The following is a brief interview I conducted through Facebook Messenger with Miami Guitar legend Mingui Perez regarding Miami’s Open House scene . His most recent accomplishment is playing guitar on Willy Chirino’s 2011 ” My Beatles Heart” CD
I was part of the Open houses, I played with 4 bands with the same basic personnel and
management but evolved over the years from playing Soul R&B, some dance Rock, Santana,
Buddy Miles, Billy Stewart, and all the open house songs as we played from the get go, to the end of
the Open House era which was in the middle of or the end of the Disco era. Babe which came from
Boa which came from 2+1 were well known at the open houses .”
ALEX :Who in your opinion is the earliest Open House Band…..actual Miami formed and raised?
MIINGUI : It has to be The Antiques. In Open Houses that is. The Warlocks played more for a more
Anglo audience and played rock which very little was played at open houses.
The mostly Cuban-American teen audience preferred R&B, soul whatever you could dance to.
Ballads or slow songs were huge!!! Then Santana music was very popular as long as it was
danceable and not heavy jam instrumental Santana.
Samba Pa Ti was particularly well liked. I couldn’t get in to hear the Warlocks, even if my parents
would have allow me to go.
So it’s neither fact or opinion. I just heard “of” the Warlocks as I was just learning my first guitar
chords when they were already working around town.
My favorite Open House bands were in this order; Trapp and World of Matter which came later. I
didn’t really think much about the bands I was in. It would have been difficult to asses since we
weren’t ever taped or recorded in any format.
Thanks for asking. I take pride in either getting the facts right or not saying anything. So anytime you
want, shoot!
I sometimes forget things, then half an hour later, it comes back to me. I have many anecdotes about
the old days, the musicians, both the ones still with us, and the ones we lost. They live in our hearts
and I am very fond of their memories, and all the greatest of times!
ALEX :What was your first Open House Band and what High School were you guys in?
Mingui Perez: Little known “Sound Display” and I was attending Kinloch Park Jr. High. Rey
Fernandez was I think in Hialeah High, Pedro the bassist was in Miami High and Willy Escobar
I’m not sure. I highlighted their names, so they can give their 411. I also don’t remember Pedro’s
last name, but Rey remembers. Jimmy Segui from Miami high was the only non Cuban-American
and played congas. He was from Puerto Rico but looked very American with blue eyes and
blond long hair. My parents didn’t even allow me to grow my hair!! LOL…I was still in Middle
School.
Then I was offered a gig with 2 +1 and took it.
Man the personnel changes were fast. Lina Arguelles played congas and Timbales, we both
sang and fronted the band after it was made smaller by circumstance and by Tony Parodi, the
Manager. I hope Lina has more 411. She was there before me with Manny Godinez, on
keyboards. He went to LaSalle and I was in Miami high by then, but transferred to Lasalle. Jerry
Haramboure was on bass, later he got married and was replaced by Richard Parodi, Tony the
manager’s brother. Frank Lopez on drums was later replaced by Oscar Mederos. We had before
Lina and I fronted and sang Jorge DeVera and Cesar Izaguirre later of “Adams Apple” on vocals
in the original 2+1. (Two singers, One band) In essence, the band was downsized from a 7
piece to a 4 piece, and it’s name was changed to Boa.
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