Roberto Carlos Valdes
Cuban piano is combination of the precision of the classical keyboard with the precision of the tumbadora.
Eighty eight drums, ten fingers.
Roberto Carlos Valdes, grandson of Bebo Valdes.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
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A film by Thomas Roebers and Floris Leeuwenberg
For the record, “Africa” is too hopelessly vague a word to be useful to describe reality.
This is clear when you think about how we conceive other continents. There is really no one “African” culture any more any more than there is one European or one Asian culture. There are dozens and, in Africa’s case, many hundreds.
Even in the US, there’s a big noticeable difference between someone raised in New York City vs. someone raised in say rural South Dakota or suburban Florida.
The culture highlighted in this video is Mandinka, the descendants of a sophisticated empire – The Mali – in West Africa from the 13th though 16th centuries.
This is not THE African culture. It is one of many, many shimmering cultural heritages that can be found on the African continent.
One of the things that makes Cuba such a potent cultural force is that people from all over Africa came together in one relatively small geographical area to create a supercharged fusion of the gifts they brought with them from their homelands. The Mandinka were part of the mix.
Great news!
You can now watch this video – and all Spanish language videos – with English subtitles. It’s free!
Click here for instructions on how to turn on English subtitles.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
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Big news: You can catch Jane and her band in an intimate setting at the Falcon on the Hudson Valley this Sunday, September 15, 2019.
Jane Bunnett and and her husband Larry Kramer have provided the gateway to the larger world for countless young Cuban musicians.
Being from Canada helps. Unlike those of us from the “Land of the No-So-Free”, they’ve been able to travel back and forth to Cuba providing support to the musicians there uninterrupted for over 25 years.
This is Jane’s latest band that includes at least two super stars from the new generation: Daymé Arocena, vocals and Yissy García, drums and super stars to be, some of whom received their introduction to the jazz idiom from Jane: Melvis Santa, vocals & percussion; Mary Paz, congas & vocals. Danae Olana, piano: and Tailin Marrero, acoustic & electric bass.
Big news: You can catch Jane and her band in an intimate setting at the Falcon on the Hudson Valley this Sunday, September 15, 2019.
Other locations on their 2019 Northeast US tour
See them while you can. The jackasses in Washington are making it brutally difficult for Cuban musicians to tour in the US.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
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A beautiful singer, a beautiful band, and beautiful footage of the beautiful people of Cuba.
The tune is “La Rumba Me Llamo Yo”
The singer and leader is Daymé Arocena, one of the great artists of the new generation of Cuba.
A comment from a YouTube viewer:
“I’m not Cuban or have any Hispanic descendant but I watched her on tiny desk here on YouTube and ever since I’ve been listening to her music. I don’t even understand half of what she’s singing about. Her voice is just so powerful and magnetic.”
That’s the magic of the music.
A little about Daymé:
Born and raised in Havana, her conservatoire training was combined with an upbringing grounded in Cuba’s own musical foundations. Accepted age 9 into one of the country’s prestigious music schools, she studied a choir directing course rooted in Western classical tradition. Meanwhile, she grew up with the day-to-day schooling in folkloric music that’s common to most Cuban households. At regular, intimate get-togethers, celebrating the island’s Santería religion, dancing and singing are the gatherings’ mainstays – a combination that’s meant she sees its deep-rooted traditions in a wider musical context.
Winning the prestigious Marti y el Arte award in 2007, her talent was spotted at a young age. Becoming principal singer with big band Los Primos at age 14, nods of approval followed from Wynton Marsalis, the Lincoln Centre’s teacher and trumpet player, and much-lauded saxophonist Jane Bunnett
Click here for more about Daymé and her music.
Great news!
You can now watch this video – and all Spanish language videos – with English subtitles. It’s free!
Click here for instructions on how to turn on English subtitles.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
It’s no mystery why Ray was such a beloved figure
That’s “Little” Ray Romero on bongo.
The follows appears to be outtakes from the same program.
A beautiful bio of Ray Romero here from https://worldmusiccentral.org/2006/08/19/master-rumbero-little-ray-romero-dies-in-florida/
“During the 40s, Little Ray performed with the legendary Xavier Cugat Ochestra before joining the U.S. Army. After his army tour, he played with Noro Morales, Joe Locco, José Curbelo, and Miguelito Valdés. By the 50s, he was performing in Puerto Rico and composed part of the percussion section for Cortijo y su Combo when the great Puerto Rican percussionist Rafael Cortijo organized his first band in the early ’50s.
He went on to become an essential part of the legendary percussion section organized and fronted by Tito Rodríguez. However, he was noticed by Eartha Kitt and recruited to play with her orchestra from 1952 to 1956.
Little Ray Romero went on to back up Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin. By the late 60s and early 70s, Little Ray could be heard with the orchestras of Eddie Palmieri (on the Recorded Live at Sing Singrecording), Frankie Dante and Orchesta Flamboyan, Ray Barretto(on the LPs: Indestructible, Guarare, Other Road, & Barretto Live Tomorrow where he plays the batá drums), and Machito just to name a few.
The 80s saw Little Ray give back to the younger generation through education. He taught at the Drummer’s Collective, the Johnny Colón Music School and Boy’s & Girls Harbor Conservatory for the performing Arts.
An exemplary family man, a good musician and a great percussionist are the three things Little Ray Romero embraced in his long road through life.
He was the recipient of the first Living Legends tribute at The Point CDC in the Bronx under the direction of Angel Rodriguez in New York in 1997. On Thursday, October 2nd, 2003 the community in East Harlem that saw Little Ray grow up honored him with a tribute at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center that was formerly P.S. 107 where Ray went to elementary school. Ray Barretto, René López, Jimmy Delgado and many others were present. Little Ray was presented with a proclamation from the City of New York that recognized “the many important contributions made to the cultural soul of this nation through the music of Little Ray Romero.”
Ray Romero is survived by his wife Lucía Romero, his sister Irma Rosen, his four children Stephanie Soffi, Elaine Romero, Little Ray Romero, Jr., and Isabel Santiago, eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.”
Source: https://worldmusiccentral.org/2006/08/19/master-rumbero-little-ray-romero-dies-in-florida/
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Made in 1964 and loosely translates to “We Are the Music”
Written and directed by Rogelio Paris (1936-2016)
This film was his first major project and he made it when only 28.
Paris worked as a documentary maker at the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC) and was also a permanent professor of Filmmaking at the Faculty of Cinema, Radio and Television of the Institute of Higher Art
This single film could be the basis of an entire University course in Cuban music.
A rare panorama of Cuban music and dance from the 1960s. Featuring legendary Cuban musicians as well as vibrant spontaneous performances, We Are the Music captures the mood and vitality of Havana during a golden period.
Note: If you’re a jazz hound and nothing else will do for you, fast forward to 22:00.
Great news!
You can now watch this video – and all Spanish language videos – with English subtitles. It’s free!
Click here for instructions on how to turn on English subtitles.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
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