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Posted:
Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:14 pmby Chapo
Did he record with anyone besides Irakere? I'd love to hear more from this man because I think he had an incredible imagination for rythyms...very innovative & inventive...something he didn't get much recogniton for in my opinion. I actually tune my drums to "Anunga Nunga". Great piece of work. Abakua! I know he was a major influence on you bro. Give me some info on him...recordings, bios anything would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Luis
Posted:
Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:52 pmby JohnnyConga
Hi Luis as far as i Know Irakere was the only band he played in, until his suicide...His brother Lazaro Alfonso lives in Miami and is a 'batalero". Anga was his replacement...Johnny Conga... 
Posted:
Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:22 amby Chapo
Wow JC, what a terrible blow. I didn't know he took himself out. I'll have to get every Irakere recording with him on it & really listen to him. Thanks JC. I'm really digging your stuff too man. You sound great. I may find myself out west sometime on business. We'll hook-up.
Thanks
Luis
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 2:21 pmby ABAKUA
Jorge 'El Niño' Alfonso was the first conguero in Cuba to play with 5 congas in an orchestra/band situation.
Listen to his guaguanco, marcha and general playing, PURO SABOR y AFINQUE.
Maximum respect to him and may his soul have found the peace he did not find in life.
As Anga said, his (EL NIÑO's) style/method became part of Angas when he replaced him in Irakere.
Irakere is the only band I know of where EL NIÑO was recorded.
I have some old video footage from 'VARADERO' Festival in CUBA from 1988 where he performed with IRAKERE.
There is an old school rumbero here in his late 50's who studied El Niño's form and plays so similar to him, all the chops, hits and groove he plays with Irakere can be replicated to the note by Pepe. (see here for pics from his bday rumba we had last year PICS FOUND HERE)
I found these 2 rare clips on Jorge "El Niño" Alfonso on Youtube, check em out here:
Just listen to that Guaguanco...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPAs28FbOCY
Another here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uRdFN-bE2A
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:39 pmby jorge
Abakua,
Thanks for that link! Footage of Jorge El Niño Alfonso playing is pretty rare.
In the second video I noticed that he was using a mallet in his right hand when he played congas, although he was playing Itotele with his hands. Anyone know if it was common for him to use a mallet on congas?
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:16 pmby tamboricua
jorge wrote:In the second video I noticed that he was using a mallet in his right hand when he played congas, although he was playing Itotele with his hands. Anyone know if it was common for him to use a mallet on congas?
Hola Tocayo,
"El Niño" used the mallet when playing the hybrid rhythm they used to call "Batumbatá".
Basically the Iyá plays the basic Rumba Iyesá caja part and the tumbador plays a cowbell with his right hand and some kind of songoish pattern floreando around the Iyá part.
Check out Anga's instructional DVD. He goes over into this pattern.
Hope this helps!!!
Saludos,
Jorge Ginorio
Edited By tamboricua on 1190658170
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:48 pmby jorge
Gracias tocayo. So you are saying that the mallet was specifically used for certain rhythms. That is good to know. I have always assumed conga players used a mallet when they had problems with their hand, like Patato.
By the Anga instructional DVD, you mean Anga Mania, or is there another one?
Jorge
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:56 pmby tamboricua
jorge wrote:By the Anga instructional DVD, you mean Anga Mania, or is there another one?
Jorge
Yes, it's Anga Mania!!!
By the way that "Batumbatá" is a creation of Mr. Oscar Valdes.
Saludos,
Jorge Ginorio
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:06 pmby jorge
Gracias mi hermano. I have the Anga Mania DVD on order, it just came out on DVD and I had loaned (gave...) my VHS copy to one of the local kids who said he was interested in learning congas. I had been hearing it was coming out on DVD, it finally happened.
Jorge
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:33 pmby CongaTick
Abakua,
Many thanks for those videos. The second one with Chucho was smokin' What a brass section!!!
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:55 pmby OLSONGO
YES SIR !!! Abakua thank you very much for posting the utube video, IRAKERE... believe me I spent many nights listening to and watching their videos, very influential.
That horn section raises the nap off the back of my neck. Without Paquito and Arturo, they just kept on trucking, no big loss. There is also AFROCUBA. Nothing compares to them here in USA, that's music with balls, anything else is just pussy footing.
Love it , love it.
Saludos
Paz Olsongo
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:58 pmby Tonio
Anunga nunga!! That tune is cool. I have the album, though many disco influences in there.
Irakarere and El Nino has been a big influence on me as well.
What ever happened to Oscar Valdes?
Thanks for links Abakua!
T
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:31 pmby tamboricua
Tonio wrote:What ever happened to Oscar Valdes?
T
Tonio,
Oscar Valdes still around. He plays and direct his own band, Diákara.
Check them out:
Oscar Valdes y Diákara
Saludos,
Jorge Ginorio
Posted:
Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:35 pmby Tonio
Ah.. thank you Jorge !!
T
Posted:
Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:29 amby Chapo
Abakua thank you for the videos & pics. In my humble opinion, El Nino gave Irakere a sound & feel that no other conguero that followed could bring. What a terrible loss. May he & Anga both rest in peace.
Luis