Los Calvos (the baldheaded) was formed in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1967 by musician and bandleader Ray Pérez. It was an ensemble that sounded different to previous bands. They represented what Pérez, who was nicknamed “El Loco”, had already achieved in his music career: the rock, salsa, jazz and Latin rhythms that he played in groups like Trío Hambay, Los Singers, Los 5 de Romero and the legendary Los Dementes.
To form the band, Pérez turned to top names in Venezuelan music at the time, recruiting Frank “Pavo” Hernández on drums – who curiously thought it was crazy to introduce a drum kit to salsa; Pedro García on percussion; Miguel Angel Silva on bass; Rafael Araujo on trombone; and Lewis and Josue on trumpets; all supporting dual vocalists Carlos “Carlín” Asicio Rodríguez and Carlos “Calaven” Yanes, the latter an innovative and charismatic singer who added a touch of jazz to salsa, scatting like one of the greats.
Los Calvos only ever released two albums, a debut in 1967, followed by a second in 1968 that offered the same power and quality as its predecessor. Regrettably, the ever-busy Pérez, who was always working and traveling with groups like Los Dementes and his newly-formed Las Kenya ensemble, decided to abandon the project shortly after that second album came out, dedicating his energies elsewhere. Remarkably, the group never performed live, yet these days, Pérez considers these recordings the most enjoyable that he experienced in his whole career.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.