BENNY VELARDE: VIVA VELARDE

BENNY VELARDE
Bayardo "Benny" Velarde é um percussionista panamenho, radicado em San Francisco, California, USA. Benny começou a aprender saxofone no Panamá, mas ao emigrar com sua mãe para os USA abandonou o estudo, por não dispor de recursos para pagar pelo aprendizado. Ao ouvir Tito Puente, apaixonou-se pela percussão, que aprendeu sozinho; o resto é a bela história de uma carreira que o levou a tocar com luminares do "latin-jazz", como Cal Tjader. Neste álbum, Velarde lidera um combo de altíssima
qualidade, tocando composições de sua própria lavra. A única exceção é o clássico TENDERLY.
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BENNY VELARDE
Bayardo "Benny" Velarde, renowned San Francisco Bay Area timbalero, composer and band leader was born in Panama City, Panama in 1932. When in Panama, Benny Velarde started playing the saxophone but when he came to the U.S. in 1945 he could not afford music lessons. So he taught himself to play percussion by listening to records. Belarde became a fanatic about listening to Tito Puente and started playing bongos and congas. In 1950, Velardeo joined the Alonzo Palio Quartet, led by the great piano player from San Salvador. Later, Benny played with the big Mexican bands lead by people like Salvador Guerrero and also played with Manny Duran
Finally he decided to move to New York where he stayed for almost a year. When he got back to the Bay Area, Velarde joined Cal Tjader´s group. After leaving Cal's Combo, he formed a band in San Francisco. The band was made up of Manny Duran on piano, his brother Charlie on Bass, Benny on timbales and Luis Miranda on congas.
During that time, Benny Velarde went to Cuba, got married and stayed in Miami for about 6 months. Then he came back to San Francisco and formed a band called Benny Velarde Y Su Pachangeras because of the dance “The Panchanga” which was very popular at that time.
(By CB)
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BENNY VELARDE: VIVA VELARDE

PERSONNEL:
Benny Velarde - percussion
Sal Nunez - lead vocals, percussion, coro
John Callaway - keyboards, flute, coro
Terry Russell - trombone, bass trombone
Ray Martinez - bongo, timbales
Jorge Pomar - bass
Tim Devine - sax
Carlos Araiza - congas, coro
Ross C. Wilson - trumpet, trombone,coro

TRACKS/FAIXAS
1. Tranquilisate - Benny Velarde - 5:39
2. Viva Velarde - Benny Velarde - 5:33
3. Tenderly - Walter Gross - 7:14
4. Baila Mi Guaguanco - Benny Velarde - 5:34
5. No Somos Nada - Benny Velarde - 4:52
6. El Divorcio - Benny Velarde - 4:08
7. Viva Cepeda - Benny Velarde - 6:37
8. Yolanda Pachanga - Benny Velarde - 6:24

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