An intro to rumba led by the Pedrito Martinez Group. Recorded in San Francisco in 2011. Video from the MrLatinJazz Youtube channel.

Members: Pedrito, Jhair Sala, Alvaro Benavides, and Araicne Trujillo.

Pedrito can dance. So can Roman.

Yes, that’s the beautiful Roman Diaz and John Santos joining in.

What is a “hoedown?”

It’s a North American term that means put the hoe down and dance.

The endlessly vital music of Cuba was created by people who worked hard by day and honored the spirit when time allowed (i.e. they could put down the hoe, or the machete, or leave the sugar mill or docks.)

They built up spiritual riches while being robbed of their material ones.

The Christian Bible talks about this:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

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