Director Bernabé Hernández. Recorded (1962) in Cuba.
Our good friend and friend of the channel Jorge sent us this gem of a film to help educate us about Abakuá, one of the powerful sources of the Cuban music treasure.
The full film
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
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One of our treasured subscribers Jorge, who is deep in the tradition and comes from a family that is too, shared this gem with us.
Rumba at its highest level.
Here’s what he says about it:
“One of the Greatest Dancers and his group back in the ’80s… The real Rumba… Aspirina Family. He was the director of la Comparsa Los Guararechos de Regla, my Hometown. These guys are on another level.”
The artistry of Luis A. Chacon ‘Aspirina’ and Grupo Laye
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
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Jerry González recalls his friendship with bass legend Jaco Pastorius.
Jerry’s explanations of the clave and the behind-the-scenes time that goes into great music are absolutely priceless.
Ends with a rare recording of a collaboration: Jerry González/Jaco Pastorius at the late/great 55 Grand in Soho, NY.
Another clip from the film and another lesson about musical reality
Victory Bailey picked up a bass and was a pro from Minute One. How the heck does that happen?
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Jerry Gonzales, the great congero, trumpet player, and band leader.
We received these marvelous memories of Jerry from subscribers:
I remember a Fort Apache gig in NY at Sweet Basil. I was sitting right up front with my 9-year-old son. A group of young guys came and sat behind us—four of them—I think they were Cubans. They looked at Jerry’s set of five congas and started snickering… five congas? Nobody plays five congas, who is he kidding? And on, and on. Well, by the end of the set, they were whistling, clapping, and shouting the praises of Jerry. They became complete converts and had joined the church of the “Fort Apache Band” with the reverend Jerry González presiding!
– Yves Nazon
Born: Haïti, July 04, 1954
Jerry and Andy González, while with Conjunto Libre, played at my old Café Galería y Teatro – La Tertulia in the East Village, NYC in the late ’70s! Jerry was a consistent innovator, jovial, and a perfectionist when it came to his music! He respected those who respected good music. His live recording with Chano Dominguez, Rumba Pà Jerry, is evidence of how a master conguero transforms a simple tune into a great one! He also displays his ability to teach new musicians how to elaborate on a simple rhythm pattern without losing the original sound. I will always remember him doing what he did best!
– Raùl Cordova
Born: Puerto Rico, May 11, 1947
For a big chunk of time, I was their documentarian, photographer, and friend.
– Tontxi Vazquez
Born: New York City
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Personnel:
Amado Borcelá “Guapachá” (Voz)
Chucho Valdés (Piano y Director Musical)
Carlos Emilio Morales (Guitarra Eléctrica)
Orlando Lopez “Cachaito” (Bajo)
Julio Vento (Flauta)
Papita Ampudia (Pailas)
Cala (Bongos)
Jazz on the Tube Interview with a Havana musician who lived in this scene
Note: A “milliner” is a hat-maker, not a millionaire.
Gilberto Valdés Zequeira was born in Havana on August 16, 1928.
As a kid, he listened to Chano Pozo’s rehearsals in the Colon neighborhood of Havana.
His vocal group had a weekly gig at the San Souci nightclub in Havana and he appeared on Cuba’s pioneering television channel twice a week in the 1950s.
Roy Haynes introduced him to American jazz drumming and gave him his first set of drumsticks.
He performed with his old friend Bebo Valdés when the two of them found themselves in Europe in the early 1960s.
He spent time as the #2 man at Egrem.
He was Dizzy Gillespie’s host when Dizzy visited Havana in 1977.
He introduced Irakere to Columbia Records and toured the world with them as their manager.
He helped save Cuba’s most important jazz club La Zorra y el Cuervo from being turned into a pizzeria.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of Gilberto’s remarkable life.
Click here to learn more about Gilberto.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Things are good, just very intense and insanely busy.
I hope things will settle down by September.
But hey, the show must go on, even if intermittently.
There are TWO clips here. Make sure you look at both.
The first clip is the English language section of an excellent documentary on Machito.
The second clip is the entire documentary.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Ella Fitzgerald
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