ERNEST "CHICO" ALVAREZ

He was born Ernesto Alvarez Peraza in Brooklyn, New York on March 4, 1947, and as a youngster was drawn to music. His most formative years were centered around the phenomenal invention known as the television. He found it quite easy to learn every tune which he heard coming forth from the tube. When asked what was the first song he ever performed in public, he answers without a trace of hesitation: "The Theme from Davy Crockett!".
In 1950 his parents returned to La Habana, Cuba where he was raised in the Cotorro and Luyano districts. At the age of 10, he was sent to live with his paternal grandmother in the picturesque seaport twon of Antilla, in Oriente province. It was there that he first heard the music that would someday fulfill his dreams. He didn't know it then, but his destiny was to become a "sonero", (an interpreter of the Cuban són).
During the period from 1957 through 1959, Chico would spend his summers between La Habana and New York City, where he came under the influence of rock n' roll. He still recalls quite vividly listening to the likes of Elvis Presley, Little Richard, The Everly Brothers, Fats Domino, and such vocal groups as The Platters, Moonglows and Flamingos. Undoubtedly their influence would show through in his most early works.
He returned to Cuba in September of 1959 and began his initial venture into the realm of popular music. Along with a group of musicians from Antilla, he sought to breathe new life into the music which he had heard while in New York. They were a vocal group with some rhythm accompaniment and they specialized in "cubanized" renditions of popular American tunes, such as "Blue Suede Shoes" y "Rock Around The Clock".
Unfortunately, the young group did not go very far, and by 1961 Chico had fallen in love with the very Cuban bolero, via the recordings of such artists as Vicentico Valdes y Lucho Gatica. Although he served a brief stint with a dance group that specialized in són and guaracha, he continued to lean more toward the pop sound that was coming out of "el norte". At this time in his life he had become the stereotypical "teenager" who wanted more than anything else to be a rock n' roll singer.
During the summer months of 1961 he once again spent his time in New York, where he encountered the cross-fertilization of Cuban music with the pop sound of rock n' roll, as well as the phenomenal success of the mambo, conga and cha cha chá. It was at this time that he experienced a newly-awakened interest in Cuban music. By September he was back in Cuba, where the revolucion was in full swing. He wholeheartedly embraced the new movement, but his interest in politics were invariably overshadowed by his interest in music. His mother, sensing that Cuba¹s dream of a new society was about to be betrayed, took her young son and made the inevitable move back to United States, just weeks before the Bay of Pigs Invasion. From that point on, his life would revolve around popular American culture, and it was in that most difficult of places, New York, that he would develop as an artist. Still, in his mind and in his heart, lingered the memory of a place and time left behind. He remains to this day, quite a nostalgia buff.
New York resounded with great Cuban music, and soon he began to discover the innovative talents of Miguelito Valdes, Tito Rodriguez, Chivirico Davila, Cheo Feliciano, Carlos Embale, Roberto Faz, Beny Moré, Tito Gomez, La Lupe, Roberto Ledesma, Rolando La Serie, Celia Cruz and Vicentico Valdes (with whom he nurtured a personal friendship). He was like a diamond in the rough, and listening to these masters helped him to polish that diamond. At the start of the seventies, he began to perform with as many groups as he possibly could, in order to gain the necessary experience. His voice was subsequently heard with the bands of Lou Perez, Roberto Torres, Jose Fajardo, Hector Rivera, Charanga America, Chico Mendoza, Chihuahua Martinez, Papo Pepin, Fernando Mulens, Las Hermanas Cano, Baby Gonzalez, Julio Gutierrez, Facundo Rivero, Monguito El Unico, Orquesta Habana Brass and Gonzalo Fernandez, among others.
Chico Alvarez came up through the public school system in New York and Connecticut, and although there were often long periods of non-involvement with music, his musical development was concise. Like many worthwhile things, it began with a dream. It was his dream of someday leading a top notch dance band that kept him going and out of trouble. Today that dream has become a reality. But like any dream that eventually comes true, it took hard work and determination, and talent.
In 1975, with a thoroughly tested musical apprenticeship, Chico Alvarez launched his own ten piece group, Mayómbe. He worked for a brief time with publisher and artist Izzy Sanabria, designing the popular magazine Latin New York. Simultaneously he worked as a free lance graphic artist, desinging album covers for some of the top artists of the day. He discovered another talent as well, he could write. Still, it would be another twenty years before he would do any serious writing. Disillusioned by the music scene, he disolved his band Mayombe in 1978, leaving behind only one recording, on vinyl, which was titled "Con El Ritmo Del Tambó".
With this recording, he presented a colorful album of Afro-Cuban music, with skillful and sophisticated arrangements, exciting and romantic moods, which transported the listener to a faraway and forbidden land, just ninety miles from Key West. Featured on that album was his own composition "Piñeiro", a fitting tribute to one of the masters of the Cuban són, Ignacio Piñeiro.
After his initial recording, Chico recorded seven more albums, on various labels, of which I would like to give a special mention to "Los Barbaros Del Ritmo", which he recorded with the backing of a Bronx based band known as NOSOTROS. Around the same time he also recorded "Montuneando" for the SAR label. This album has been re-issued on CD under the title "Los Soneros De Cuba y Nueva York". It is probably his most typically Cuban album. ("Gogele El Gusto" is featured on the Putumayo release "Afro Latino Party" and "Va'l Carretero" is on "Congo To Cuba" compilation).
His latest endeavor is the formidable ORQUESTA PALOMONTE, an all-star big band that features five saxes, four trumpets, two trombones, three singers and a full Afro-Cuban percussion section. The repertoire is varied, and showcases classic arrangements by Richard Egues, Niño Rivera, Louie Ramirez, Manolo Albo, Bebo Valdes, Jose Urfe, Rene Hernandez, Michael Phillip Mossman, Chico Mendoza, Paquito Pastor, Alfredo Valdes Jr. and Rafael Solano, to name just a few.
Much to his credit, this multi-faceted musician, vocalist and bandleader was once one of the most sought-after graphic artists in New York City, designing over five thousand album covers during the ten year period between 1969 and 1979. He gave up a lucrative career in that field in order to pursue a career in music, and has never regreted it.
At present Chico Alvarez is the producer and host of the weekly music program "The New World Gallery", heard weekly over listener-supported WBAI, since 1989. He was also heard for a number of years on WADO 1280 AM, Sunday evenings from 11 pm to 5 am Sundays. "Latino Con Jazz" was a radical departure for WADO, a traditionally ethnic radio station. Although the program aired in Spanish, the type of music that Chico featured attracted a wide cross-section of New Yorkers and urbanites. He conducted his shows in much the same manner that he conducted his band, in that each performance was a unique learning experience, rather than just mere entertainment. Countless listeners from diverse ethnic backgrounds, followed Chico into the new format on the AM dial. Many were old listeners from WBAI, but there was a new constituency that was drawn to this format. They were old listeners of WADO, mostly Hispanic who were becoming aware of Afro-Cuban Jazz and other forms of Latin Jazz. The show was cancelled after the station was pressured by radical groups who protested that he was playing too many Cuban artists. He considers himself not only bi-lingual but also a bi-cultural person, who loves all types of music and who doesn't believe in mixing politics with art. Prior to his programs most Latin Jazz shows were done in English. To this day he continues to promote the bi-lingual format while stressing the importance of using correct Spanish on the air.
In 2002 Chico Alvarez was nominated by the LATIN JAZZ USA Awards Committee to receive the CHICO O'FARRIL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the musical art-form known as Latin Jazz. Along with musician Ray Santos and journalist Max Salazar, Chico joined the ranks of such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D'Rivera, Gato Barbieri, Tito Puente, Marco Rizo, Mario Bauza, Mongo Santamaria, Stanley Turrentine, Astor Piazzola, Ray Barretto, Astrud Gilberto, Nestor Torres, Rene Touzet, China Valles, Eddie Palmieri and of course Chico O'Farril, in whose name the award is now given.
Recently, Chico was also awarded a Special Recognition Award from the International Latin Music Hall of Fame at Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture, at a concert-ceremony on April 4, 2001.
He was also awarded the First Place Award for Excellence in Radio Arts and Entertainment from the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ). He received his award at the annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner on December 2, 1999 at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City. NYABJ bestowed him the award specifically for his special two hour radio documentary "Jazz Meets Latin / Dizzy Gillespie & Chano Pozo".
This was the second time that Chico received recognition for his weekly program "The New World Gallery", which has been airing for sixteen years on member-supported WBAI in New York City. Chico, who pioneered the concept of a multi-mixed-genre on radio, received the Silver Reel Local Entertainment Award from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) during their 50th annual conference, held in San Francisco. The documentary "Jazz Meets Latin / Dizzy Gillespie & Chano Pozo" was originally broadcast on WBAI in December of 1998.
In addition, he received a special letter of recognition from the government of Peru for his show entitled "The Soul of Black Peru", which aired in 1998. He has traveled to various countries in Latin America, Africa and Europe, often performing with local bands.
"Jazz Meets Latin" was part of a series that Chico developed, which explored the rich and prodigious musical exchange that took place between Afro-American and Latin-American musicians throughout this century not only in New York, but in other urban centers of this country as well. The series examined the synthesis of two musical traditions that shared common origins; American jazz, developed by Afro-Americans at the turn of the twentieth century in the port city of New Orleans and the són, developed by Cubans in the port city of Havana during approximately the same period. It focused primarily upon the music composed and performed by the legendary jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and the master Cuban percussionist, singer and dancer Luciano Pozo Gonzalez, known as "Chano Pozo". Their collaboration was as key moment in the evolution of jazz and their brief relationship changed forever the musical landscape and the popular culture of North America. While Diz lived a long and fruitful life, Chano was tragically killed at the early age of 33.
Chico has also produced various programs of special interest that are noteworthy, such as "Montuno Meets The Blues", "The Guitar; A Legacy Of Two Worlds" and "Color It Mambo". All three programs focus on the transculturation process as it was experienced in New York City and other major urban centers throughout the country. Apart from the great music, Chico also concerns himself with putting forth much valuable information about the recordings themselves, both from historical as well as sociological perspectives. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he replied "As a communicator and a cultural warrior!"
Chico Alvarez can be heard every Sunday from 2 to 6 pm over non-commercial WBAI, and this year he celebrated his 20th year on the airwaves. He currently leads three separate musical aggregations in the metropolitan area and frequently lectures on Latin Jazz and Cuban music at the University level.

CHICO ALVAREZ Y NOSOTROS - LOS BARBAROS DEL RITMO (2007)

Classic 1970's Cuban dance music

Personnel on cuts 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,& 10

Ethan Fanschell, Piano & Flute

Russell "Skee" Farnsworth, acoustic bass

Gordon Tomasin, Lead trumpet & all solos

Charles Affelt, trumpet

Danny Del Valle, timbales

Mike Splanger, trumpet

Justo De La Torre, Trombone & Coro

Joseph Roldan, Baritone Sax

Gene Golden, conga Drums & Cencerro

Daniel Del Valle, Bongò, Concerro & Coro

Chico Alvarez, Lead Vocal, Maracas, Cencerro, Clave Guiro & coro

Victor "Chino" Trias, Tres Cubano

Ramon Muniz, Guiro & Clave

Olufemi, coro

Personnel on cuts 5 & 6

Leonel "Papo" Ortega, Piano, coro, vibes & strings

Leo Fleming Sr, baby bass

Dany "El Indio" Martinez, flute

Hiram Colon, Alto sax & Musical Director

Pete Miranda, baritone sax

Danny Del Valle, timbales

Tony Barrero, trumpet

Sid Judah, trumpet

Gene Golden, conga Drums

Elwood "chick" Johnson, bongò, cencerro & Clave

Joe Gonzales, Timbales

Jesse Rivera, Guiro Coro

Chico Alvarez, Lead vocal, coro & maracas

review by Bruce Polin: CHICO ALVAREZ Y NOSOTROS - LOS BARBAROS DEL RITMO (2007)

recensione di Roberto Rabbi: CHICO ALVAREZ Y NOSOTROS - LOS BARBAROS DEL RITMO (2007)

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THIS CD....... by CHICO ALVAREZ

THE INITIATION

I have often wondered what my life would have been like without music, and the very thought of that prospect sends shivers down my spine. Music, as far back as I can remember is what has propelled me, my reason for being. The first song I ever sang in public was the theme from the Walt Disney film, "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier". I was eight years old and I remember that I sang the entire song acapella (even though I didn't speak a word of English). I also remember that it was on a train, (don't ask me where, it was just a train) and that all the passengers gathered around and applauded me. To this day I'll never forget the thrill of that moment. Of course, I didn't know back then that music would ultimately become my life's ambition, nor that fate would put me in contact with such an array of talented individuals, all of whom just happened to share my passion for this artform.

By the time I was ten, I had mastered the language of Shakespeare and through the miracle of television I was able to go from singing children's songs to popular show tunes and eventually to rock 'n' roll and jazz, emulating anyone and everyone that I liked. Finally, and as if by magic, I rediscovered the popular music of Cuba and that's when my search came to an abrupt end. I literally dove straight into my roots, head first. Between the years 1964 and 1969 I went on what can only be described as a buying binge, collecting every so-called "latin" record (good or bad) that I could get my hands on. After a while I became a walking encyclopedia, or so I thought. It was a learning experience, in more ways than one, and to this day I have never regreted it. To me there is just no other music like it on this planet. The happiness (and pleasure) which I (still) derive from listening to my record collection can only be matched by the intense feeling of satisfaction that I get whenever I perform this music. I have only to close my eyes, and I find myself alongside Arsenio, Beny Moré and Tito Rodriguez. It's spiritual, that's what it is.

THE RECORD

During the last thirty years or so I have been fortunate enough to have shared the bandstand with the greats, the near-greats and not-so-greats, but my biggest thrill has been collaborating with those musicians that are featured on this recording. I will forever be grateful to them. They are the ones who made this CD possible, and that comes from the heart. Muchas gracias go out to Ethan Fanschell, for his magnificent piano playing, as well as for his impeccable flute work; to Russel "Skee" Farnsworth, for that ever-present tumbao which kept the groove in its place, as well as for his beautiful arrangements; to Dany Del Valle for his great percussion work and his mellow voice, and for his friendship; to Ramon Muñiz for his keen ear and for his writing ability; to Michael Spangler, Charles Affelt, Justo De La Torre and Gordon Tomasin for supplying that great brass section (a very special thank you must also go to Gordon for those wonderful trumpet solos and to Justo for his mellow solos and beautiful "segunda voz"); to Joe Roldan for his great sax work and for his ass-kicking arrangement of "Taino"; to Pedrito Ramos, Dick "Taco" Meza, Paul Lopez, Paquito Pastor and Rene Hernandez for their time-tested arrangements and to Rodolfo Manzano for transcribing my unorthodox "head arrangements" as well as for teaching me about harmony; to sister Olufemi for lending us her vocal support; to the legendary "Chino" Trias for his tasty tres work on "Oigan Mi Rumba"; and last but not least to my brother Gene Golden, not only for his magnificent drumming but also for sticking by me through almost twenty five years of back-breaking one night stands. These were the folks that made up the group "Nosotros" in 1981, and they account for the bulk of the recordings contained in this CD.

THE BAND

I first "pinched-hit" for Nosotros' vocalist Ramon Muñiz in 1978-79, so that by the time I became a regular with the group, I was thoroughly familiar with their book. Within the so-called "cuchifrito circuit" these guys were the kings of swing, the hottest "alternative" band in the city. They specialized in a joyously hip brand of dance music, one that not only attracted dancers but which also satisfied small jazz club goers throughout the five boroughs of New York. Their home base however, was the Bronx, a place that was crucial to their immediate and overwhelming success. They literally thrived in this atmosphere, because it was here that they felt most comfortable and effective. Ironically, it was also here that they were inevitably pideon-holed and (through no fault of their own) cast into oblivion.

In spite of the fact that there is almost no written data available on this group, there is still a wealth of information which can easily come to light. I for one have absolutely no difficulty in providing a basic (and adequate) description of this memorable band. For me, writing these liner notes today becomes a relatively easy task, made simple by the fact that I was very much a part of their story, and I lived the events as they happened. So you see, any further research is totally uneccesary at this point. Suffice to say that just prior to my encounter with these bad boys, Nosotros had already released an album on the Vaya label, and I can attest with considerable accuracy that it was the lack of support from this label that became a key factor in marginalizing them.

All of this may (now) seem quite trivial to some, but in retrospect it had far-reaching implications, as it obscured and stiffled their enormous contribution to the music that was then being produced in New York. For one thing, Nosotros was the first latin-jazz group to feature vocals in Spanish. They played every imaginable rhythm there was, authentically, with as much passion as any folkloric band in or out of Cuba. Theirs was a hard, "in-your-face" swing (just two percussionists) which ultimately caused every hard-core dancer to yell for more. Their unique and hip charts put them on the cutting edge of a fusionalistic style that yet had no name, an idea that was ahead of its time, and indeed, an idea that has still yet to catch on. Obviously, the lack of (proper) promotion kept these bulwarks tied down to the small club scene, while the more commercial bands continued to get all the good paying gigs (if indeed there was such a thing). In the end, economics dealt them a heavy blow, and the unethical practices of commercial radio stations, via their infamous payolero station managers and program directors (some of which are still enjoying the fruits of their unscrupulous deeds), did them a gross injustice, one that I'm sure was repeated time and time again, to so many other non-aligned groups in this great city. No one realized it then, but it was the beginning of the end of the local club scene and the near-extinction of the bad-ass house band.

EPILOGUE

The small disc which you are now contemplating on buying contains one of those rare and long lost recordings, a piece of musical history that has been preserved for posterity and etched in the memory us all, a testament to an obscure group of unsung heroes, led by their collective instinct for making merry music and their passion for making it the right way. I refer to them as the true barbarians of rhythm. It is a musical document that cuts right to the chase, the one that slipped through the cracks, never making it into your collection. This CD, along with their first album on Vaya, it is all that is left of this aggregation. I sincerely hope that you enjoy listening to it as much as I did in making it.

After my intial recording with Nosotros in '81, the original band was not able to maintain itself as a working unit, for many reasons, and by 1985 had undergone some major transformations. First it was billed as "Dany Del Valle, Chico Alvarez & Nosotros", and later as "Chico Alvarez & Nosotros". We literally struggled on for about two more years. And that was that.

As a bonus, I have also included two songs that were recorded live at the Village Gate in December of 1987, featuring the second reincarnation of the group Nosotros. On "La Clave, Maraca y Guiro" and "Agua Pa' Ti" listeners like yourself can savor the talents of such luminaries as Hiram Colon on alto sax; Pete Miranda on baritone sax; Sid Judah and Tony Barrero on trumpets, Joe Gonzales on timbales; "Chick" Johnson on bongó and clave; Leo Fleming on bass; Leonel "Papo" Ortega on piano, vibes and strings; Dany "El Indio" Martinez on flute; Jesse Rivera on guiro and vocals and of course Gene Golden on conga drums. No, this was not a studio band put together for the sole purpose of making a record, these were the actual guys who comprised the Nosotros working band. By 1990 the insipid sounds of "salsa romantica" had wholly saturated the airwaves and the New York club scene began its serious decline, so much that the music which Nosotros was offering was no longer in great demand, save for a few small clubs in the Bronx. The band was officiailly terminated in 1991, only to re-surface in 1995, as "Chico Alvarez & Afro-Caribe".

As a special treat, I have also included two songs from a rare 1978 session, my very first recording as a leader. "Mayombe" was a band that (barely) survived between 1976 and 1978, recording a total of eight tunes in all, of which only three have survived in any audible condition. With the help of Luis Güell, a most capable mastering engineer, I have been able to salvage these classics from that "golden age" and I see no problem with including them in this collection. "Esa Brujeria" and "Rumba En El Solar" were both arranged and conducted by pianist Paquito Pastor, and feature Oscar Hernandez on piano; Eddie "Guagua" Rivera on bass; "Chocolate" Armenteros, "Junior" Vega and Harold Woods on trumpets, Jose Rodriguez on trombone, Xavier "Quinn" Lynch on baritone sax; Octavio Ponce on flute; Hector Torres, Tony Cruz, Hiram Diaz and Roger Squitero on percusson and the voices of Jose Mangual Jr., Mauricio Smith and myself on coro. Musically speaking, these tunes reflect a slightly different "attitude" than the other selections, as they were made during a time in in my life when I was not fully aware of the true roots of this music. Unconsciously, I made many mistakes, but the overall swing of the music is undeniably masterful. I have learned much since those days, and it was a wonderful time that I will always treasure, because I made so many long lasting friends. Percussionists Gene Golden, Hector Torres and Tony Cruz remained with me long after both Mayombe and Nosotros were stiffled by the industry and continued to play an important role in my subsequent working bands. Pianist "Papo" Ortega, once a permanent fixture in most of my groups, has recently launched his own career as a bandleader. I am very proud to have participated in his debut CD. My most sincere gratitude goes out to all of them and although they were not the main ingredient in this recording, their years of loyalty have not be forgotten. This is their story too.

- CHICO ALVAREZ PERAZA, January 2007

ANGELO VAILLANT - ERNEST "CHICO" ALVAREZ - SONEROS DE CUBA y NEW YORK (2000)

more tracks can be heard on Vinilemania's Radio Channels

"Pietro, thanks again for including the CD "SONEROS DE CUBA Y NUEVA YORK". A little bit of additional data on this release. It is actually a COMPILATION of 2 LP's which were released SEPARATELY on Guajiro Records back in 1981. The original title of my LP was "MONTUNEANDO" and while the personnel is similiar, there are a few differences. Of course, the back-up band for both recordings was THE SAR ALL STARS. But for my own tunes, the conga player was ANGELITO PEREZ, who came from Cuba during the Mariel boatlift operation and was murdered a few of years later in NYC, repeating the tragic Chano Pozo saga.
My tunes feature a trombone, and the player's name was Justo de La Torre. Victor "Chino" Trias is the tres player, while on Angelo's tunes it is both Trias and Charlie Rodriguez who are featured on that instrument. For my album, Fernando Lavoy and Roberto Torres did not sing coro. These were handled by FELO BARRIOS and ADALBERTO SANTIAGO.

My arrangements were written by Russel Farnsworth AND Alfredo Valdes Jr.
I also play minor Cuban percussion, guiro and maracas.
Chico Alvarez

photo by Allen Spatz

Miguel Garcia (Ochun)  with Chico Alvarez from Palo Monte (and radio DJ)