Son played on barrel organ (constructed by José Ajo)

  

Ajo 

y su Organo Oriental 

2000

Tracks:

01 - Guajira Guantanamera
02 - Si me faltara el carnaval
03 - El Jorocon
04 - Bodas de Oro
05 - Maria Caracoles
06 - El golpe de bibijagua
07 - Pare cochero
08 - Asi quiero corazon
09 - La batea
10 - C'est la vie mon cher
11 - Sube un poquito mas
12 - Maria Bonita
13 - Sarandonga
14 - El baile del buen cansao
15 - Los muertos quieren gozar
16 - Los carnavales de Oriente

  

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.ღ•:*´♥`*:•ღ. 

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 Pure Cuban Music from Oriente Province
By J. Font

My family came from Puerto Padre in northern Oriente province. My father was a promoter of "Musica de Organo". As a child I remember going to dozens of parties in the countryside and listening to "Organos Guajiros". The music is uniquely from Oriente province and its African/French/Catalan blend can not be found anywhere else in the world. This is the kind of Cuban music that has not been popularized in the USA, and few outside of Oriente know of it. Los Hermanos Ajo are perhaps the best artists of this genre, and when I heard them they brought tears to my eyes. My grandparents danced to their music and I'm glad it has not disappeared.

For American ears it is a bit unbalancing, since you have no familiar refences to call upon. It does not fit into the generic "Salsa", "Merengue", "Mambo", or "Cha, Cha, Cha" sounds you have been exposed to. But, once you regain your balance, the sophisticated melodies and happiness of the music will grab you just like it has grabbed us "Guajiros" for more than 3 generations. If you are looking for something uniquely Cuban, undiscovered, and beautiful, this is it.

:-)

  

  

  

    

source of the pics and some more to read

and more

   

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120 years still going strong...

 

Cien Años de Tradición
Organo Oriental

Street Organ Music of the Oriente de Cuba
Organ: Cien Años de Tradición 

(Cuayo Family, Holguin) 

1995

Tracks:

01. Carbonero Quema Madera
02. Ay Carolina de Mi Amor
03. Bilongo
04. El Perico
05. Tres Lindas Cubanas
06. Apprendre a Portate Bien
07. A Caballo
08. Mambo Que Rico Mambo
09. Burbujas de Amor
10. Aguita de Coco
11. Deja Que Roberto Te Toque
12. Baila Guaguanco
13. El Divertido
14. Lo Ajeno Se Deja Quieto
15. El Palo de Anon

Personnel:

Eugenio Cuayo Ochoa (organo)
Manuel de Jesus Leyva Barrera (claves, guiro, maracas, trumpet, lead vocals)
Guillermo Felix Ayala (timbales , bass drum, vocals)
Juan Rodriguez (vocals, claves, guiro, maracas)
Silvio Rodriguez (vocals, congas)
Ricardo Veranes (vocals, bongos)

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 Philip Jamison about

 Street Organs in Cuba

Wybe van der Wal's recent posting got me thinking about the little-known Cuban organ tradition.  He mentioned the CD "Cien Anos de Tradicion" (100 Years of Tradition) released in 1995 by Holland's Royal Tropical Institute (PAN Records #4003 KCD).  I purchased a copy over the Web from "teleCD", a Dutch mail-order firm.

The K.D.V.'s "Het Pierement" magazine had an article about this a few years ago but, since it was in Dutch, I didn't fully understand it.  The CD notes (by Huib Haringhuizen) are in English, however,
and here are some excerpts:

 "The first report of mechanical organs in Cuba dates from 1876. Two families, Fornaris and Borbolla, both living in the eastern Cuban port of Manzanillo, obtained a mechanical organ built by
  Limonaire of Paris.  Though a Spanish colony for almost 300 years,  Cuba also had a strong French influence [many French colonists moved  to eastern Cuba after the Haitian revolution in 1804].  In Santiago  de Cuba, capital of Oriente Province, an important theatre and concert tradition arose.  Famous musicians and (opera) singers from  Europe were invited.  Orchestras with high musical standards were  formed and balls and dances were organized daily."

(This lead to a tradition of street music not unlike that in Europe. Soon, book-operated organs were imported and played.  Later, they were made in Cuba.  Around 1900, over 200 of these organs entertained.  Even more surprising, more than 60 of these survive!)

 "Unlike most European street organs, Cuban organs are simple wooden  boxes, without the typical colorful ornaments on the front.  The  sound...  resembles the French organs as built...by Gasparini and   Limonaire."

(Another difference is the lack of automatic percussion.  The organs are accompanied by live musicians on drums, timbales, claves, bongos, etc. (even trumpet).  This makes for a very lively Latin beat.  The organ operator exerts more influence than usual, also.  Apparently, the books are not "syncopated": all notes are about the same length. However, since the organ bellows and keyframe drives are separate, the organ grinder has complete control of tempo.  The organ sound is very much a "fairground" voicing with reeds and trumpets predominating. The CD's title is actually the name of the organ recorded.  All these organs have names as they do in Holland.)

It seems that these organs are still manufactured (and music punched) in eastern Cuba.  Alas, importation to the U.S. is impossible.  Has anyone ever visited this area and seen these interesting instrumental ensembles?

Philip Jamison
West Chester, Pennsylvania

source of above

some more
  

 

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One, two, one, two, Can you hear them now?

  

Cuba

Chants et rythmes afro-cubains
Enregistrements recueillis à Cuba par Gérard Krémer
1988

Tracks:

01. Salsa Cubana - 3:38
02. El Carabili - 3:08
03. Guantanamera - 2:29
04. Gloria Latina - 2:21
05. Rumbiaremos y Cantaremos - 4:20
06. A Caballo - 5:00
07. La Timba - 3:50
08. Conga San Agustin - 4:21
09. Pot-pourri tropical - 6:02
10. Conga de los Hoyos - 6:10
11. Timbalaye - 6:00

  

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.ღ•:*´♥`*:•ღ. 

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 Recorded 1984 in Cuba by Gérard Krémer

Field recordings of folk and popular dance music.

Most of them while Carnaval in Santiago de Cuba.

Includes music of the Cuban street organ.

Origin And History Of The Cuban Barrel/Street Organ:

First of all, let us consider the origin of these organs in Cuba. It is a commonly accepted fact that before 1900, there were already organs, imported from France, present in the region of Manzanillo. These instruments were used to enliven local festivities and played dances and songs (different forms of Cuban music). The first were barrel organs, which were followed quickly by perforated-card (book-Ed) organs.

The first organ came from Cienfuegos, in the center of Cuba. French people residing in La Perla del Sul had imported this instrument. The two Cubans who are at the origin of the organ business are Fornaris and Borbolla. First friends, then rivals one does not know which came first but let s leave this historical argument aside...

read it all here

 
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