ELITE BAND featuring singer Jorge Hidalgo Gato
BOA
Many of us tried starting our own groups with dreams of being the next " Heaven" or " Mantrap " I myself attempted
twice with my groups " SEXXY" and " ESSENCE" ( I'll wait till you finish laughing ) OK..........We played a dance at
ST.KEVIN to about 25 people ( most of them Chaperones ) on a Saturday night , we all had to buy white polyester
Jackets at Miami Elegante for $12.00 ,my parents had a heart attack on spending this small fortune. I had to rake
leaves in our yard for the next three years to pay them back. We played four songs for our first set , including a 15
minute version of SANTANA'S SAMBA PA TI, we took a break and as a musician, I had my first cigarette outside with
the boys ( luckily it didn't become a habit ) For our second set, we did the exact same songs in different order. We
were "stars" and at the end of the night all 10 of us each recieved $4.00 .....it was one of the best nights of my young
life .
None of us wanted to be astronauts or firemen . We all had dreams of being in a band. Some of us were able to
realize that, even if only for one night,but that feeling stays with you forever.
twice with my groups " SEXXY" and " ESSENCE" ( I'll wait till you finish laughing ) OK..........We played a dance at
ST.KEVIN to about 25 people ( most of them Chaperones ) on a Saturday night , we all had to buy white polyester
Jackets at Miami Elegante for $12.00 ,my parents had a heart attack on spending this small fortune. I had to rake
leaves in our yard for the next three years to pay them back. We played four songs for our first set , including a 15
minute version of SANTANA'S SAMBA PA TI, we took a break and as a musician, I had my first cigarette outside with
the boys ( luckily it didn't become a habit ) For our second set, we did the exact same songs in different order. We
were "stars" and at the end of the night all 10 of us each recieved $4.00 .....it was one of the best nights of my young
life .
None of us wanted to be astronauts or firemen . We all had dreams of being in a band. Some of us were able to
realize that, even if only for one night,but that feeling stays with you forever.
ELITE BAND WAS formed IN 1975 IT WAS A GROUP OF YOUNG MUSICIANS WHO HAD
MANY DREAMS,WE ALL WERE FROM MIAMI. I KNEW ABOUT THIS BAND BY A FRIEND
FROM MIAMI HIGH SCHOOL (SERAFIN PAZOS) WHO WAS GIVING ME A RIDE BACK
HOME AFTER SCHOOL AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A SINGER
LITTLE DID HE KNOWS THAT I COULD SING SO I TOLD HIM IF I CAN GO TO THEIR
PRACTICES AND TRY OUT,SO I WENT THAT AFTERNOON AND LUCKY ME AFTER I
SANG THE SONG Y VOLVERE I BECAME THE LEAD SINGER OF ELITE BAND,WHOSE
NAME AT THE TIME WAS PURPLE HAZE LATER WE CHANGED TO ELITE.
THANKS TO A MEMBER OF THIS BAND I MET NELSON CORREA .BAND LEADER AND
BASS PLAYER OF MANTRAP WHO HELP US A LOT AND AS TODAY NELSON IS STILL
MY FRIEND ,MORE A BROTHER TO ME.
NELSON GIVE US OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY AT RICO SCHOOL PROM IT
WAS OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IN PUBLIC AND THANK GOD ALL WENT WELL WE
HAD A SMALL REPERTOIRE OF SONGS, LONG ENOUGH MAYBE FOR ONE HOUR I
REMENBER WE PLAYED " Y VOLVERE " TWICE.
WE PLAYED MAINLY IN PRIVATE PARTIES, ALL WAS GOING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION UNTIL OUR DRUMMER QUITS AND LATER OUR BASS PLAYER TOO, SO
WE STAY WITH A NEW DRUMMER BUT WE HAD TO BRING BACK OUR ORIGINAL BASS
PLAYER OSCAR CALLEJAS WHO WAS THE MUSICAL DIRECTOR , FOR A FINAL
PRESENTATION ALONG WITH MANTRAP AT LA IGLESIA EPISCOPAL DE TODOS LOS
SANTOS FOR THE 15 BIRTHDAY PARTY OF A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
DUE TO LACK OF REHEARSALS AND CHANGES THE BAND DISMANTLED AFTER THAT.
I WENT ON FOR A SHORT TIME ON A SOLO IN DIFFERENT SMALL CLUBS LIKE
NICOLAS LOUNGE,EL YAYO PUB EN HIALEAH,LAS BRISAS EN MIAMI BEACH AND
PRIVATE PARTIES. I ALSO HAD THE OPORTUNITITY TO SING WITH MEMBERS OF
MANTRAP IN MY FIRST WEDDING. THAT MOMENT WAS MAGIC TO ME WHEN I SANG
THE SONGS EL DIA QUE TE CONOCI,YO LO COMPRENDO AND THE SONG Y
HABLAME THANKS TO MANTRAP AND MY VERY GOOD FRIEND NELSON.
ELITE BAND MEMBER IN ORDER ON THE FOTO STUDIO
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
JORGE HIDALGO GATO (LEAD SINGER)
JORGE LUIS LOPEZ (KEYBOARDS, VOCALS)
JOE MENDIZABAL (PIANO/GUITAR,VOCALS)
JOE PALOMINO ( LEAD GUITAR)
OSCAR CALLEJAS (BASS, VOCALS MUSICAL DIRECTOR)
SITTINGS AT FRONT
SERAFIN PAZOS ( DRUMS)
LAZARO DIAZ ( CONGAS,VOCALS)
ELITE ONLY LASTED 8 TO 10 MONTHS IF AM CORRECT AND NEVER ACHEIVED THE
DREAMS THAT WE ALL HAD WHEN WERE STARTING OFF AND ONE OF THEM WAS
TO RECORD AN ORIGINAL SONG CALLED NINA DE MI VIDA.
NOT LONG AGO I HAD THE PLEASURE TO FIND FEW OF THE EX-MEMBER OF ELITE
AND NONE OF THEM HAVE CONTINUED IN THE MUSIC.
MANY DREAMS,WE ALL WERE FROM MIAMI. I KNEW ABOUT THIS BAND BY A FRIEND
FROM MIAMI HIGH SCHOOL (SERAFIN PAZOS) WHO WAS GIVING ME A RIDE BACK
HOME AFTER SCHOOL AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A SINGER
LITTLE DID HE KNOWS THAT I COULD SING SO I TOLD HIM IF I CAN GO TO THEIR
PRACTICES AND TRY OUT,SO I WENT THAT AFTERNOON AND LUCKY ME AFTER I
SANG THE SONG Y VOLVERE I BECAME THE LEAD SINGER OF ELITE BAND,WHOSE
NAME AT THE TIME WAS PURPLE HAZE LATER WE CHANGED TO ELITE.
THANKS TO A MEMBER OF THIS BAND I MET NELSON CORREA .BAND LEADER AND
BASS PLAYER OF MANTRAP WHO HELP US A LOT AND AS TODAY NELSON IS STILL
MY FRIEND ,MORE A BROTHER TO ME.
NELSON GIVE US OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY AT RICO SCHOOL PROM IT
WAS OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IN PUBLIC AND THANK GOD ALL WENT WELL WE
HAD A SMALL REPERTOIRE OF SONGS, LONG ENOUGH MAYBE FOR ONE HOUR I
REMENBER WE PLAYED " Y VOLVERE " TWICE.
WE PLAYED MAINLY IN PRIVATE PARTIES, ALL WAS GOING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION UNTIL OUR DRUMMER QUITS AND LATER OUR BASS PLAYER TOO, SO
WE STAY WITH A NEW DRUMMER BUT WE HAD TO BRING BACK OUR ORIGINAL BASS
PLAYER OSCAR CALLEJAS WHO WAS THE MUSICAL DIRECTOR , FOR A FINAL
PRESENTATION ALONG WITH MANTRAP AT LA IGLESIA EPISCOPAL DE TODOS LOS
SANTOS FOR THE 15 BIRTHDAY PARTY OF A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
DUE TO LACK OF REHEARSALS AND CHANGES THE BAND DISMANTLED AFTER THAT.
I WENT ON FOR A SHORT TIME ON A SOLO IN DIFFERENT SMALL CLUBS LIKE
NICOLAS LOUNGE,EL YAYO PUB EN HIALEAH,LAS BRISAS EN MIAMI BEACH AND
PRIVATE PARTIES. I ALSO HAD THE OPORTUNITITY TO SING WITH MEMBERS OF
MANTRAP IN MY FIRST WEDDING. THAT MOMENT WAS MAGIC TO ME WHEN I SANG
THE SONGS EL DIA QUE TE CONOCI,YO LO COMPRENDO AND THE SONG Y
HABLAME THANKS TO MANTRAP AND MY VERY GOOD FRIEND NELSON.
ELITE BAND MEMBER IN ORDER ON THE FOTO STUDIO
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
JORGE HIDALGO GATO (LEAD SINGER)
JORGE LUIS LOPEZ (KEYBOARDS, VOCALS)
JOE MENDIZABAL (PIANO/GUITAR,VOCALS)
JOE PALOMINO ( LEAD GUITAR)
OSCAR CALLEJAS (BASS, VOCALS MUSICAL DIRECTOR)
SITTINGS AT FRONT
SERAFIN PAZOS ( DRUMS)
LAZARO DIAZ ( CONGAS,VOCALS)
ELITE ONLY LASTED 8 TO 10 MONTHS IF AM CORRECT AND NEVER ACHEIVED THE
DREAMS THAT WE ALL HAD WHEN WERE STARTING OFF AND ONE OF THEM WAS
TO RECORD AN ORIGINAL SONG CALLED NINA DE MI VIDA.
NOT LONG AGO I HAD THE PLEASURE TO FIND FEW OF THE EX-MEMBER OF ELITE
AND NONE OF THEM HAVE CONTINUED IN THE MUSIC.
ELITE BAND MEMBERS IN
ORDER
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
JORGE HIDALGO GATO (LEAD
SINGER)
JORGE LUIS LOPEZ
(KEYBOARDS, VOCALS)
JOE MENDIZABAL
(PIANO/GUITAR,VOCALS)
JOE PALOMINO ( LEAD
GUITAR)
OSCAR CALLEJAS (BASS,
VOCALS MUSICAL DIRECTOR)
SITTINGS AT FRONT
SERAFIN PAZOS ( DRUMS)
LAZARO DIAZ (
CONGAS,VOCALS)
ORDER
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
JORGE HIDALGO GATO (LEAD
SINGER)
JORGE LUIS LOPEZ
(KEYBOARDS, VOCALS)
JOE MENDIZABAL
(PIANO/GUITAR,VOCALS)
JOE PALOMINO ( LEAD
GUITAR)
OSCAR CALLEJAS (BASS,
VOCALS MUSICAL DIRECTOR)
SITTINGS AT FRONT
SERAFIN PAZOS ( DRUMS)
LAZARO DIAZ (
CONGAS,VOCALS)
Domingo L. Perez Tapanes,
Frank Batista,
Oscar Mederos,
Richard Parodi,
Pepe Eskert
Frank Batista,
Oscar Mederos,
Richard Parodi,
Pepe Eskert
TRAP
Bert Acevedo, drums and lead
vocal
Alex Villalobos, bass and backing
vocal
Jesse Acevedo, guitar, saxophone
and lead vocal
Arthur Cruz, organ and backing
vocal
vocal
Alex Villalobos, bass and backing
vocal
Jesse Acevedo, guitar, saxophone
and lead vocal
Arthur Cruz, organ and backing
vocal
ADAM's
APPLE 2 + 1
APPLE 2 + 1
Lina Arguelles
Cesar
TonyPiedras
Jorge de Veras
Cesar
TonyPiedras
Jorge de Veras
MINGUI( LEFT ) PLAYED FOR CHIRINO
AND THE ANTIQUES TOWARDS THE END
OF THAT BAND'S ERA.Lina ARGUELLES
ON TIMBALES , VISTA ALEGRE WAS A
SOCIAL CLUB THAT ALL OF US PLAYED
ALOT AT. IT WAS LOCATED ON NW 47
AVE NORTH OF NW 7 STREET. IT WAS
KNOCKED DOWN TO BULD THE SUNSET
VILLAS CONDOS. IT WAS A NICE PLACE
AND THE ANTIQUES TOWARDS THE END
OF THAT BAND'S ERA.Lina ARGUELLES
ON TIMBALES , VISTA ALEGRE WAS A
SOCIAL CLUB THAT ALL OF US PLAYED
ALOT AT. IT WAS LOCATED ON NW 47
AVE NORTH OF NW 7 STREET. IT WAS
KNOCKED DOWN TO BULD THE SUNSET
VILLAS CONDOS. IT WAS A NICE PLACE
NELSON CORREA REMEMBERS