The Lost Cuban Trios Of Casa Marina [Original recording]

Trio Melodicos and Trio Zamora | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 17, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording
• Label: Ahi Nama Music
• ASIN: B002OS5F8S
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,968 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #16 in Music > World Music > Caribbean & Cuba > Cuba > Salsa
  • #49 in Music > World Music > Latin Music > General AAS

Editorial Reviews

The story of these romantic recordings of traditional trio music plays like a cinematic saga. It starts with two Jewish boys who fled from the Nazis, settled in Cuba and fell in love with the island and its pleasures, especially its beautiful women and seductive sounds. It ends 50 years later with the release of this CD of vintage recordings that survived the Cuban Revolution, a second exile journey, and finally decades of neglect in storage in rainy Seattle.

All the songs on Cuban Trios of Casa Marina are familiar and beloved Latin standards from a genteel, bygone era in popular Latin music. Like the Buena Vista Social Club, this record evokes nostalgia for classic sounds from the 30s, 40s and 50s. But instead of remakes of old standards, these are the original recordings made in pre-Castro Havana, now available to the public for the first time. A different revolution, the digital one, allowed for the transfer of the original analog tapes from 1958.

The two immigrant brothers who made it possible are Harry and Morris Schrage. They were just 10 and 13 when their family had to flee the Nazi invasion of their native Poland in 1939. A cross-Atlantic voyage brought them to Havana, then the sin city of the Caribbean and a haven for gambling, fabulous floor shows and first-class bordellos. The Schrages settled in neighboring Matanzas, where their enterprising father rebuilt his fortune making sneakers. As young adults, Harry and Morris worked in the family business, earning enough to live the life of privileged playboys. The fun-loving siblings soon became regulars at Havana's most exclusive and cosmopolitan brothel, the fabled Casa Marina, which drew a wealthy international clientele.

Casa Marina was known for the exceptional beauty of its bevy of women, under the care of grandmotherly Madam Marina. But Harry and Morris didn't just appreciate the ladies. They were also impressed with the quality of the strolling musicians who added just the right mood for romance. The Trio Zamora and Trio Melodicos played love songs on demand for a dollar a song, with a rich repertoire of popular boleros (Besame Mucho), cha cha chas (El Bodeguero), cumbias (Mi Cafetal) and even Mexican huapangos (El Crucifjo de Piedra).

Harry was a budding audiophile and it was his idea to record the groups. He set up a makeshift recording studio in his bedroom, using an Ampex reel-to-reel tape recorder that he bought in Miami and was state-of-the-art at the time. All the songs on this CD were recorded during those home-studio sessions in 1958. Musically, they are true to classic trio style: lyrical acoustic guitars, vocals in three-part harmonies, and light percussion. In those days, trios were as ubiquitous in Latin America as garage bands in the U.S. But artists added distinctive flavors in different countries. Many of the songs here were recorded by the top trios of the day - Mexico's Trio Los Panchos, Puerto Rico's Trio San Juan and Cuba's Trio Matamoros.

Harry had no immediate plans to release the tapes in Cuba, and soon it would be too late. The family fled the Revolution in 1960, but Harry made sure to bring the trio tapes with him. Morris settled in Southern California, where he became a successful car dealer. Harry became a top executive with Boeing in Seattle, where he lived until he died of a heart attack in 1973 at age 46. Still among his possessions at the time were the old recordings - a set of seven, 7-inch Scotch magnetic tapes in their original boxes. More than 25 years later, Morris inherited the tapes from his brother's widow, Maya, who suggested they be released as a tribute to her late husband. The wish came true when Morris teamed with his old friend, Jimmy Maslon of Ahi-Nama Music, to issue this CD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Genuine and authentic, 1000% soulful and real, October 4, 2010

By 

muziclvr - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Cuban Trios Of Casa Marina (Audio CD)

I've heard Cuban trios but never like this....you can almost smell Havana while listening to these three diferent trios. On top of the authenticity of the music, it was recorded in 1958 yet sounds as crisp as if you were sitting on the Malecon as these artists strolled by. A true amazing treat.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cuban Music, October 3, 2010

By 

Ron Wayne (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Cuban Trios Of Casa Marina (Audio CD)

As a boy in the 50's in Miami Beach I'd daily walk past Espanola Way going to School...in so doing I often heard Cuban music. There was nothing quite like it, but I knew nothing about it and didn't speak Spanish. Later on, living in California I often heard Latin music originating in Mexico. It was not quite the same.

After the Revolution, most of the traffic between Miami and Havana ceased. The chance to go to Cuba never happened.

These recordings, or what I heard of them,(I will attempt to edit this review once I've had a chance to listen for awhile), bring back the genuine Cuban music I used to hear. While similar to other Latin music, it has a sound all its own. Its a good thing someone had the sense to record it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the lost cuban trios of casa marina, November 18, 2010

By 

tina braun - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Lost Cuban Trios Of Casa Marina (Audio CD)

I ordered this cd after hearing the story of the cuban trios on NPR. I am not from Cuba,
but I am latina and appreciate the latin music of every country. My father was a musician,
and this beautiful CD brought back memories of my childhood in my grandparents house. I would
definetely recommend this wonderful music to anybody that appreciates the music of our
parents and grandparents.