Puntilla's Crew Part 2

Felix just sent me some more detailed information regarding members of Puntilla's Crew.

Remember this photo?

It just so happens that this particular group will be featured in an upcoming WPR Magazine article, but before it hits the newstands we at "Sentimiento Manana" got the inside scoop. (I have highlighted the names to better distinguish them)

From left to right and bottom up:

Ricardo, Sado Omo Agallu, the late Canute Bernard Omo Yemaya, "El Moro" Omo Elegua, Keyende Baker-Fann son of Tima and Obadele (Ibae), Mickey Rinquist from Boston, Lazaro "El Cocinero"(Ibae), Oni Shango Orlando "Puntilla" Rios (ibae), Olo Obatala Brandon Rosser, Carlos Cordova - trap drummer, Felito Oviedo Oni Shango - Akpuon (singer), Juan Omo Shango, Oluo Felix Ochebile, Ayannda Clarke, Oni Shango James Hawthorne "Chief" Bey (Ibae), Gregorio from Boston, Wilfredo el Jabao (Ibae), Oluo Abraham Rodriguez, Olo Ochun Pedro" Pepe Calabaza" Valdez (Ibae), Eddie Rodriguez, Victor "Papo" Sterling, Omo Agallu Skip Burney, Oluo Warren Smith, Victor Jaraslaw, Omo Shango Luis el Abasio, Oni Shango Donald Eaton, Olo Ochun Neal Clarke, Doc Gibbs, Santiago.

Here is a list of some of the drummers and singers who were with Puntilla who are not in the picture:

Olo Obatala Emilio Barreto, Mike and Antonni Carrillo, Gene Golden, Daniel Ponce, Giovanni Hidalgo, Richie Flores, Michael Rodriguez (Ibae), Oni Yemaya Olufemi Mitchell, Oni Yemaya Ama Mcken, Olo Obatala Ola Dejean, Olo Obatala Ama Oloriwaa', Oni Ochun Evelyn Smart, Omo Ochun Michelle Rosewoman, Omo Yemaya Amelia Pedroso (Ibae), Oscar Hernandez, Olo Ochun Regina Iyaleo, Omo Obatala Xavier Rivera, Omo Yemaya Izzy Santiago, Manuel Martinez, Omo Ogun Larry Washington, Oluo Amado Dedeu, Oni Shango Luisito Ofere, Oluo Carlos Sanchez, Pedrito Martinez, Roman Diaz, Fran Bell, Popo,Oluo Gerardo "Taboada" Fernandez, Willie Varela (Ibae), Orestes Shango, Lazaro Bonilla (Ibae) and Puntilla's son Miguel Rios. He had at one point Lazaro Galarraga singing and also Lazaro Ros (Ibae).

Dancers that performed with Puntilla are:

Olo Ochun Xiomara Rodriguez, Olo Ochun Rita Mascia, Olo Ochun Rosalia Gamboa, Olo Ochun Susan Sanabria, Olo Ochun Alberto Morgan, Oni Shango Pupi Insua, Freddy Shango, Caracol, Oluo Eddie Alfonso, Olo Obatala Pedro Domenech and Salvadore Santamaria.

Most of us who were with Puntilla have performed and recorded with just about everybody in the business; from jazz greats like Miles, Coltrane, Dizzy and Louie Armstrong to Puente, Mongo, Patato, and Palmieri, not to mention that some us have taught in Ivy league schools such as Columbia, Yale and Harvard also at the Berkley school of music and have performed with every major folkloric group in Cuba; Yoruba Andabo, Clave y Guaguanco, Grupo Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, Los Munequitos, Afro-Cuba de Matanzas, and in the US; Puntilla's Nueva Generacion, Los Afortunados, David Oquendo's Raices Habaneras, Grupo Patakin and Ilu Aye.

As you can see Puntilla's influence in the Afro-Cuban, Jazz and Latin music scene was far and wide. Until he arrived in the US along with his compatriots from Cuba in 1980 we had very few who would share so much of themselves in expanding the knowledge and depth of Afro-Cuban music and folklore. May his music always live on thru us.

Felix Sanabria

Awo Orunmila Ochebile, Olo Obatala Igbinlaye, Obalowo Anya De.