Spiteri became known as the ‘Godfather of Latin Funk’ title that amused him and was a source of joy, especially in remembrance of his brother Charlie, who died in April 2007. The Spiteri brothers and later with Steve Alpert, became a household name in Venezuela. There are many eulogies and articles that list his works and his achievements, so I would like to take this opportunity to talk a little more about the man behind the legend. He had boundless energy and enthusiasm, with a great sense of humour. He was amazingly loyal to his friends and colleagues and had a generosity of spirit that was very special.  He enjoyed playing with different musicians, and derived great pleasure from playing  live gigs and despite everything, was always surprised when they achieved hits and success, in Venezuela, swathes of Latin America and Miami. One of his songs almost won the Grammy and Jorge was delighted. That was good enough for him.   In 1994, he was awarded the prize for Best Producer of the Year by the ‘Fundación Casa del Artista’, he received an honorary mention in the Latin Music category, and was awarded the 2015 Lifetime Achievement LUKAS Fellowship in the UK.

Jorge Spiteri’s talent emerged at a young age. By age 16, playing truant from school to his mother’s chagrin, he started playing with a guitar he had managed to buy with the money he had saved by sweeping the floor at the hairdresser’s unit in his building. He formed his first group and named it THE NASTY PILLOWS.  He wanted to follow in his elder brother’s shoes, as Charlie Spiteri, also a huge talent, was already playing in the group ‘Los Memphis’, and making a name for himself.  Jorge then also played with the ‘Fantastic Guasacaca’, ‘The Juniors’ and Ilan Chester.   

Eventually, he also formed a Beatles’ Tribute band called ‘Los Buitres’. He took a lot of trouble over the translation of the lyrics into Spanish, so that, despite being in another language the actual sounds were the same as the originals in the key sections. They would often tour with a Rolling Stones’ Tribute band.

Miguel 'Tonó', Jorge, Henri and Charlie Spiteri: the four musketeers.

In the late 60s, Charlie Spiteri decided to come to London and encouraged Jorge, to join him. In the event, Henri, came too, leaving their youngest brother Miguel,‘Tonó,’ at home in Caracas with their mother. The brothers missed him a lot, in particular Jorge, who was closer in age, and the result was the song: ‘Hey Tonó’, from the first Spiteri Album: -  

The three brothers shared a basement flat in Elsham Road, near Shepherd’s Bush, an area that was overflowing with musicians and they would all rub shoulders in the local pub, like Alex Spyropoulos from the original British, Island Records band ‘Nirvana’.  One young Brazilian guitarist and singer who played fabulously on his nylon string guitar, was often coming around asking Jorge to teach him to play ‘electric’ guitar. He would talk about how he and his friend had had to flee the brutal Military regime in Brazil. He turned out to be none other than Gilberto Gil, and his friend was Caetano Veloso, who were both living in exile in London. 

With Henri Spiteri on the flute, Charlie on guitar and congas and Jorge on bass and guitar, they were soon playing music together.  It was at around that time that they started going to the Pizza Express in Notting Hill Gate where Jorge met his first wife, Corina Poore, who had a residency there. Richard Branson had his record shop across the road and often wandered in for a later Pizza and would stay to listen to the music, telling them he was planning to start a record company and inviting them down to his Oxford manor house where he was converting a barn into a recording studio. Jorge and Corina teamed up as a duo, often joined by Joan Shenton, playing clubs, including the Factotum Club in Fulham, where Alan Price and Zoot Money would drop in and join them. A private club, the customers included Bianca Jagger, Ingrid Pitt, John Barry, Cynthia Lennon and Laurence Harvey among others.  Corina Poore, Joan Shenton & Jorge Spiteri

Jorge’s girlfriend, Corina and future wife, was studying animation at the Royal College of Art Film & TV School.    Jorge started to accompany her to college on a regular basis and ended up generally helping out on a number of productions, as actor, general assistant and general dogsbody.   When the students discovered that he was a musician, they started asking him to compose music for their films.  Jorge had noticed that the Royal College of Music was just around the corner, so, he turned up there and persuaded a number of violinists, cellists and pianists to go round to the RCA Film school, where they had a sophisticated 8-track consul, to record his compositions.  The musicians were delighted at the opportunity and the Head of Sound at the college, Val Drumm, was even more thrilled, as ‘sound recording’ was not normally the highlight of the student’s objectives, most dreaming of becoming Hollywood directors, with ‘Sound’ considered a far less glamorous skill.

Half-way through the first term, Jorge found that he enjoyed being there so much that he decided he would like to join the college properly and asked Val what he should do. Val stared at him in amazement: “Are you feeling alright Jorge? Aren’t you a student here already?” …   “Well… er…no…I just accompany my girlfriend, who is!”  Jorge expected to be given a clip around the ear and told to bugger off. He knew that the Royal College had a very strict application system for student entrances, but Val Drumm was not about to let his best student go down and was extraordinarily helpful. In no time, Jorge had become a bone-fide student at the RCA, no entrance exams or anything. Val had seen him in action, heard his compositions and seen his control of the recording sessions: his studies there were a done deal. As Jorge often said about his life: “I have always been very lucky!”  

Spiteri at the Golden Lion in Fulham

In the early 1970s, the Spiteri brother decided to answer an ad for new talent posted by first time producers Barry Kirsch and Charlie Spencer.  Jorge, Charlie and their two respective girlfriends at the time, Maraide Thomas and Corina Poore, sang some of his compositions in 4- part harmonies with no more backing then Jorge on the guitar at an audition.

 Piroro original demo.

Barry and Charlie loved the music and that opened a whole new chapter for the Spiteri Brothers.  Kirsch and Spencer got the Spiteri brothers a deal with GM Records, which also handled such acts as Rod Stewart, the Faces, Status Quo and Rory Gallagher from cramped offices in London's Wardour Street, above the Marquee Club.

Spiteri recording at Lansdowne Studios- From left Jorge Spiteri, Bernardo Ball, Joseito Romero, Charlie Spiteri, Micho Correa, Charlie Spencer (producer), Chema Arias. Seated: Barry Kirsch engineer/producer and Ashley Howe, assistant engineer.

Jorge and Charlie gathered together the best Latino musicians they could find and formed the original Spiteri band in London, and, with GM records created their seminal album SPITERI, which turned out to be experimental, vanguard and influential on many levels. At that point, the band had Jorge Spiteri on acoustic guitar, piano and lead vocals, Charlie Spiteri on congas and lead vocals, Joe ‘Joseito’ Romero on electric Guitar, timbales, sax, and lead vocals on “Soul Inside”, José Manuel ‘Chema’ Arias on Bass Guitar and Bernardo Ball on drums and percussion. It was an exciting mix of talents. 

It was on one recording session at Gooseberry Studios in Denmark street that tempers had got frayed and  they were all in disagreement about details on the track, when Jorge, to clear the air, spontaneously got up and starting dancing the conga around the studio with his guitar, and on the spot he  began to improvise and sing: -

Amor is to love you, Amor is to care

Amor is two people, with something to share…

In no time they were all dancing the conga around the studio, the anger was dissipated and they continued to record. This was the birth of the song that was later to become his biggest hit ‘Amor’ some years later. At that moment… it was a conga!

AMOR

Jorge loved experimenting with different types of music, from traditional Afro- Caribbean and Latin folk to the music of TRAFFIC (I’m a Man), Ray Charles or and even the RASCALS, always giving it a Latino twist. He enjoyed composing ballads and described his music as “his own personal brand of Latin Funkified salsa.”   He played with Bob Marley & the Wailers and recorded with many well-known musicians, like Chris Wood of Traffic, Chris de Burg, Bill Lovelady, The Sex Pistols and Tyrone Downie (from the Wailers). Their tours had them appearing at ‘Zoom’ in Hamburg and opening the ’Amnesia Club’ in Ibiza, Spain.  

  Steve Alpert, Charlie & Jorge Spiteri

The Spiteri band were regulars at clubs and pubs like the popular Golden Lion in Fulham, (where they rubbed shoulders with Led Zepellin), the Nashville Rooms and the Red Cow in Hammersmith, The Greyhound Pub in Fulham, the Marquee Club in Soho and Dingwalls in Camden Town. Many of these iconic music venues of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, have now disappeared or closed to music to everyone’s loss.  Later, Spiteri also became regulars at the Speakeasy (Latin nights) and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.  

After the first SPITERI album, the band signed with EMI. Jorge, with Charlie, had, by then, teamed up with Steve Alpert on piano, David Ulm on percussion, Fermin Snr Robertson on Timbales and Richard Bailey on drums.  They changed their name to ‘MAÑANA’ and recorded three world hit numbers:  DISCO SAMBA (produced by Winston Sela), VODA MÍA (produced by Chaz Jankel) and the biggest hit of all ‘AMOR’. Amor has been recorded with huge success by LOS AMIGOS INVISIBLES, Puerto Rican singer Noelia, as well as being used for a charming animated series on TV.

The first SPITERI album has become a cult recording, in particular in Venezuela. The fusion of styles and the rich diversity of the album remains potent, so that until today, it holds its own and has not dated. The innovative attitude of the band and their openness to different influences was such that it became a musician’s band. Young and eager jazz and rock musicians would flock to join them on stage, so that at times there were up to 17 people teetering on the stages: no health and safety rules in those days!! 

In this photograph, you could say: Spot the celebrity! Musicians who were only just starting out flocked towards this new band and the Spiteri brothers welcomed them all: you can spot Guy Barker and Dave Defries on trumpet, John Altman on sax, Pete Thoms on trombone, Tony Moroni on congas, Dave Ulm on percussion, and many more.  Airto Moreira stayed with Jorge for spell while in London, downhearted after having split from Flora Purim, and later, Ruben Blades came to London to play some gigs and also stayed at Jorge’s flat in Hampstead. They became good friends and wrote some numbers together.

Jorge was a warm, funny and generous person who liked to clown around. He had a natural ability as a mimic. In the early days, he sometimes took a ventriloquist dummy on stage and would joke and sing with it, making no pretence at proper voice projection, which made it totally hilarious.  He had a knack for catchy tunes and much of his music is joyful. He loved composing ballads, some of which were never released.  He composed the music to  a few of scriptwriter Aubrey Cash’s lyrics, which could have resulted in a longer-term collaboration, had Aubrey not died not long after they recorded their demos.  

Link to Online interview: https://youtu.be/MsAywHGr0MM

Oobli doobli: -

Balbino sings Trópico de Cáncer- music & lyrics by Jorge Spiteri   

Jorge was brought down by pancreatic cancer. An insidious disease that is notoriously hard to diagnose and treat. He fought with amazing courage and good humour till the last. He kept in touch with his friends and family via whatsapp. When he could no longer speak, he would avidly listen to   audio messages that people were sending him from all over the world.  He died peacefully, listening to one of his own tracks, surrounded by his brothers and their families.    

He had a series of projects in the pipe-line, one was his participation in the new release later this year in London, of dance music by Jorge Montiel.

For the fans, there is some interesting archival material: -

A BBC World Service programme with Brian Matthews, recorded on October 25th 1977.  

Original Spiteri band line-up

Jorge Spiteri - Acoustic guitar, piano and lead vocals / Charlie Spiteri -Congas and lead vocals / Joe ‘Joseito’ Romero - Electric Guitar, timbales, sax, and lead vocals on “Soul Inside”/ José Manuel ‘Chema’ Arias - Bass Guitar/ Bernardo Ball - Drums and percussion /Ruben Angel ‘Micho’ Correa -   Flute and guitar

Also playing on the first album  & the re-issue with bonus tracks

Lionel Gribson -Piano on ‘Girl’ / Barry Kirsch  - Piano on “Soul Inside”/ Steve Gregory - Sax and flute/ Guy Barker - Trumpet /Pete Thomas -                   Trombone/Fernando ‘Goofy’ Bustamante- Drums/Steve Alpert -Piano.

Messages have been pouring in from all over the word. We have here a brief selection: -

Ruben Blades: ( Composer, songwriter )

Me acabo de enterar de que mi amigo y colega, Jorge Spiteri, se "mudo al otro barrio" el pasado 24 de Mayo. Uno de los ejes del rock en Venezuela, Jorge en guitarra, piano y vocales y su hermano Charlie, (murió en Abril, 2009) en congas y vocales, continúan siendo un obligado referente para la música de fusión.

Lo conocí en Londres, durante uno de mis viajes a Europa. algo que acostumbraba hacer cada vez que acabamos un álbum con Willie Colon, o al final de cada gira. Siempre, antes de entrar al Viejo Continente, paraba en Londres y allí fue que los conocí, a Jorge y a Charlie.

Definitivamente, los hermanos Spiteri fueron instrumentales en dar a conocer la música y el talento latinoamericano en Londres, donde además compartió tarima con iconos como Bob Marley. Es muy probable que fuese Spiteri quién informase a Marley sobre mi trabajo, ya que personas allegadas a él me decían que estaba familiarizado con ¨Siembra¨.

Lamento mucho la perdida de una figura tan valiosa, un zapador de caminos y venezolano cien por ciento.

¡Abrazo y buen viaje Jorgito!

Ruben Blades

5 de Junio, 2020

John Altman( Composer, arranger Jazz musician & Saxphone player): -  In the mid-1970s I hooked up with a wonderful salsa band - probably the first in the UK led by the Spiteri brothers - Charlie and Jorge. We played all around the country and made some marvellous music. A few years ago, Jorge showed up unexpectedly back in the UK and surprised us at one of my big band gigs. Tonight, we lost him to pancreatic cancer - RIP old friend

Interviewer: Gerardo Guarache Ocque wrote an extensive interview and eulogy: see 

https://prodavinci.com/jorge-spiteri-1951-2020-y-la-entrevista-que-duro…

 “Cierro los ojos y puedo recordar cuánto disfrutaba Jorge tocando, con público o sin él. Era desordenado, pero incansable. Sobre todo, era apasionado. Por eso cualquier interferencia en el proceso musical lo enervaba. Siempre estaba muy nervioso antes de salir al escenario, pero se sacudía el miedo en el primer compás.”

Alfredo L Monaco  is in  Kodaikanal, tamil nadu / May 28 at 5:49 PM · 

Rehearsing with my Elementary School students in India, I was teaching the Jorge Spiteri arrangement of ‘Sunshine of your Love’ blended with Venezuelan music, this is their first step at improvising. Hope this will make you smile from heaven, dear George /#JorgeSpiteri #Cream #Sunshineofyourlove 

Jorge’s brother Henri Spiteri: -

May 2nd, 1951.on this day a very special person came to this here Earth. Jorge Luis Spiteri my little Brother AKA George! Músico, Poeta, y muy pero muy especial, not just for me and my whole family but for many people around the world and yes, George, you are special everywhere you been people always have many amazing things to say about you, especially funny stories that follow your legacy. Here is one: So, Jorge and I move to Colombia with Papa Charli and somehow, we decided one crazy night to run away from Dad and go back to Venezuela. George was only 15 -years old and me 16, so we got on a plane that stops in Cucuta (on the Venezuelan border) and  that was where the trouble started: The Colombian Police wouldn’t let us keep on going to our final destination, Caracas. In fact, they actually tried contacting our Dad by phone, so George showed the police an LP with his name on it and gave them a long story  about his music++  George ended up giving them the LP with his signature and with all his CHARM!! So, they let us go. Love you, my brother." 

Sadly, a few days later:

Hoy 24 de Mayo, 2020, se nos fue mi hermano del alma, el artista, loco, apasionado, músico, compositor, cantante, arreglista, pero sobre todo eso, un gran ser humano. Jorge Spiteri, te fuiste escuchando tu música, escogiste ese momento. Tu obra perdurara por siempre. Dios te acoja en su lecho

Barry Kirsch - My great friend Jorge Spiteri passed away this week. He was a huge influence in my life and I am Re- posting an old blog written about when we met. He was a wonderful man.  RIP