The Felix Cabrera Band

Felix Cabrera
Born in Havana, Felix was tuned into the radio in it's golden years listening to Bill Haley, Nat King Cole, then the surge of U.S. Rock and Roll and of course the native music of Cuba. Felix and his school friends hammered out the conga patterns on the park benches.
In the U.S
1961: Miami, then on to Union City, NJ... In NYC Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield were playing live on Bleeker Street . The Manhattan clubs offered BB King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Otis Rush, James Cotton, Cannonball Adderley, Charles Lloyd and Chico Hamilton... Felix was hooked!! In 1974, Felix and Arthur Neilson formed the "A TRAIN BLUES BAND", one of the first Chicago styled Blues bands in the New York metropolitan area. The band backed up and recorded with VICTORIA SPIVEY and North Carolina bluesman TARHEEL SLIM besides doing their own gigs. Felix also played duets with Honey Boy Edwards.
Blues Unlimited writer Andre Hobus saw Cabrera perform at MAX's KANSAS CITY and wrote about Felix's "fluent harp techniques". In the next few years Felix experimented with the diatonic harmonica in Cuban music and co-led THE INTERNATIONALS, mixing blues and classical overtones. They opened shows for BIG JOE TURNER and JAMES COTTON.
New York City
In 1984 he formed FELIX AND THE HAVANAS, recording their first CD "NEXT!!", which was released by the SKYRANCH record label in France. The opening gig for this project was for JAMES BROWN at the LONE STAR CAFE in New York City. This was followed another 6 openers for The Godfather of Soul! Felix has an extensive list of artists he has opened for including Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells, Bobby Blue Bland, Jr. Walker, Wilson Pickett, Dr. John, Lonnie Mack, Marcia Ball and others. Felix was the inaugural act at MANNY'S CAR WASH, the renowned New York Blues Club, and has performed on the NPR "BLUES STAGE" radio program, hosted by Ruth Brown..
In the late 90's, Cabrera joined Jimmy Vivino and the Black Italians. They became a regular at the Manhattan Music Club, DOWNTIME. Backed up by Vivino and company. Felix released his second CD, "CU-BOPS CU-BLUES". Jimmy Vivino and most of his band, The Black Italians became the MAX WEINBERG 7 playing on the CONAN O'BRIEN SHOW. It was during this period that Felix appeared at MARK NAFTALIN'S MARIN COUNTY BLUES FESTIVAL where he performed with Naftalin, Jimmy Vivino and the late great drummer BILLY DAVENPORT.
After working with Jimmy Vivino for 5 years, Felix again became a band leader.....the formation of "The Felix Cabrera Band" led to the recording of PRESSURE COOKER with a distinguished group of old friends including Arthur Neilson and Vivino on guitars, Drummer Bill Schroeder, Keyboardist Danny Louis, Bassist Phil Butler, Giovanni Arencibia on Congas, and the horns of Jerry Vivino, Howard Johnson and Mark Pender.
Felix is currently performing on the New York club circuit .
REVIEW IN BLUES REVUE.
Felix has a superb review by Kay Cordtz in Blues Revue's Aug/Sept 2007 issue.
The Felix Cabrera Blues Band – Murray Street Grill – New York City – May 4.
Felix Cabrera can shout the blues and blow a mean harp. But the Cuban-born bandleader also has a knack for rolling with the punches. The day before this Friday night gig, Phil Butler, Cabrera’s bass player for the past 11 years, was injured in a car accident. Then Guitar ace Jimmy Vivino, a frequent and popular addition to the band, was called out of town with Conan O’Brien. But Cabrera was undeterred. He contacted bassist Ritt Henn, who played in his band twenty years ago and has filled in before. Fiery blues guitarist Jason Green, one of several local players who have rotated through Cabrera’s band, answered the call too. With longtime drummer Bill Schroeder and keyboardist Eddy Bishai, the subs rocked this small basement club and solidly showcased Cabrera’s Latin blues style.
The self-taught Cabrera, who left Cuba as a child and came to New York by way of Miami and Union City, NJ, calls Paul Butterfield his first influence. He saw the original Butterfield Blues Band at a New York City club in 1966 and almost always starts his show with their songs. “Driftin’ and Driftin’” featured Cabrera’s emotional vocals, crying guitar from Green and jazzy organ from Bishai. The band likes to stretch out and jam, and as they took turns riding the groove, the warm-up caught fire. The intensity on the bandstand continued to build until Cabrera took it down with a small hand gesture. Even with little or no rehearsal, he seemed to be in complete control.
They segued into “Born in Chicago,” which in Cabrera’s hands became “Born in Havana,” taking it fast and furious. They followed the Butterfield numbers with three songs from Cabrera’s 2004 CD For Green. The ballad “Cold Cold,” a fitting farewell to winter on this balmy night, slowed the pace, and led into a catchy and clever Cabrera original, “Self Argument in D Minor,” a tale of lost love to Latin beats with a lilting harp melody picked up by Bishai on the organ. Changing it up again, Cabrera was dancing from the first note of Henn’s funky bass riff announcing “Animalism.” Shouting, gesturing wildly, playing bongos, congas and unusual percussion instruments, he put his heart and soul into every note .
Cabrera kicked off the second set with Butterfield’s “Lovin’ Cup,” followed by Leiber And Stoller’s “I Keep Forgettin’,” pouring on more wrenching harmonica and heartbroken vocals. The whole band really cooked on “Got My Mojo Workin’.” but their leader kept raising the ante displaying his amazing energy and showmanship, screaming, mugging, prancing, only stopping long enough to blow a few hot bars. Let’s face it, Cabrera is a wild man, and it’s an integral part of his appeal.
All of the musicians in the band know a thing or two about showmanship. One of Cabrera’s early bands opened six shows for James Brown back in the 1980s. Green has toured with Big Jack Johnson and Schroeder once backed Louisiana Red. They know how to step up when the front man needs a breather but otherwise, they keep the groove going and just stay out of his way.
Another heartfelt Cabrera original, “She Told Me A Lie” from 2001’s Pressure Cooker, showed off Green’s dazzling guitar prowess, and Albert King’s “Born Under A Bad Sign” cooled things down a bit before the big blowout finale. Cabrera said the first R&B record he bought was Ray Charles’ “Hit The Road, Jack.” He ended the show with his own wild rendition featuring Bishai’s funky organ, showing how much excitement can be produced by an enthusiastic leader and a great semi-pickup band.
FELIX WITH THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND.
Felix also performed, along with Jimmy Vivino, with the Ed Palermo Big Band on Dec 7th at the Rose Planetarium in N.Y.C in a tribute to Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield that was broadcast live over radio station WBGO.
This is a link to hear the concert.
http://wbgo-web.streamguys.net/audio/onDemand.php?podcastID= 217.
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