Septeto (Miguel) Matamoros Victor 46226 (1928): Falsa Eva & Tu Veras, Cuban son

$

28

Up for sale is an exceptionally scarce 78 RPM, 10 inch shellac record with two great songs (Cuban son) recorded by a pioneering Cuban group.  These sides were electronically recorded using Victor's "orthophonic" technique.
Record Label:  Victor Record Number: 46226 Year of Release:  Probably 1928 or 1929 Side A (46226-A):   Falsa Eva - Son (False Eve) [A. P. Echavarria] Wax matrix marks:  46226A  (There is also a very small "VE" surrounded by an oval in the runoff area.)
Side B (46226-B):   Tu Veras - Son (You Will See) [Miguel Matamoros] Wax matrix marks:  46226B  (There is also a very small "VE" surrounded by an oval in the runoff area.)
Cuban son (son Cubano) was a genre of music and dance that originated in the highlands of eastern Cuba (the Oriente Provence) in the very late 19th century.  It blended elements of Spanish and African (Bantu) origin.  The new style (Cuban son) appeared in Havana about 1917 and became very popular, rivalling the existing "danzon" style.  Throughout the 1920s, additional modifications were introduced to the instrumentation of the Cuban son.  This is demonstrated by the instruments listed next to the players (below).
Septeto Matamoros was a septet headed by Miguel Matamoros, who was born in 1894.  According to the website "78revoluciones", on his 31st birthday (1925) he formed the "Oriental Trio" with Rafael Cueto and Siro Rodriguez.  In 1928, talent agents from Victor heard them perform in Santiago de Cuba (to great applause) and signed them to record in Camden, New Jersey.  It was at this time that the group's name was changed to "Trio Matamoros".  Miguel also incorporated additional musicians and formed the "Septeto Matamoros".   The recording histories of the trio and the septet overlap in time; the trio was actually active until the Cuban Revolution in 1961.
According to the website of the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" (the DAHR, which is maintained by the University of California at Santa Barbara), the songs "Falsa Eva"and "Tu Veras" were recorded (along with several others) on December 10, 1928.  The DAHR states that the recordings of each song were done in Havana, Cuba.  Victor 46226 was said to have "Master" status and to be "Take 2".  [Gramaphone (West Africa) GV-24 also is said to have "Master" status and to be "Take 2".]  The DAHR lists the following as members of "Septeto Matamoros":

• Manuel Borgella (instrumentalist:  tres)
• Rafael Cueto (instrumentalist:  guitar)
• Miguel Matamoros (instrumentalist:  guitar)
• Francisco Portelo (instrumentalist:  string bass)
• Manuel Poveda (instrumentalist:  timbales)
• Siro Rodriguez (instrumentalist:  claves)
• Agerico Santiago (instrumentalist:  claves)