I must have been 13 years old,my first Junior High School Dance. I managed to
steal my a spray of my father's Pierre Cardin Cologne . My shoes from Danery's
Peleteria located right across from Angelita's Novias and right down the street from
El Palcio del Disco. As i walked into my Jr. High Cafeteria I could see the
equipment on stage set up. The sign composed of many light bulbs was off but I
could see the outline " Heaven " before this we were content with taking our
personal 45 rpms to parties. Now we were seeing a live band. The kids packed
into to what seemed at the time as a huge space. Suddenly the stage became alive
with group members ,keyboard sounds, drum rolls, " Check,one ,two " said the man
on the microphone. The kids lined up in front of the stage , I had been a DJ at
parties for about 2 months and was telling my friend all the songs I wished they
would play.
The noise was unbearable, as expected I guess with a room full of 11 and 12 year
olds. All the members were on stage now, and a strange silence fell over the
cafeteria. The singer turned to the drummer ,who was holding his sticks over his
head , he tapped them twice and the stage exploded with lights and sound. The
guitar player stepped forward and played the first few riffs of which I instantly
recognized as O.C. Smith's La La Peace Song. It was a moment that connected
me to music forever.
Heaven was one of the most popular bands at the time along with Mantrap they
dominated every Open House . This powerful duo was a sure thing for any hall that
hired them. If they played ,you found some way of getting there, Tia , Abuelo
anyone!! The group went through various stage of change during the years.
Nelson Correa of Mantrap remembers:
WAFY SANG FOR HEAVEN, THEN HE SUFFERED VOCAL CHORD PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD BY HIS
DOCTOR THAT HE COULD NOT SING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
HEAVEN THEN WENT OUT AND GOT THE SERVICES OF JOE SANTANA WHO HAD SANG WITH PEARLY
QUEEN. HE SANG THE SONG MIENTEME ON THE TREASURE HUNT ALBUM. THEY ALSO ADDED A BLACK
FEMALE SINGER NAMED VERONICA. HER NICKNAME WAS PEACHES.
WHEN WAFY GOT CLEARED TO SING, HEAVEN ASKED HIM TO SING ALONG WITH JOE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WAFY WOULD NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MORE PROBLEMS. WAFY REFUSED TO SING WITH
ANYBODY AND LEFT THE BAND. HE MADE HIS OWN BAND NAMED OUI. THE HAD CHEBI FROM THE
ANTIQUES WITH HIM AND THEY DID WELL.
HEAVEN THEN MANAGED TO LURE WAFY BACK TO THE BAND WHICH ENDED THE BAND OUI. WAFY
FINISHED WITH HEAVEN AND EVENTUALLY DID A BAND AFTER HEAVEN BROKE UP NAMED MINT.
WAFY ALWAYS LOVED TO SING WITH MANTRAP AS EVIDENT AS THE PICTUREs POSTED WHERE HE IS
NEXT TO MEW. I HAVE OTHER PICTURES OF HIM SINGING WITH MANTRAP. HE PASSED AWAY IN 1979.
HE ALSO RECORDED THE SONG SUAVECITO WITH MANTRAP IN THE DISCO FANTASY ALBUM.
steal my a spray of my father's Pierre Cardin Cologne . My shoes from Danery's
Peleteria located right across from Angelita's Novias and right down the street from
El Palcio del Disco. As i walked into my Jr. High Cafeteria I could see the
equipment on stage set up. The sign composed of many light bulbs was off but I
could see the outline " Heaven " before this we were content with taking our
personal 45 rpms to parties. Now we were seeing a live band. The kids packed
into to what seemed at the time as a huge space. Suddenly the stage became alive
with group members ,keyboard sounds, drum rolls, " Check,one ,two " said the man
on the microphone. The kids lined up in front of the stage , I had been a DJ at
parties for about 2 months and was telling my friend all the songs I wished they
would play.
The noise was unbearable, as expected I guess with a room full of 11 and 12 year
olds. All the members were on stage now, and a strange silence fell over the
cafeteria. The singer turned to the drummer ,who was holding his sticks over his
head , he tapped them twice and the stage exploded with lights and sound. The
guitar player stepped forward and played the first few riffs of which I instantly
recognized as O.C. Smith's La La Peace Song. It was a moment that connected
me to music forever.
Heaven was one of the most popular bands at the time along with Mantrap they
dominated every Open House . This powerful duo was a sure thing for any hall that
hired them. If they played ,you found some way of getting there, Tia , Abuelo
anyone!! The group went through various stage of change during the years.
Nelson Correa of Mantrap remembers:
WAFY SANG FOR HEAVEN, THEN HE SUFFERED VOCAL CHORD PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD BY HIS
DOCTOR THAT HE COULD NOT SING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
HEAVEN THEN WENT OUT AND GOT THE SERVICES OF JOE SANTANA WHO HAD SANG WITH PEARLY
QUEEN. HE SANG THE SONG MIENTEME ON THE TREASURE HUNT ALBUM. THEY ALSO ADDED A BLACK
FEMALE SINGER NAMED VERONICA. HER NICKNAME WAS PEACHES.
WHEN WAFY GOT CLEARED TO SING, HEAVEN ASKED HIM TO SING ALONG WITH JOE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WAFY WOULD NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MORE PROBLEMS. WAFY REFUSED TO SING WITH
ANYBODY AND LEFT THE BAND. HE MADE HIS OWN BAND NAMED OUI. THE HAD CHEBI FROM THE
ANTIQUES WITH HIM AND THEY DID WELL.
HEAVEN THEN MANAGED TO LURE WAFY BACK TO THE BAND WHICH ENDED THE BAND OUI. WAFY
FINISHED WITH HEAVEN AND EVENTUALLY DID A BAND AFTER HEAVEN BROKE UP NAMED MINT.
WAFY ALWAYS LOVED TO SING WITH MANTRAP AS EVIDENT AS THE PICTUREs POSTED WHERE HE IS
NEXT TO MEW. I HAVE OTHER PICTURES OF HIM SINGING WITH MANTRAP. HE PASSED AWAY IN 1979.
HE ALSO RECORDED THE SONG SUAVECITO WITH MANTRAP IN THE DISCO FANTASY ALBUM.
Photos Courtesy of Nelson Correa
| Back To Miami Band of The 70s Click Here |
Homer Castro Remembers:
I was the saxophonist for Heaven in the the 70s the line up was
drums Roly Ortega bass Pedrin Fuster guitar Tony Fernandez
trumpet Mike Prieto trumpet ,trombone rolando BANANA Ortega sax
and flute percussion Homer Castro keyboards Bill Resnick lead
singer Rafael Almenteros Band Manager Antonio Fernandez sr. We
started jammin around 73 the standard places 15s open houses
baile cubano etc what great times that i was lucky to be a part
of,when people tell me today what great parties back then I smile
and think yeah I played at all of them. Hey Alex see you at
Electricians hall or salon Sophia we play the last set so be there or
be square HEAVEN
I was the saxophonist for Heaven in the the 70s the line up was
drums Roly Ortega bass Pedrin Fuster guitar Tony Fernandez
trumpet Mike Prieto trumpet ,trombone rolando BANANA Ortega sax
and flute percussion Homer Castro keyboards Bill Resnick lead
singer Rafael Almenteros Band Manager Antonio Fernandez sr. We
started jammin around 73 the standard places 15s open houses
baile cubano etc what great times that i was lucky to be a part
of,when people tell me today what great parties back then I smile
and think yeah I played at all of them. Hey Alex see you at
Electricians hall or salon Sophia we play the last set so be there or
be square HEAVEN
CARLOS CRUZ REMEMBERS
I was at just about every openhouse
that Heaven played at. Homer,David
Llopis and myself were always together
in Homer's white conversion van and
man do I have fond memories of those
days with the Zapatacones and long
hair! Homer please contact me!
I was at just about every openhouse
that Heaven played at. Homer,David
Llopis and myself were always together
in Homer's white conversion van and
man do I have fond memories of those
days with the Zapatacones and long
hair! Homer please contact me!
| RAFAEL (WAFY) ARMENTEROS SEPTIEMBRE 23, 1955 - JULIO 12, 1979 |
| DJ Alex Gutierrez and Wafy's Mother at the Super Open House 2 in Miami Springs |
| Rolando "Banana" Ortega Trumpet player for Heaven and Mantrap Musical Director Nelson Correa |
Some girls have all the luck ,like Lucia
Concepcion who sent us these rare
Heaven pictures of the band performing at
her " Quinces"
I'm sure this was the party to be at and
made Lucia a very popular girl at her
school.
This is an early form of the band according
to Nelson Correa of Mantrap
Thanks Lucia
Concepcion who sent us these rare
Heaven pictures of the band performing at
her " Quinces"
I'm sure this was the party to be at and
made Lucia a very popular girl at her
school.
This is an early form of the band according
to Nelson Correa of Mantrap
Thanks Lucia
MIKE PRIETO (AFRO) PEDRIN FUSTE ( BASS )