Anibal Tejada aka Scorpio/Scorpion, from El Barrio, has been singing for many years and he has sung along with some of the great singers and drummers of yesterday and today.
Alafia Abures, my name is Anibal Tejada, my Ocha name is Obairawo/King Of The Stars, but I'm better known by my nickname Scorpion. I am a Nuyorican born and raised in Spanish Harlem NY. I was crowned Shango on June 22nd 1979 in West New York, NJ by Margie Morales Omirelekun and Rafael Rojas/Chango Lade/Ibae. My line is from the Pimientas. My mother in Ocha is Yemaya Achaba. I am also Tata Nkisi/Siete Rayo from the house of Sarabanda Cortalima Brillumba Kongo Los Igualitos which is headed by Santiago(Chago) Lopez.
I am a Akpon/Singer of Lukumi and Palo. I started singing and playing in 1974 with Stephen Lloyd. Then I played shortly with Orlando(Puntilla)Rios, Alfredo Coryude, Milton Cardona, Totico, Teddy Holliday, Lazaro Galarraga, Hector "El Flaco" Hernandez, Felito Oveido and Cuquito Olivares.
In 1986 I started my own group called Grupo Alafia. I have played in almost every major Lucumi house in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. Some of my drummers in NY included Ralph Davila, Tito Cepeda, Pedro Ithier, Willie El Ruso Everich, Angel Rodriguez, Apache, Adetobi, Luis(Yambu)Monsanto and Raul/Medio Mundo/Ogun Anya/Caraballo(Ibae).
In 1990 I moved to Tampa Fl. There I started another guiro group with Pedro Ithier/Ochaweye from the Piranya clan. In 2003 my family and I moved to Atlanta GA where we currently reside.
Since I've been in Atlanta I have sung and played Guiro, Cajon and Bata/Aberinkula and Fundamento with Luis Carrerra/EfunDei, Juan Raymat/El Negro,Bill Summers/EshuBi and Sekou Alaje/OshunLaiwo.
* too bad I don't have any pics or video of Scorpio at this point and time, but maybe that will change.
