Mambo! And other Latin Music.

[Tangoman]

In the other thread referenced earlier both Rundquist and I mentioned Manny Oquendo y Conjunto Libre as modern day torch bearers of the spirit of mambo. Unfortunately Manny died in March 2009, but in this clip you get an idea of why for many Manny is an unsung hero.

[YOUTUBE]tZY6_WJJMKs&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

Here's another contemporary band that that has that 'thing', Mamborama

[YOUTUBE]k-fo1k5-qOI[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Tangoman]

Rundquist, you missed my favourite Eddie Palmieri - Vamanos p'al monte. Here he is with the Fania All Stars

[YOUTUBE]5ur5EEx8SkQ[/YOUTUBE]

You've got me started now - wait till we get to tango

 

[Rundquist]

In the other thread referenced earlier both Rundquist and I mentioned Manny Oquendo y Conjunto Libre as modern day torch bearers of the spirit of mambo. Unfortunately Manny died in March 2009, but in this clip you get an idea of why for many Manny is an unsung hero.

[YOUTUBE]tZY6_WJJMKs&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

Here's another contemporary band that that has that 'thing', Mamborama

[YOUTUBE]k-fo1k5-qOI[/YOUTUBE]

Here’s an obit retrospective on Manny. Manny put together probably my favorite band of all time “Conjunto Libre”. He is one of my all time heroes. I was at the show in San Diego in your top clip.

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This clip of Elena, Elena gets me every time. This is a Puerto Rican rhythm called a “Plena”. All of the rhythms in salsa have their roots in Africa, but they were changed and adapted in the Caribbean by African slaves. There was a similar musical development that mirrored what happened in this country with jazz. Except that it was different in that the slaves were allowed to keep their drums in the Caribbean, as opposed to here.

But I’m getting away from my point. The Plena is a simpler more country rhythm than something that came out of Cuba (like the mambo, or guaguanco). The Plena came out of Puerto Rico. I can’t think of a fierier example than this.

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The Band:
Jimmy Bosch – Trombone
Steve Turre – Trombone
Dan Reagan – Trombone
Papo Vasquez – Trombone
Lenny Polara – Trombone
Willie Rodriguez – Piano
Andy Gonzales – Bass
Jerry Gonzales – Conga
Herman Olivera – Singer/sonero
Unknown (to me) – Corista
Manny Oquendo - Timbales





Here's an example of a Plena played on traditional panderetas.

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[Rundquist]

Rundquist, you missed my favourite Eddie Palmieri - Vamanos p'al monte. Here he is with the Fania All Stars

[YOUTUBE]5ur5EEx8SkQ[/YOUTUBE]

You've got me started now - wait till we get to tango

I don’t know how I missed your post. This is from the early 90’s live in Puerto Rico. I can watch it because the music is so good (the editing on the other hand leaves much to be desired). It’s amazing to see Eddie and Papo Luca go at it on the keys (not to mention everybody else on the band stand).

This clip illustrates my point about what salsa has in common with big band music; lots of horns and lots of complex harmony. There is also something else that hasn’t been discussed. Latin (mambo/salsa) music goes in and out of style like most things. At times (like now) it has gone on life support. But since it started in the 40’s with Machito’s band, it has never died. The same thing cannot be said about it’s American big band counterpart. The tradition and knowledge has been passed down to younger musicians, to a degree.

This is not so with the modern swing movement (since the format was allowed by the populace to essentially die). As such, I’ve always felt most of the revivalists to be missing vibrancy, soul, and musical umph. It’s an esoteric thing. It’s hard to put it into words. It’s like eating a half sucked-on polo mint. Something was lost down the years. Probably many would disagree with me, but I can't help feeling that way.

The last group of jazz men that had a chance to play with the masters are guys like Herbie Hancock, John Faddis, Steve Turre, Mulgrew Miller, and so on. But these guys (now in their early 60’s) are boppers, not really swing guys. But these guys’ records are pretty much the only jazz records today where I feel a real connection to the past. There are obvious exceptions to this and it is not absolute, just a generalized observation.


Here’s the clip of Vamonos Palmonte that gets me, Eddie with his brother Charlie (also on keys) in Central Park in 1972. You can see the Gonzales brothers (on bass and conga), before they left and went on to form Libre with Manny Oquendo. You watch that clip today and you can still feel the electricity in the air. What a snap shot.

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[Rundquist]

Machito doing Cuban Fantasy. Freakin' smoking. This is also an example of how this music is revered around the world. It's ironic that it's virtually ignored here (where it settled for its final maturation).

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[Rundquist]

Tito Puente - Doing "Para Los Rumberos" (For The Dancers) with Charlie Palmieri, sometime in the 70's. Ferocious. Charlie was a monster; an animal.


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I think some of these 70’s clips drive home my point about the music not dying; not being a nostalgia act. Those are everyday (poor) people dancing to that music. I just can’t imagine regular everyday people dancing to Les Brown or Woody Herman during the 70’s, though both were still around. And it’s not my intention to put either down; I like both. But something was allowed to die and slip away with the general American public.

 

[Rundquist]

Here’s a prime example of the torch being passed. Oscar Hernandez got his start by playing piano for Manny Oquendo and Libre. He went on to play with Ruben Blades and Ray Barretto. He was the arranger and producer of Paul Simon’s Capeman, and blah blah blah. He also formed a salsa band called the “Spanish Harlem Orchestra”. They are one of the keepers of the flame (which has not been allowed to be extinguished).

Here is an example of the ballad “Espérame En El Cielo”. It’s one of my favorites. It’s about a person that tells their counterpart to “wait for me in the clouds if you depart first”. I included a crummy quality live version because I think it’s even better live than the studio recording (Since it was recorded in Germany, it's also another prime example of other countries appreciating our music and cultural heritage more than we do. They are called "The Spanish Harlem Orchestra" after all). You also get three-part harmony. Enjoy

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[Chas]

Need a cold shower....now.

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Want to hear the really funny part? She's from Spokane, Washington....really.