Rubber City Review

Tiny dancers in La Serafina, Cuba – photo by James Quine

Can’t tell what’s putting off more heat: the baked leather of my car seat or this bad boogaloo on my stereo.

Brother James and I had a ball putting together RCR’s post on Latin boogaloo, and I was glad to see it get new legs over at iCrates. But the best part of the assignment was revisiting some of the essential stuff that somehow got buried in my own collection (including more than a few items I stole from James’ stash).

That process of discovery rarely ends when I hit the “publish” button. It only makes me keep looking for other lost treasures – like those found on “The Soul of Spanish Harlem” (Beat Goes Public), a curious collection of boogaloo and Latin pop numbers from the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Some of the songs on this disc are more interesting as odd artifacts from the era rather than as first-rate examples of Latin soul. But a handful fall under the category of “highly flammable,” including this dangerous little number released in ’71 on the NYC-based Fania label: Crying Time/Monguito Santamaria

The leader on that date is Mongo Santamaria’s son, Monguito. Most Latinophiles would regard him as a member of Fania’s A-team. But the nasty guitar is from an unexpected source – Eric Gale, who made a name for himself in the ‘70s primarily playing light jazz, both as a solo artist and as part of the all-star band Stuff.

As Dean Rudland’s expansive liner notes point out, Crying Time appears on an album that sort of lost its way in the legendary Fania catalog: “When Santamaria came to make his next album, ‘Blackout,’ the boogaloo craze was on the wane and the album became a somewhat schizophrenic blend of nascent salsa and pure Latin soul… Santamaria has said that originally the tracks were going to be split with one side of each sort of music, but that the idea was abandoned. It seems that Monguito held the band from ‘Blackout’ in high regard (along with Gale, it included Ronnie Marks on vocals, Monguito and Richard Tee on piano, Chuck Rainey on bass, Jimmy Johnson on drums, and a fearsome horn section – Bobby Porcelli, Martin Banks and Barry Rogers), but that he abandoned the Latin soul side for the more popular salsa…”

So in one album, you can track the fall of boogaloo and the rise of salsa. Too bad… I could use about a dozen more tunes like Crying Time.

My other favorite cut on “The Soul of Spanish Harlem” is by singer and pianist Joey Pastrano – who, as Rudland points out, became one of Fania’s stars on the strength of the seven-minute single That’s How Rumors Start. It features some wonderful call-and-response between Pastrano and his backing vocalists – including Tony Pabon and Tito Ramos, who previously sang for Johnny Colon and eventually busted loose as the appropriately named TNT Band: That’s How Rumors Start/Joey Pastrano

Manuel Galban

As long as we’re in a Latin groove, let’s pay tribute to the great Cuban guitarist Manuel Galban, who passed away on July 7 at the age of 80. In previous posts, we included a cut from a Grammy award-winning project by Galban and Ry Cooder (“Mambo Sinuendo”), as well as a song from the early ‘60s featuring Galban with the Cuban doo-wop group Los Zafiros. Several articles on Galban’s passing pointed out that Los Zafiros caught the attention of The Beatles (depending on what you read, the Fab Four either hired the Cubans as their opening act at Olympia in Paris or extended their stay to see the band play at the same venue). Here’s another sample that might help explain why The Beatles were so enamored with Los Zafiros: La Luna En Tu Mirada/Los Zafiros

Of course Cooder was more fascinated with Galban’s amazing touch on guitar – a unique fusing of American surf and a whole slew of Latin influences, including Cuban son and bossa nova. You can hear those influences and a few more (most notably, lounge) on “Mambo Sinuendo” as well as Galban’s essential contributions to Buena Vista Social Club projects featuring vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer and bassist Orlando Cachaito Lopez. Galban even lays down some funky organ on the title cut from Ferrer’s 2003 album, “Buenos Hermanos”: Buenos Hermanos/Ibrahim Ferrer with Manuel Galban

And here’s a nice clip of Galban with Cooder at Havana’s historic Egrem Studio, working through a number that appeared on “Mambo Sinuendo”:

Let’s close this out in Cuba by giving Anthony Bourdain his due: In the first episode of No Reservations’ new season, he clearly hit it out of the park by taking the show to Havana.

Where to start… If you had any love for James’ two posts on Cuba (here and here), you probably couldn’t get enough of the stunning street scenes and images that Bourdain’s crew captured in Havana. I especially liked the footage of Cuban baseball games, which shows people dancing in the stands to makeshift rumba bands. I’d go to a lot more Indians games if I could spend the 7^th inning stretch grooving to some Afro-Cuban. But I’d have a big problem with any attempt to ban beer sales (which the government put into effect following several drunken brawls in the stands – a policy that Bourdain finally admitted was grounds for a regime change).

Fidel Castro and Che Guevara: photo by Roberto Salas, January 1959

I also was fascinated with Bourdain’s interview with photographer Roberto Salas, whose strange odyssey as Cuba’s “state photographer” began in 1957 when he took a photo of the Statue of Liberty draped in a Cuban flag (an image that appeared in Life magazine). He was only 16 at the time, but was soon befriended by a young Fidel Castro, who brought the photographer to Cuba where Salas captured some of the revolution’s most iconic images. He’s been there ever since, but seemed ambivalent about his role in promoting Castro and Communism.

But my favorite images were those captured in the following clip. I’m a sucker for classic American cars from the Fifties – those big, bulbous, steel-plated wonders that probably burn more gas than 10 Honda Fits strapped together. Cubans love their old Chevys and Buicks, which are everywhere in Havana… Enjoy this little taste of the island, topped off with another photo by Brother James and a closing number by Galban.

Bodas De Oro/Ry Cooder and Manuel Galban

Brother James returns with more photographs taken during several visits to Cuba over the past decade.  He provides his usual commentary under each photo, and I’ve decided to weigh in with a few of my favorite Cuban songs.

Life in Cuba remains harsh for many who live there – but obviously not nearly as hellish as conditions in Haiti.  Fortunately, the same technology that enables us to share the most mundane details of our daily lives has made it easier than ever to give.  So if you’re not a heartless prick like Rush Limbaugh, text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to the relief effort.  Or give more by going here.

J.Q.: I took this photo in Habana Vieja – Old Havana… just a group of kids coming home from school on a rainy day.  I was trying to take a picture of this interesting-looking street corner, and the kids came into the frame, playing for the camera.  The red-spotted car turning the corner added another nice element at the last second.

T.Q.: Originally from Santa Clara, pianist Ruben Gonzalez moved to Havana in 1940 and soon became a fixture in the city’s rich music scene.  He retired in 1980 but later returned to playing and recording when Ry Cooder recruited him in 1996 to take part in the Buena Vista Social Club project.  I love the timeless vibe of his solo recordings from the same period – and especially this cut from the slyly titled “Introducing… Ruben Gonzalez.”  He continued to live and perform in Havana until he passed away in 2003 at the age of 84. Mandinga/Ruben Gonzalez

J.Q.: This bar in central Havana opens out onto the street, where I took the picture using a tripod and a touch of flash.  Luckily, no one paid any attention to me.  Everyone seemed alone and lost in their own thoughts.  La Metropolitana has since received a facelift – it’s not nearly as cool today as when I took this shot.

J.Q.: I think this is a bridesmaid with her father and brother, getting ready for a wedding.  Looks like the boy is the ring-bearer – either that or just helping out.  It’s sort of a custom in Cuba for the bridal party to leave the ceremony in an immaculately restored ‘50s car to show off a little bit.  And, as you can tell, they have a great one for the occasion.

T.Q.: In “Cuba, Direct,” James noted that these restored American cars reminded him of the popular Havana band Los Zafiros.  Their sound was a unique mix of doo wop and the surf-influenced guitar of Manuel Galban.  In 2003, Galban won a Grammy for “Mambo Sinuendo,” a collaboration with Ry Cooder that sounds a little more unhinged than you might think.  It’s a playful mix of Latin rhythms and cocktail-lounge exotica, perfect for the bubbling Wurlitzer.  Here’s a tune by mambo king Perez Prado that Link Wray toyed with back in 1958. Patricia/Manuel Galban and Ry Cooder

J.Q.: This is a line of people waiting to get into a store – a common occurrence in Holguin, which is in the northeastern part of Cuba.  They’re trying to get into sort of a Cuban version of the Dollar Store… but with a lot less merchandise.  Customers line up early to get a chance at actually buying something before there’s nothing left to buy.  Cubans who are able to visit the states are always a little overwhelmed by places like Wal-Mart and Best Buy.

T.Q.: Holguin is the birthplace of the late composer and tres player Faustino Oramas, also known as “El Guayabero” (the name of his most famous song).  He was considered the last of the traditional trovadors – Cuban singer-songwriters who primarily played guitar or tres.  Oramas performed until he was 94… He died the next year, in 2007.  One of his compositions, Candela, is a highlight of Buena Vista Social Club.  Here’s another song by Oramas, performed by Social Club member Ibrahim Ferrer and Teresita Garcia Caturia: Marieta/Ibrahim Ferrer

J.Q.: I found these two well-dressed young ladies on the streets of Pinar del Rio, in the western part of Cuba.

J.Q.: This guy’s name is Tony King.  He claimed to be a conga player on some classic Cuban recording sessions.  To prove it, he started drumming on the table along with the music on the jukebox.  I actually was more interested in the guys conversing intently behind him – kind of odd and mysterious… and why are they wearing the same hats?  I took this shot in a bar in Central Havana that doesn’t exactly cater to tourists… I probably wouldn’t have gone in there but the mural caught my eye.

T.Q.: Ti Mon Bo… shorthand for three master percussionists:  Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo.  Only one was from Cuba – conguero Mongo (Tito and Willie grew up in Spanish Harlem).  All three were heavily influenced by the island’s rhythms.  This is simply Latin percussion at its best, from Tito’s 1957 album “Top Percussion”: Ti Mon Bo/Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo

J.Q.: This is a Cuban flamingo group, entertaining at a social function in Baracoa, which is on the far eastern end of Cuba.  They were performing at a despedida, or goodbye party, for our small group of Cuban and American photographers.  We had come together for “Shared Vision” – basically, a cross-cultural photography project documenting life in Baracoa.  I was captivated by the colors and the movement of the skirts.  A bit later, a Cuban woman scolded me for never putting away my camera.

T.Q.: “Cuba, Direct” also featured a cut by bassist/composer Israel “Cachao” Lopez – a formal “danzon” that you’d typically hear at official functions or parties.  Cachao’s nephew, Orlando “Cachaito” (Little Chachao) Lopez, made his mark playing in influential Cuban bands like the Riverside Orchestra and Irakere.  He was another member of Buena Vista Social Club who went on to record under his own name following BVSC’s huge success.  All of these solo projects have their merits, but Cachaito’s is my favorite – more experimental and far-ranging than the rest.  This one gets a reggae-dub treatment and features the legendary Hugh Masekela on flugelhorn.  Cachaito died last year – the sixth original member of BVSC to pass away since its ’96 release. Tumbanga/Orlando “Cachaito” Lopez

J.Q. I caught these guys clowning around with their machetes at a sugar mill near Jovellanos, located in Cuba’s western Matanzas Province.  Basically, the sugar cane goes up a conveyor belt into a machine that strips off the husks, pieces of which are raining down on them.  This debris, called bagazo, is gathered up and burned in big piles to get rid of it.  You can barely see the smoke from one of those burning piles in the background.

T.Q.: One of Cuba’s greatest musical innovators, Arsenio Rodriguez, was from Matanzas Province.  His main instrument was the Cuban tres guitar, which is used to play bass patterns as well as melodic lead lines.  Rodriguez is credited with bringing a stronger African influence to Cuban music – adding congas to give the traditional “son” form a more driving, propulsive rhythm.  He’s also considered the originator of son montuno… Think of a great vocalist like Celia Cruz improvising between the repeated choruses of her backup singers – then throw in hot solos by first-rate musicians on trumpet, piano, percussion, etc.  That’s basically son montuno… which means that a lot of modern salsa and Latin music can be traced back directly to Rodriguez.  Here’s one of his classic recordings: Para Bailar El Montuno/Arsenio Rodriguez

J.Q.: This guy was leading his horses to shore after washing them in Rio Miel in Baracoa.  I had to get into the river to take the shot.  Local legend has it that once you bathe in Rio Miel, you always come back to Baracoa.  I’ve been back twice since.

J.Q.: This is a family of cocoteros – workers who climb trees to harvest coconuts, husk them and then sell the good stuff to the state.  They live near Baracoa… very nice family that I’ve gone back to visit several times.  They always treat me like royalty.  As you can see, they’re just happy to get their photo taken together.  One daughter is hugging the father, and another apparently decided that he shouldn’t have his hat on for the photo.  They’re probably part Taino – Indians who lived in Cuba when Columbus arrived.  It’s said that “son” – the basis of many forms of Latin music, including salsa – originated in this part of the country.

T.Q.: In 2001, Rhino Records released “El Son No Ha Muerto” (The Son Has Not Died), a fine collection of songs featuring the trademark Cuban rhythm.  Here’s one by Cuba’s favorite sonero, Beny More.  It’s a great example of the driving, big band sound that ruled the island in the Fifties. Me Gusta Mas El Son/Beny More

J.Q.: Seems like a good photo to end with… This is the bridge to Boca de Miel – a little fishing town at the mouth of Rio Miel.  I saw this old man walking across the bridge.  Just as I got my camera ready he stopped and looked back over his shoulder.  I think he just wanted to see what I was taking a picture of.

T.Q.: And here’s a good tune to close with – by Eliades Ochoa who, thankfully, is still alive. La Comparsa/Eliades Ochoa

Eliades Ochoa and James Quine,
Santiago de Cuba