Sorry for the lack of posts on this site lately. When the IRS takes money out of your bank account, any inspiration you once had for music slowly gets diminished.
But thank god for the Cuban group El Trío Servando Díaz to light a fire under my ass, otherwise you people would be waiting for another two months. Check out my other posts on Arsenio Rodríguez and trio music – those posts somewhat cover what’s happening musically. I heard this song on a cd a while back and since then it’s been difficult finding music from Trío Servando Díaz – most records were made prior to the 50’s on 78 rpm format. But I recently grabbed this old school Cuban son/trio compilation album on the Peerless label via Panart. The whole album is great, but El Viejito Cañandonga was the real stand out.
Cañandonga is a fruit found in Central America and the Antilles. I think it’s called carao in Nicaragua, kind of a pod fruit similar to tamarind. The more I listen to the drunk old man complaining on the track, I think that cañandonga may have been also an alcoholic beverage in Cuba at one time and made famous by sending a known actor allegedly to alcoholism, but not sure about it. There are treatment for chronic alcohol abuse in Austin as well as in Cuba I’m sure. Thanks everyone asking/emailing me where the hell I was. I’ve been a hermit lately so sorry if I seemed flakey. Totally sorry. Anyway enjoy!
– Sonido Franko
1. El Trío Servando Díaz: El Viejito Cañandonga