possible, however, is that the recordings were made in Cuba in 1954 (according to the CIDMUC information), while the ORFEON people got hold of them some five years later, pretty much in the way they sold the old Cuban CFN recordings that I was stupid enough to order.
As to the lineage of Giraldo Rodriguez, I must confess I had a speedy keyboard when I wrote that. I cannot actually prove that from the literature at my hand. But nevertheless, he played with Raul Diaz AND with Jesus Perez AND with Trinidad Torregrosa, who were all disciples of Pablo Roche, even though he might not have studied or played with him personally. So he was inside of this circle. And who was the segundero of one or another ensemble, might be insignificant from my experience with the tambor business in Cuba, at least in modern times; because everybody sits in with several ensembles anyway.
Facundo: Who was the first one to own a set of fundamento batá in NY (let it be Onelio Scull), does not necessarily have any meaning in terms of who was the spiritus rector for the NY batá scene. David has given wonderful info complementing the unquestioned and widely acknowledged opinion that Julito Collazo was the main force in teaching and playing batá in New York.
Did anybody say that the Santero 1+2 records preceded the Giraldo Rodriguez record? When had these been recorded?
As to Fermin Balsinde (- Barsinde), "EL Ciego", Papo Angarica told me he was an itótele player. I am heavily interested to know about his lineage. I read that his grandchildren, Julio Balsinde and Yeyito Admiral, had been the teachers of Ezequiel Torres in Miami. Whoever has that contact, could perhaps ask Ezequiel for them, as well as for Fermin. I also know the names of two drummers who belonged to Fermin's tambor in Cuba: Pedrito Diaz and Andres Isaqui.
So much so far,
Greetings from "Alemania en el verano",
Thomas Altmann
Edited By Thomas Altmann on 1151849298
I noticed that, while I announced the publication of my article on the BataDrums forum, the real discussion went on right here, thanks to Jorge Ginorio (Hi Jorge!). After I had received a private message from David Penalosa, I decided to register myself in this forum. Naturally, I had a glance at some of the threads here, and it seems to me that good old internet communication culture is still held up here.
So, hello everybody. About myself: I am a drummer/percussionist in Hamburg, Germany, vintage 1954. Fate brought it that I am more known for what I wrote ("Cantos Lucumi a los Orichas") than for what I am playing. For any more info I invite the interested to visit my homepage at http://www.ochemusic.de .
First of all let me thank you all for sharing YOUR knowledge about the record and its circumstances. As a matter of fact, I received so much response and additional input upon this particular article that I cannot but write it all anew, as soon as I got all the info together. I also wrote to ORFEON, Mexico, directly, to hear what they have to say. I therefore have to apologize for temporarily cutting down the article to the root information until I'll be able to write a revised, more thorough version of it.
In order to enter the discussion at this point, I would like to clarify some issues and ask some questions.
Firstly, it is my intention to bring as much accurate information to the interested internet public as possible. It is not my intent to ride the ego horse. I can meanwhile count upon the information and the support of several, partly illustrous, contributors to the topic, and with their permission, I will cite them all and give everybody due credit. In the end, I might have the least share in the article, except for putting the material together, but that is still an honor for me. It doesn't always show, but basically I'm a perfectionist; so I am going to finish what I started with this article.
As to the information I offered, it must be clear that I was neither physically present when the recording took place, nor when the New York batá scene took its inception. As most other people, I just report what I was reported - literately and orally. In this respect I am thankful to everybody who shares his view on history. I have expressed this to David already. I have the hope that in future I have the chance to learn more about batá history from you, and certainly I am more than willing to share what I know, or what I believe.
To become specific now, I would like to ask Dr. Zaragemca, what his occupation as a record producer looks like, and what his experience with Cuban sessions was? Also, I am eager to learn how it should be possible to make a clandestine studio recording with living musicians? What might be possible, however, is that the recordings were made in Cuba in 1954 (according to the CIDMUC information), while the ORFEON people got hold of them some five years later, pretty much in the way they sold the old Cuban CFN recordings that I was stupid enough to order.
As to the lineage of Giraldo Rodriguez, I must confess I had a speedy keyboard when I wrote that. I cannot actually prove that from the literature at my hand. But nevertheless, he played with Raul Diaz AND with Jesus Perez AND with Trinidad Torregrosa, who were all disciples of Pablo Roche, even though he might not have studied or played with him personally. So he was inside of this circle. And who was the segundero of one or another ensemble, might be insignificant from my experience with the tambor business in Cuba, at least in modern times; because everybody sits in with several ensembles anyway.
Facundo: Who was the first one to own a set of fundamento batá in NY (let it be Onelio Scull), does not necessarily have any meaning in terms of who was the spiritus rector for the NY batá scene. David has given wonderful info complementing the unquestioned and widely acknowledged opinion that Julito Collazo was the main force in teaching and playing batá in New York.
Did anybody say that the Santero 1+2 records preceded the Giraldo Rodriguez record? When had these been recorded?
As to Fermin Balsinde (- Barsinde), "EL Ciego", Papo Angarica told me he was an itótele player. I am heavily interested to know about his lineage. I read that his grandchildren, Julio Balsinde and Yeyito Admiral, had been the teachers of Ezequiel Torres in Miami. Whoever has that contact, could perhaps ask Ezequiel for them, as well as for Fermin. I also know the names of two drummers who belonged to Fermin's tambor in Cuba: Pedrito Diaz and Andres Isaqui.
So much so far,
Greetings from "Alemania en el verano",
Thomas Altmann
Edited By Thomas Altmann on 1151849298
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by JohnnyConga » Wed Jul 05, 2006 2:36 am
There was also the Grupo Folklorico de "Justi Barretto" that had Julito, Justi,Chocolate,and Patato, in New York..the album I have is called "Santeria-Toques y Cantos" on the "Gema" label owned by the comedian Alvarez Guedez. Not a bad recording either..."JC" Johnny Conga....
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by Thomas Altmann » Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:19 pm
Hello JC:
1. Who is Chocolate? What was his full name? I had heard about Chocolate the trumpet player (I actually got to know him one time), and about one conga player with Arsenio who was called by this name.
2. I have a record on cassette by the "Santeros de Justi Barreto", and the record is called either "Santeria Africana" or "Santa Barbara Africana". I suppose that's not the record you mean? But possibly the same people playing?
There is a very talented percussionist in Berlin with the name of Ottmar ("Oti") Köhler. He has all these rare vinyl records. From him I also recorded a record by Candita Batista y Tambores Batá. The title escapes me. Oh, and this "Santero Afro Cuban Cult Music Vol. 1" from Panart. That's the record I had been asking for. In the meantime I found out that the recordings must have been made before 1955, but compiled on LP under this title at the end of 1955. It had Celia Cruz, Merceditas Valdés, Eugenio de la Rosa (former teacher of Lázaro Ros), and drummers Jesus Perez and Trinidad Torregrosa, among others.
Greetings, and thanks for the welcome (I was already believing that I had blown the thread).
Thomas
1. Who is Chocolate? What was his full name? I had heard about Chocolate the trumpet player (I actually got to know him one time), and about one conga player with Arsenio who was called by this name.
2. I have a record on cassette by the "Santeros de Justi Barreto", and the record is called either "Santeria Africana" or "Santa Barbara Africana". I suppose that's not the record you mean? But possibly the same people playing?
There is a very talented percussionist in Berlin with the name of Ottmar ("Oti") Köhler. He has all these rare vinyl records. From him I also recorded a record by Candita Batista y Tambores Batá. The title escapes me. Oh, and this "Santero Afro Cuban Cult Music Vol. 1" from Panart. That's the record I had been asking for. In the meantime I found out that the recordings must have been made before 1955, but compiled on LP under this title at the end of 1955. It had Celia Cruz, Merceditas Valdés, Eugenio de la Rosa (former teacher of Lázaro Ros), and drummers Jesus Perez and Trinidad Torregrosa, among others.
Greetings, and thanks for the welcome (I was already believing that I had blown the thread).
Thomas
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by JohnnyConga » Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:05 pm
Hi Thomas ... I have ALL those albums you mentioned..."Chocolate" Mena Diaz, is his full name who recorded 2 albums under his own name, he settled in Philadelphia,when he left NY city. I have one album by him and his other is "Eso es Latin Jazz,Man!"....you can find a copy at DustyGrooveAmerica.com.....and a lot of other great classic albums and CD's...Those Santeria albums were either done by Justi's Group or Onelio Scull's group which consisted of the same Bataleros....BTW I played the last "Hammoniale" festival in 1997 in Hamburg with the show "Drummin" by Tania Leon...I LOVE GERMANY!...I used to live in Mannheim and Feudenheim....gibt mier eine visewein cola..hahhahahah oh man....pomme frits....mit mayonaise....ahh the Reperbhan ...yes had a good time there, in Hamburg...WELCOME!...."JC" Johnny Conga.... 
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by Thomas Altmann » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:46 pm
Hi Johnny Conga,
I'm glad that you have pleasant memories of Germany. I was living in Heidelberg in 1984-85, playing with a band called Salsa Mortal in the US baracks for the "Hispanics" (mainly Puerto Ricans and Mexicans). I played with Tito Prats and Ricky Jamison (bg/cg), and with Pat Mancuso and Dale Stinson (tp), if you knew them by coincidence. Tito lived in Weinheim (and I think he still does). I played everything back then; congas, bongos, timbales - whatever was needed.
I was also playing Merengue güíra at times, which was regularly a monstrous show-down. Puerto Ricans loved to dance Merengue as much as I hated to play it. It was fast, and it never stopped. Or, it stopped and started again, for another 7 minutes.
Fortunately, I didn't have to touch the güíra a lot recently.
Greetings,
Thomas
I'm glad that you have pleasant memories of Germany. I was living in Heidelberg in 1984-85, playing with a band called Salsa Mortal in the US baracks for the "Hispanics" (mainly Puerto Ricans and Mexicans). I played with Tito Prats and Ricky Jamison (bg/cg), and with Pat Mancuso and Dale Stinson (tp), if you knew them by coincidence. Tito lived in Weinheim (and I think he still does). I played everything back then; congas, bongos, timbales - whatever was needed.
I was also playing Merengue güíra at times, which was regularly a monstrous show-down. Puerto Ricans loved to dance Merengue as much as I hated to play it. It was fast, and it never stopped. Or, it stopped and started again, for another 7 minutes.
Fortunately, I didn't have to touch the güíra a lot recently.
Greetings,
Thomas
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by JohnnyConga » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:30 pm
Hi Thomas ..I lived in Germany back from 1969 to almost 72, after Vietnam I was stationed at Coleman Barracks/Mannheim. I was like the ONLY conga player in West Germany at the time and was playing with 6 different bands...The Avantgards, The Group of Soul, The Afro-Directions, Tommy Harris and the Fabulous Upsetters and a few others. At the time there were NO latin bands to speak of, though I would go to Spinelli Barracks to jam with a few Puerto Ricans soldiers I knew....I miss that "erdbier"(strawberry wine). I don't know why but Ricky Jamison and Pat Mancuso sound awfully familiar to me...??..His name is "Chocolate Diaz Mena" I had the last names reversed....Vas ist los?.....hahahaha...."JC" Johnny Conga...
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by Facundo » Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:50 pm
JohnnyConga wrote:HI David ..I believe Julito started to teach in the late 60's not he late 70's...Gene Golden and a few others learned from him...You mentioned sombody I worked with back in the mid 60's Manny Ramos-a timbale player from Chicago that settled in NY and recorded with Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the Latin Jazz Quintet, which I was a part of in 1967 with Manny Ramos on timbs..Is that the same one? Is he still alive? If so do u know where he is ?.... I would love to talk with him....the last time i saw him he was in dire straights with kids to feed and living in squalor on the lower east side...it was sad to see...what a telented and nice guy .. I got my first Eco Tone conga from him. He needed money to feed his kids and he sold me his pawn ticket for the drum, so he could feed his kids...true story..."JC" Johnny Conga...
Hey JC,
You are right, Julito did start teaching in the late 60s. Gene Golden, Baba Femi, Pablo Landrum, Sonny Morgan, Garvin Masseaux were some of his early students. All but Gene and Baba Femi have passed on. The last time I saw Manny, he was recovering from a heart attach and had stopped playing. He was in good spirits was seemed happy to be around drums even though he wasn't playing. However, that was several years ago so I am not sure how is doing now.
Best regards,
Facundo
Facundo
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by zaragenca » Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:28 pm
My best wishes to all,the reason I did asked the questions was that I knew that Giraldo didn't play with Roche at all,...when I was in Cuba I was living in the same block of the Panart/Studios-E.G.R.E.M.,and I know that the 1950's was the golden/Era of the studios,(where a lot of musicians and singers from South America and the U.S.,were going there becouse the quality of recording,(the owner was Ramon Sabat a cuban electronic/enginer which was working for the RCA-Victor in the U.S., and bought those equipments to set the recording in Cuba,also they knew the importance of the recording of batas,since they have been recording that type of music,since 1940's with Dr. Obdulio Morales...The difference is given, that in the recording,all the tracks are check before mixing and mastering,in the clandestine recording,it is done live and many times there is not way to know how it is done until all the playing stop, without the possibility of checking tracks...When I was in Cuba and living in the same block of Panart/Studios,I have the opportunity to check the sessions of the best musical directors as, Rafael Somavilla,Tony Tano,Leo Brawer,and many Orquestras which were recording there at that time,later the goverment setup and State of the Arts Studio with british/equipment and another one in Santiago de Cuba....In relation to Jesus Perez playing with Giraldo,..Jesus Perez have more recognition as Olu/Bata than Giraldo,(and that is a 'Most' when playing Iya, for liturgical purpose,(even in recording)...in the late 1950's when Fure, was given the job of organizing the Conjunto Folklorico National, and they were looking for the one which could ocupy the plaza of Olu/Bata,(all the fingers point it to Jesus Perez as the most qualified for it), he started as teenager under the wings of Pablo Roche,(few people have ever played with Pablo Roche, moreless been tought by him),at that time it was not like a drumming/school,or anything like that...Here in the U.S.,I have been extensibily recording and doing production work for independing musicians,(invited becouse my knowledge),and differents recording labels,(last one about several weeks ago in Austin,Texas.Dr. Zaragemca
Edited By zaragenca on 1153940679
Edited By zaragenca on 1153940679
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by zaragenca » Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:55 pm
Yes we agree on that,but I'm answering several questions including how do I know when a recording could be clandestine,or from the Panart/Studios-E.G.R.E.N.,there is something wrong when all the credit is going to Giraldo Rodriguez,and there is not mentioning of the other players,or singers in the recording,that's really,really bad.Dr. Zaragemca
Edited By zaragenca on 1153940273
Edited By zaragenca on 1153940273
International Club of Percussionists
- zaragenca
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- Location: Houston,Texas
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