12/26/98
A profile of a member of one of the most accomplished Latin music families.
by John Child (John_Child@descarga.com)
MANGUAL JR., José (b Jan.'48, El Barrio [Spanish Harlem], NYC) Salsa bandleader, master percussionist (primarily bongo and campana), producer, singer (lead and coro [chorus]), composer; his mid-'80s to mid-90s productions have been particularly popular in Colombia and in emigre Colombian communities. Member of one of the most accomplished Latin music families: first son of José Mangual Sr. 'Buyú' (b José Luis Mangual, 18 Mar. '24, Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico; relocated to NYC '33; Machito's esteemed percussionist '42-59; played with Herbie Mann, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Errol Garner, others); brother Luis plays bongo, campana and conga and has recorded with Héctor Rivera, Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Santiago Ceron, Charlie Rodríguez, others, as well as with José Jr. Began performing with small typical groups in El Barrio; from '63 played with Monguito for a few years. Member of Willie Colón's band '69-74 and Héctor Lavoe's band '74-9 (also acted as co-leader of latter), where he and Milton Cardona (b Mayagüez, Puerto Rico; conguero/ coro singer) developed a long term association as coro vocalists and percussionists, sessioning widely together. (Besides performing on many of Mangual Jr.'s productions, Cardona, an ordained priest in the Afro-Cuban santería religion, has recorded and toured with his ensemble Eya Aranla [LP Bembé '86 on American Clavé], Colón, Lavoe, Jerry González and the Fort Apache Band, Dave Valentín, David Byrne, Kip Hanrahan, Papo Vásquez, numerous others).
While still with Lavoe, Mangual Jr. made his recording debut as leader and lead singer on the album Tribute To Chano Pozo '77 (reissued '89) on his own True Ventures label, which has become a classic; the late José Febles played trumpet, arranged and co-directed. Signed with Venezuelan Velvet label for Pa' Bailar y Gozar '79, with two tracks each arr. by Héctor Rivera and José Madera (percussionist son of Machito band founder member, tenor saxophonist José 'Pin' Madera; himself a Machito sideman '69-72, then with Tito Puente from '72) and Mangual '80 (reissued as Ritmo, Sabor Y Clave on Vedisco '97); Madera played vibes and wrote one chart on Mangual, Febles played trumpet and arr. one track. His assembly backed Peruvian brother and sister vocalists Melcochita and Lita Branda on Con Sabor '80 (reissued as Hermanos de la Salsa on En Clave '98). Formed Campanero Productions Inc. '80, under whose imprint he produced Time Will Tell/ Que Lo Diga El Tiempo '81 (incl. the magnificent 'Mil Amores' and self-penned mainly instrumental title track, both arr. by Madera), Sonero Con Clase '82 for Velvet (reissued on Vedisco '97) with his band backing Panamanian singer Carlos 'El Grande' Ferrer (Madera handled mus. dir. and arr. four tracks) and Que Chevere '82 (reissued on Vedisco '98) incl. self-penned 'Campana Mayoral' arr. by Madera, who did most mus. dir. Produced singer Junior González's Gracias '83, containing the superb 'Hechando Pa'Lante', and own Al Fin y Al Cabo '84, both on 7th Galaxy. Teamed up with dad and Luis as Los Mangual on Una Dinastia '86 on Caimán; '90s hit-maker Sergio George wrote most of the arrs. and played piano. Produced and performed on a trio of albums on Caballo '86-7: Junior González's Sabor y Sentimiento, Con Sabor a Pueblo by Melcochita, containing the big hit 'Pegaso' arr. by the album's pianist Alfredo Valdés Jr., and Sarabanda (co-prod./ mus. dir. by Isidro Infante; recorded in Houston, Texas) incl. the huge hit 'Barranquillero Arrebatao' composed by Victor Raúl Sánchez 'Patillas' and arr. by Infante.
He produced and performed on La Musiquita '87 on Kanoa by female singer/ composer Arabella (b María Margarita Pinillos, 15 June '50s, Bogota, Colombia) and four albums on Tibiri '87-8: Orlando Watusi's Echale ... Watusi!, Melcochita's El Muerto Se Fué De Rumba, incl. hit 'Kamaguey' written by executive director Diego Flórez and arr. by Mangual Jr., and all-star Salsa Ritmo Caliente; he and Infante featured in the band backing Melcochita in Paris Sept. '88. Produced and performed on Junior González's Mas Romántico Que Nadie '89 on Mercury/ PolyGram Latino and follow-ups A Golpe de Marea by Sarabanda, incl. eponymous hit arr. by Infante (who shared piano and arr. chores with George; future Eddie Palmieri sideman and leader Conrad Herwig played trombone) and Salsa Ritmo Caliente Vol. 2, both on Kañaveral '91. Prod. and performed on Rey Reyes' La Libertad '91 on J&N; played percussion and sang coro on Cuco Valoy's El Que Sabe! '92 on J&N and Melcochita's popular albums Libertad '93 and Mi Son Sabroson '96, both prod. by Infante on Levesque; co-prod. and performed on Miles Peña's outstanding debut album De Que Me Vale '93 on Sonero/ RMM; prod. and performed on Sarabanda's No Se Tu '94 on Platano; tenor saxist Nelson Hernández (arr. half) and pianists Infante and young Peruvian Lucho Cueto (arr. three songs) shared mus. dir.; co-directed and played on the Ismael Miranda/ Junior González collaboration Cantar O No Cantar '95 on Asefra. Made UK debut Sept. '95; nearly 20 years after the first volume he issued Tribute To Chano Pozo Vol. II '95 on MC; Cueto directed the recording, arr. the exciting opening track 'Campana Titiko' (penned by Mangual Jr., who wrote most of the album) and shared piano chores with Infante (who arr. two songs); Madera contributed two charts. Played percussion and sang new version of 'Mil Amores' (arr. by Cueto) on Gozando! '96 on Asefra by Mascara Salsera's Gold Stars featuring lead vocalists Pete 'El Conde' Rodríguez, Junior González, Melcochita, Ray de la Paz and Carlos Santos; Cueto handled mus. dir., played piano, prod. and arr. two other tracks. Co-prod., co-mus. dir. and performed on Melcochita's homage Tributo Al Jefe Daniel Santos '98 on Levesque featuring punchy covers of classic tunes made popular by the late Puerto Rican crooner; Cueto wrote five charts. Sessioned with numerous salsa names incl. Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Johnny Pacheco, Ernie Agosto, Santiago Ceron, Louie Ramírez, Raúl Marrero, Johnny Zamot & Ray Sepulveda and Fernando Resto. Recommended compilation Mis Mejores Exitos '94 on Exclusivo collects '77-87 True Ventures, Campanero and Caballo recordings.
-This is one of over 130 Latin music entries written by John Child for The
Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 2nd Edition, edit. Donald
Clarke; Penguin Books; 1998; 1524 pages; US$22.95, UK£16.99.
They are published on the Descarga website by kind permission of
Mr. Donald Clarke.
Click this link for the important José Mangual Jr. interview, "A Family Affair" by David Carp
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