Big jam/rumba for Jose's bday - PICS and VIDS inside!

[ABAKUA]

last weekend was Jose's bday. He turned 54.
Jose (or Pepe as we all know him) is a legend here in Sydney.
He was the first to play 4-5 congas and play d a m n good!
He studied Jorge Alfonso (El Niño) original conguero for Irakere and the first conguero in Cuba to play 5 congas melodically etc.
This man ate Irakere for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can close your eyes and listen to him play and you would swear its El Niño.
He established himself as the leading Conguero, Timbalero through the late 70's to the late 80's. In the early 90's he somewhat retired from the scene.
Sierra Maestra, Buena Vista Social Club, Septiembre 5, and OPUS 13 (all Cuban bands/musicians) stayed with him on their travels to Sydney, and are all long time friends.
The man was my main mentor on congas.
He has 2 sons, Tonio (Jose jnr) is now 25 and is a mean mofo on congas, drums and timbales, perhaps Sydneys leading latin drummer and my number one man when it comes to all things percussion. The other son is 14 and is quickly following in the footsteps, doing his paces on bongo and bell.

We held a big BBQ and rumba at his house, and played from 1pm till 10.30pm!
Good food, drinks, friends and music. What more could you ask for.

Here come the pics, I will also upload the vids asap. *excuse the poor quality of the vids, they were taken with my mobile phone*

Ok. here come the pics... lots to come!

Sam (my bass player in my salsa dura band) and Jose 'Pepe' Marquez, Pepe cooked up a storm on the BBQ!

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[ABAKUA]

The jamming didnt take long to start, here Ricky 'El Indio' Kugler on drumkit, Pepe's son Tonio on quinto, myself tres dos and tumbadora, holding rumba guaguanco... (sam in the background setting up his bass)

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[ABAKUA]

Pepe on timbales, Laurent on chekere, Pepe's son Carlitos on bongo.

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El Indio on drumkit, Tonio on tumbadoras, Sam on bass...

Tonio began playing tumbadoras and drumkit etc before he could walk. His father tought him everything he knew, he then studied Giovanni Hidalgo and has lighting quick chops, sabor and is a heavy hittter all, the man got it all.

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The bday boy himself, Pepe.

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Laurent on Chekere, Carlitos on bongo/bell.

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more jammin yo!

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Indio and Tonio...

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[ABAKUA]

Pepe on chekere, Indio on timbales.

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[ABAKUA]

Lorenzo on congas...

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jammin...

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Pepe on bell..

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Pepe takes a solo on bongo with sticks...

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Indio on timbales, Carlos (australian idol singer, and lead singer of local timba band Club Havana) on bell, Lorenzo on congas, Tonio on drumkit, Carlitos on chekere

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[ABAKUA]

more jammin...

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