5.6.10

Rumba 2

    
Los Muñequitos De Matanzas
Vacunao
Qbadisc 1995
 
Tracks:
 
01 - Vale Todo [5:51]
02 - Ese Senor [4:04]
03 - El Tahonero [4:44]
04 - No Quiero Problemas [2:46]
05 - Wenva [1:40]
06 - Abakua Makonica [5:50]
07 - Saludo A Nueva York [4:16]
08 - Lengua De Obbara [6:09]
09 - El Jardin [4:13]
10 - Sarabanda [4:31
    
♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫
      
      
♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫☆`*♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫
 

Los Muñequitos de Matanzas

 
Formed in 1952, this stellar rumba group is famous throughout Cuba.  They also charmed audiences everywhere in the US on their first, second, and third US tours, in 1992, 1996, and 1998.   They were back in August, 1999, in the Spring of 2000, again in 2001, and for the last time in the US, in 2002, after which George Bush blocked them.
  
  The group got its start in 1952 a bar in Barrio Marina in Matanzas, Cuba, when a group of youths began following the rhythms of a song by Arsenio Rodríguez that was then playing, using dishes and bottles, as is the style in "kitchen rumbas."  Then and there they decided to create a group to play in fiestas and dances in the barrio, contacting a professional musician, Florencio Calle "Catalino." Their emphasis was on rumba in its three variants - el yambú (from Matanzas), a slow rhythm danced by couples, la columbia, a rural which men alone would dance as it is sometimes done with knives, and el guaguancó, which is contemporary urban rumba.  All these variants are based on percussion, with instruments such as clave, la catá, la guagua, la maruga, las congas and even the batá.
  
At the beginning, the group was called Guaguancó Matancero, and was made up of Florencio Calle, Gregorio Díaz, Angel Pellado, Ernesto Torriente, Juan Mesa, Hortensio Alfonso, Esteban Lantri and Pablo Mesa, percusionists all. They recorded their first record in 1953 under this name and it included on one side "Los beodos" and on the other "Los muñequitos en la calle". This last song which dealt with characters from comic strips in Cuba proved to be very popular and people started calling them los Muñequitos de Matanzas, which became their name.  They recorded for the Puchito label before the revolution and since have made many records with the state company Egrem, always giving percussion the most important role.  Many members have come and gone through the group over the years and today there are three generations in the group, considered by many the most important rumba group in Cuba.  The current director is Diosdado Ramos Cruz.
 
Los Muñequitos de Matanzas are part of the living legend of African music in Cuba, and they remain very close to their Abakuá (Efik/Efo) roots. Most members are also members of an Abakuá potencia, or lodge.
 
 
    "This is a classic album from munequitos de matanzas .There are great songs like "Weva","vale todo" and "No qiero problemas" If you are going to acquire this album you need to know a little about traditional folkloric Cuban music e.g Guaguanco,abakua and palo.I would recommend this to anyone into Rumba and beginners into the (traditional) latin music."
 
    "I agree with the first reviewer of this album by Los Muñequitos De Matanzas, this is certainly a very 'pleasant surprise.' Vacunao is in my opinion pure heaven to listen to. Recording quality is immaculate. This is my second most favorite album from Muñequitos right next to Rumba Caliente, my number one pick! Vacunao is an absolute must have. Period."
       
  

No comments: