Bilboa:

    I awoke early at 8:30 and went to breakfast...Alfredo de la Fe had an argument with Fajardo in the

dining room. These two Cubans argue quite a bit.  Yesterdays newspapers had a photo of all

the Legends with the name of El Grupo Olodun under it and an article about this other band;

what a newspaper.

    Alfredo, Chembo, and I went to the new Guggenheim Museum; extraordinary structure made of

titanium, with some of the modern masters inside. It was an unbelievable experience: De Koonig,

Warhol, Miro, Frankenthaler, Rothko, Chagall, and Severini; plus the must awesome large sculptures

taking up several stories...A building made of titanium and marble. Spent 3 hrs there and walked

through the park to the Hotel Ercellia where we were staying.

    Met some Americans and invited them to the concert, which is free for the public. The festival was

called Festival Bilbao Tropical which will last 6 days and include Legends, Oscar d'Leon and Issac

Delgado etc etc etc.  Recca Management and Pedro Caballero of Madrid are the Producers.

I waited in the lobby of the hotel for the 4 musicians to arrive from New York. At 3:15pm in they

came…No suitcases or clothing. Pete Nater’s bag and Vincents sax and clothes did not make

the flight…I lent Pete and Vincent whites pants and shirts and belts. The sax and Pete’s clothes

with his mouthpiece showed at (8pm with Juniors’ bag). Ismael ran next door and bought some

clothes to work in.

    Sound check at 6pm, then dinner, finally show time @ 9:30pm. The sound check people were

45 minutes late in picking us up; therefore, we were late getting back. Nicky was bombed as

usual and tripped getting on the stage. He fell hard and tore up his left arm and cut this elbow

and hurt his back. He was sent back to the hotel bleeding with his tour jacket wrapped around his

bleeding elbow… had 1 hr to shower eat and change and get back to play at 9:45.  Nicky downed a

double brandy with a cup of coffee and was feeling no pain as usual. I really do not know what to

do with him. He is an accident waiting to happen, and it is very embarrassing for myself and the

band. I might send him home from Barcelona and do without him for he is a liability to my

business and professionalism. Nicky has to hit bottom before he can help himself…he already

has been paid and I will never see that money but it is worth it to me.

    The sky opened-up as we were about to leave for the Pergola del Parque de Doña. Casilda.

There was a small crowd when we arrived...We waited a half hour and Pablo played timbales and

Cachete on bongos. Little by little the people came from all over and by the time the first number

was over there was a sizable crowd in the rain.

    By the time song #2 was over the rains had stopped. It was a great two-hour show the fans kept

asking for more Salsa so we did three encores and all were happy; what the hell we have the material

plus musicians for ten encores.