Minaya, Sencion -y Los Quisqueyanos-
El Jangueador
With this release, Waaghals Records celebrates two compositions by one of the forgotten and underrated songwriters of merengue: Sención Minaya (aka "El Caballo Indio"). In the early 1970s, Sención penned several local hits, which he performed and recorded with electric guitar adapted to the strings of a Cuban tres (a Cuban instrument in the guitar family and commonly played in a variety of Afro-Cuban genres), which was uncommon and different from his contemporaries that used a requinto guitar. Waaghals Records is proud and excited to serve up to two of Sención's finest compositions that were first released on his debut album. The a-side, 'El Jangueador,' is a contagious and rhythmic merengue with gorgeous electric guitar work. The track kicks off with a thundering interplay in the rhythm section between the tamborero (drum player) playing in the traditional straight-ahead merengue and the guirero (the metal scraper player) before the electric guitar comes in, elevating the quality with funky groove chords that draw you in and keeps you listening. The lyrics were inspired by him listening to Nuyoricans' usage of the term janguear in the streets, which means to hang out in English. On the flip, we have 'Me Voy Para Mi Quisqueya' the up-tempo merengue tribute to the Dominican Republic. This recording is characterized by the swinging jaleos or riffs of Juan Núñez on alto saxophone, a former band member of the 1960s iteration of the Conjunto Típico Cibaeño and musical mentor early on in Sención's career. The patriotic lyrics are sung from the perspective of a migrant who has nostalgia for his homeland.