New Steel/UkeTune - Sabor A Mi - Gerald Ross

[Gerald Ross]

On my recent trip to Spain I had the opportunity to listen to many types of music. In the South I heard and enjoyed much Flamenco music. Unfortunately I also heard 'Sweet Home Alabama' on the radio at least 10 times. That kind of put a damper on my touring of a 1000 year old cathedral .

While travelling in the North (the Asturias region) my friend from Oviedo gave me some music by the group "Trio Los Ponchos". This trio recorded much in the early 1960's. Here is my version of one of their big hits.

I recorded this yesterday - four instruments total - My Talsma tenor uke, a Taylor 714ce guitar, a 1947 Rickenbacker Bakelite steel and Band In A Box bass. All the 'live' instruments recorded with a Audio-Technica Pro-37 condenser mic.

Sabor A Mi

[Tom Pettingill]

That was nice Gerald, thanks for the listen

[Ray Montee]

Gerald........a truly wonderful performance!

YOUR music talents are beyond description.....
Always a joy to hear you play. Wish I lived back there where you live....good ole Minnesota, right?

[Gerald Ross]

Thanks Ray.

That's Michigan - the state that put America on wheels! (for good and bad).

Regarding the Los Ponchos...

I've heard the group referred to as both "Los Panchos" and "Trio Los Ponchos".

Here's Edie Gorme singing Sabor A Mi with the group in 1964. This is the version that inspired me to record my version. I have the LP cut on my Ipod.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkKHnwwC-vk

Yes... it's 'THE' Edie Gorme, from 'Steve & Edie'. Her real name is Edith Gormezano. Her parents were Sephardic Jews from Spain. Edie was born in NYC.

Not bad for a Jewish girl from the Bronx, eh?

[Ray Montee]

Sorry about that Gerald!

I was close....... the first two letters were the same. "MI"....

Surely you're not going to hold a small, insignificant mistake like that against me?


(I was only joking with use.........)

[Roy Thomson]

Very relaxing Gerald.
The perfect "feel" for the song IMO.

Roy

[Terry P. Miller]

Did someone say that was nice??? Nice????? Holy mackeral,what an understatement. Gerald that was great!!!! What do you say we combine that with something like "Quizos, Quizos, Quizos" (a Bolero), "Flamingo" ( a Samba?) and Some of Jobim's Bossa Nova's, for part of our Joliet performances. Would we be forgiven?
Once again, great job Gerald.

[Bill Creller]

Hey GB! That was cool! I remember Trio Los Panchos from the 60s very well. Used to have some of their music but lost track of it. LPs of course.

[Howard Tate]

That was beautiful, Gerald, and thanks for the link, she was always such a great singer. The tone you get from that uke is so good, I love it.

[Bill Leff]

For me, Gerald takes uke to a whole 'nother level!

[Gerald Ross]

Just remixed the tune.

All I did was lower the bass. It was too boomy.

Now you can hear a more defined uke, guitar and steel.

[Mike Fried]

Gorgeous playing, Gerald! Listening to you is inspiring me to do some more recording...

[Kirk Nelson]

Sounds really cool, man. I love Mexican Trios, and Los Panchos are my favorite.

Another Mexican Trio, Los Tres Diamantes did some music similar to Los Panchos, but with steel guitar, on their "Usted y Otros Exitos" album. I'll see if I can get around to converting their LP into an MP3 sometime soon.

[Terry Farmer]

Really nice Gerald. Makes me want to dust off the uke and try again. I've watched your video/interview. Do you have any training materials for your style of playing?

[Gerald Ross]

Thanks Terry,

The only training advice I have is... play guitar for 40 years and apply all that you've learned to the uke.

The uke is tuned exactly like the first four strings of a guitar (DGBE). But the uke is tuned a fourth higher so the tuning is GCEA. Same intervals string to string. The thing that throws most guitar players is the fact that on the uke the fourth string is an octave higher than the other strings.

[Al Marcus]

Gerald-I just downloaded your version of Sabor A Mi, and it is great.I really like your style of playing on it. 40 years of talented playing.

I played with a band called "The Country Counts" in Phoenix in the 70's, the Bass and Guitar player were Mexican brothers and could sing very well individually and together in harmony. Very Talented. Great Guys.
I was lucky to be playing with that band, we were on TV and even backed Tex Williams at the Governor's Ball in Phoenix.
We played that song every night and I got to play a solo on it in between the vocals. I cranked up the Leslie and got that full hammond sound. I played it on a E9 th tuning, but played a lot with pedals down and using the ninth string as my root, some nice major 7ths , etc..

You made my day and brought back great memeories of long ago for me, thanks...al.:)

[Rick Alexander]

Beeeyootyful!