New York Rumberos

(Video Credit: Cecilia Salvatierra)

Pa' La Rumba Otra Vez.......

It was another Saturday night and the rumberos met to do their thing on 182nd and Amsterdam Ave. Armando's Rumbacera was in full effect, 7/17/99.

More From Mappy's....Max the Rumba Tap Man

More from Mappy's Birthday party........

Just when they thought it was over, just when everyone was ready to call it a night...a Rumba broke out and the festivities continued at least a little while longer. An AAA video.

Los Afortunados @ the Taller Latino Americano 6/1/01

The occasion was Mappy's birthday and she had chosen Felix Sanabria and Los Afortunados to provide the entertainment. I was honored to do a few numbers with them. This video shows the group playing a "Guiro" for Oshun. An extremely versatile group...we will be presenting videos of them playing rumba in its various forms, Bata, Bembe and Son. From the "AAA." Willie...

Of particular distinction is opportunity to see Felix Sanabria's padrino/babalawo, Oluo Siguayu Gerardo Taboada Fernandez (in the cream shirt with white hair between Emilio and Abie). Buffy Drysdale is dancing for Oshun. Felix is playing caja, and Emilio is singing the akpwon part. Victor Jaraslov (blue shirt), Izzy Santiago are included in the ankori section, and our very own Willie is sitting in on chekere. Ralph...

Quien te manda?

Who knows why we are drawn to the drum. We rumberos live to play and play to live, it's really that simple. I have dedicated a good portion of my life to the tambor, made many sacrifices, but what I received in return cannot be put into words. Allow me a moment to wax poetically, QUE VIVA LA RUMBA! Willie Russian Rumbero/Documentarian

Abakua - Los Afortunados

Here is a great "Abakua" with Roberto Borrell, dancing a mean ireme part. This is a cool video because you have Felix Sanabria on itones, Benjamin "Brinquito" Burney on Obiapa, Yeyito Flores on kuchiyerema, Ralph Sosa on biankome, (one of the few Dominican cats that were playing this music at the time), Victor Jaraslov on erikundi, and Gene Golden playing a mean bonko enchemiya, truly a United Nations of rhythm. Paula Ballan, Evelyn Smart and Gina Iyaleo on coro. This was at the now defunct Black and White in Color in the Bronx.

Abraham Rodriguez is singing duo alongside Manuel "El Llanero" Solitario. Believe me folks you would be hard pressed to find an Abakua done this well outside of Cuba.

*film courtesy of Felix Sanabria

Amigos de la Plena - Mama Angela's 80th Bday

"Nuestra cultura se debe de aprender entre familia."

Mama Angela was Felix Sanabria's mother, may she rest in peace (ibae). Felix and fam had gotten together to throw her a party for her 80th birthday. Felix wanted a traditional party so he contracted los "Amigos de la Plena" to play for his mother. If you notice you have Aurora Flores (of Zon del Barrio fame) and brother Yeyito playing with the group.

Felix is playing primo on this particular standard ("Campo") and to his surprise his father gets up to dance and Felix finds himself in the rare instance of having to marcar his father steps. Needless to say this was extremely important for Felix, having seen his father dance bomba right in front of his drum served as confirmation for Felix, as to why he is a drummer in the first place. Later on in the clip Felix's father and mother dance together.

The title under the video alludes to the fact that this/our music should be learned within the family. The sense of community and togetherness is evident in the video above and that is how it should be.

*film courtesy of Felix Sanabria

El Rumbero speaks out....

When I began videotaping rumbas I had it in mind to likewise document the thoughts of those who were making the music. The "stars" always get all the press and praise but there are hundreds of great drummers, singers and dancers of rumba that are only known within that small circle of rumberos. In Ralph I have found a like minded brother and Sentimientomanana is an outward expression of those inner thoughts. Ralph's efforts have provided us with a platform to share another view of this most joyful human expression. Here are segments of informal street interviews, conducted during a rumba on a street in NYC. Yeyito Flores, Raphael Pacheco and Beatrice share their experiences with us. Yeyito and Beatrice have been fixtures in the NY rumba scene for well over 20 years. Pacheco was Armando's right hand man, responsible for lighting, audio and filming of many of the Rumbaceras that occured on 182nd St. from 1980-2000. Pacheco and Armando have both passed on, may they rest in peace, but their legacy will live well after them.

Que Viva Armando's RUMBACERA

This was one of those really good nights on 182nd St and Amsterdam Ave. The date was 7/3/99, July 4th eve and folks were in a party mood. We have spoken much about Manuel "El Llanero Solitario" as of late. Well here he is kicking things off on lead vocal soon to be followed by "Chino El Venezolano." The drummers are Jose on tres, Rene Lopez II on tumbadora and Eric, Angel and Yeyito taking turns on quinto. Beatrice joins later on tumbadora. Beatrice is one of the few woman that can hang with the fellas and has much respect. There are many more usual suspects in the coro "miyare" that formed to push the rumba. Suffice it to say, a great time was had by all.

Los Afortunados - Part 1

When speaking of NY rumba one would be remiss to leave out one of the more important groups of the last 20 years, Los Afortunados.

(Photo Credit: Felix Sanabria)

Before we talk about Los Afortunados though, we must first talk about Chevere Macum Chevere. Back in 1980 the group known as Chevere Macum Chevere was brought together by Juan Vega (aka Bamboo), but before that in around 78' Felix, who was hanging out with Yeyito Flores and Abie Rodriguez, gets invited to a Chevere rehearsal in the fall of 1980 when the group was first forming. Here are the members at the time:

Yaya Maldonado
Danny Santos
Abraham Rodriguez
Yeyito Flores
Eddie EJ Rodriguez
Juan Vega "Bamboo"

Once the Marielitos hit NY, Manuel Martinez "El Llanero Solitario", Enrique "Quique" Dreke "El Principe Bailarin", and Pedro "El Cojo" also join the group. Felix mentions that Enrique or "Quique" Dreke was probably one of the best dancers that he'd ever seen dance, especially since Quique was 67 at the time. Quique was sort of the spiritual leader of the crew and his knowledge, experience and the fact that he was Abakua was very important to the crew as a whole. Quique is important to mention since he is 1/3 of the famous Dreke triumvirate, along with Mario "Chavalonga" Dreke, and Juan "Curba" Dreke.

Other members of Chevere would include, Skip Burney, Gina Iyaleo, among others. The important thing about Chevere was that they were simply not just a group of rumberos jamming, this was a group that had singers and dancers as well, all the ingredients that one needs for a real rumba. When Chevere was formed guys weren't going back to Central Park anymore, they were doing their own thing. They were rehearsing and playing amongst themselves. Abie and Manuel would sing duo, Abie or Danny Santos would play tumbador, Felix would play tres golpes, and Pedrito "El Cojo" would play quinto. As time went on Felix would play more quinto and the bonko enchemiya when Chevere would do an Abakua. In 81' when Skip came on board they would incorporate batarumba as well.

As any good thing, Chevere would come to an end. By this time Felix had left the group and soon after hooked up with Roberto Borrell Y Su Kubata.

(Kubata- Felix Sanabria-okonkolo, Roberto Borrell-Iya, Bill Rogers-itotele, Pedro Domech - Chango, Gina Iyaleo- Yemaya, Felito Oviedo -Apkwon behind drummers, Basha Alperin to the right of Felito, in the ankori section, Eddie Bobe, Ole, Mercedes, Julio, Fela, Lourdes, Photo Credit: Olivier)

What Borrell's Kubata provided was fertile ground for learning and development. Borrell, being an alumni of the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional, brought tons of experience and knowledge. He could dance, sing, play etc...and his teaching method was excellent. Guys like Felix, Victor Jaraslov, Bill Rogers, Eddie Rodriguez and others benefited tremendously from being around and learning from Borrell and each other at the same time. More info will be covered on Kubata in a separate post.

"Kubata was one of the best ensembles that emerged from the Mariel phenomenon. Borrell wasn't only a good musician..he was a consummate showman that had a great dance routines that accompanied the music. Felix Sanabria, percussionist with Ben's Sonido Isleno was one of Roberto's main percussionists." (Willie Everich 10/17/05)

As important as Kubata was, even this group would dissolve. (Speaking of which does anyone know where Roberto Borrell is nowadays? He was in SF doing his thing for a while but I haven't heard of him since and I am under the impression he is no longer in CA, at least permanently.) At this time Felix was starting to hang more and more with Puntilla whom lived across the street in the Bronx. Soon after, long time associate Paula Ballan asks Felix to gather some guys to record an album. This would be the session that would lead to the formation of Los Afortunados. The name "Los Afortunados" comes from a song that Manuel Martinez used to sing.

In 1986 Los Afortunados play the Philadelphia FolkFest with the following lineup:

Alberto Serrano
Anthony Carrillo
Abraham Rodriguez
Manuel Martinez "El Llanero Solitario"
Susan Sanabria
Nicky
Alma
Gina Iyaleo
David Hernandez

(Photo Credit: Felix Sanabria)

After the first recording session another (later recording session) in 89' was funded by Michael Kramer. According to Felix, "we used to hang out at the Ansonia Hotel on 73rd and Broadway in Micheal Kramer’s place during the late 70’s and 80’s jamming and having a good time in general..." (Felix Sanabria 9/08).

Part 2, Coming Soon.....