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Cuban music
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Posted by clairabelle (My Page) on Sat, Jan 19, 08 at 12:02
| I'll be in Cuba next week. Want to purchase something Cubans actually listen/dance to. Any names I should be looking out for (salsa)? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Cuban music
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| I'm not a big fan of Cuban music, but I can give you the names of some current things I've heard a lot of buzz about: Anything by Cesar Pedroso, aka "Pupy," (who is one recent Cuban artist I often like). He's an x-member of the band Los Van Van, who are stilling going strong as well. The album Los Ases de Timba features a sort of supergroup lineup of recent Cuban talent, and came highly recommended last year (or the year before--whenever it came out). Tirso Duarte is pretty hot at the moment, apparently. (I think he is on that Los Ases de Timba album too.) Charanga Habanera is still going pretty strong (despite constant personnel changes, which is something that happens with lots of these bands). Charanga Habanera live Others: Azucar Negra, Bamboleo, Manolito y su Trabuco. I assume there will be lots of Cubans ready to oblige with recommendations once you get there. I think you'll find (not that I've ever actually been there) that Cubans tend to be pretty open-minded about what music they listen to, so you'll probably be hearing lots of other things from American hip-hop and classic rock to maybe some Mexican boleristas and Colombian cumbia. Also, reggaeton has caught on in a big way, although I don't know if people mostly listen to homegrown Cuban reggaeton or the primarily Puerto Rican stuff that dominates that genre. Anyway, lucky you, to be visiting Cuba. This blog should give you some more ideas: Yemaya's Verses |
Here is a link that might be useful: Live Cesar Pedroso
can't resist, you know who you are if you happen to see this
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| Cubans tend to be pretty open-minded about what music they listen to Unlike a lot of fans of Cuban music outside of Cuba! |
Actually
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| Actually, I like this video of Pupy a lot more, because I like this song (which was originally recorded with Los Van Van, I think, though he may have written it). |
Here is a link that might be useful: La Bomba Soy Yo
RE: Cuban music
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Muchas gracias, lerue, how kind! Have written all of your suggestions down and will bring w/me.
Last year, after giving some small gifts to our favorite waiter, he blessed me with a home-made cd of his favorite salsa music. Unfortunately, I do not know the names of the artists on the cd, but I defintely recognize Charanga and Pupy from your links as well as Los Que Son Son.
Hasta lluego, dude! |
RE: Cuban music
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| I just wanted to come back and point out that most of these bands are really what would be called "timba." Some people consider timba a sub-category of salsa, but many do not. I would say that an increasing number of Latin music fans consider it something distinct from salsa (though obviously related). As a non-musician, it's pretty hard for me to try to explain what's different about it, althouhg the Wikipedia article on it does a decent job. It's not unusual for timba songs to start out as salsa and then shift gears. Even though timba remains in clave, the rhythmic emphasis often feels very different than in other music in clave. It's easier to hear than explain, at least for me. But anyway, it's certainly possible that some Cubans will call timba "salsa," maybe even especially when talking to outsiders (who are less likely to have heard of timba). A lot of the most vocal timba fans, outside of Cuba anyway, don't like most salsa; and the opposite is pretty much true as well. I don't like most timba, but I like knowing a little about it, because of it's family relationship to salsa. (Also, as I mentioned, I do like the occasional timba song.) Anyway, bon voyage. Wait, that's not Spanish. But that's all you're going to get from me for now. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Timba
RE: Cuban music
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I much prefer the pure instrumental minus vocals, but if timba incorporates horns like salsa does, Me like!
Thanks again. |
RE: Cuban music
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| Maybe try asking someone for current Afro-Cuban jazz recommendations with heavy rhythmic elements? (Geez, I sound like pandora.com.) I can't really recommend anything off the top of my head, but it shouldn't be too hard for you to find some names. However, I don't think that's what people commonly dance to, which is what you were asking for originally. Although, those Afro-Cuban jazz musicians seem to defect to the US at a rate of about one per minute, so get 'em while they are still in Cuba. Or something. |
RE: Cuban music
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RE: Cuban music
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RE: Cuban music
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wellll, our hotel unfortunately didn't sell any cds (we were on a small cayo off the coast). I DID manage to speak with the members of the wonderful trio who sang at our table each night and they mentioned the same Adelberto Alvarez (sp) who I am going to try and find here. Know of him?
At the hotel next to ours was a small gift shop where they sold cds of various artists, but very poor selection... When I gave the clerk my criteria (more traditional, big band sound, lots of horns), the clerk enthusiastically recommended Juan Formell y los Van Van (never heard of him), so I bought it. Sigh... The cd sounded like some old midi file off a tape recorder off a recording with verrrry old equipment and recorded in someone's garage. Very disappointing... Back to the drawing board! |
RE: Cuban music
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| lol, communism*. Anyway, that's too bad. I do like some Los Van Van (and even lots of salseros who aren't into Cuban music like them). Adalberto Alvarez I like as a songwriter (based on a few good examples anyway), but I don't really like what I've heard of his own band performing his material. He tends to stick to the charanga sound, with violins and flute, and I can only take so much of that. (I do tend to enjoy it more when I hear it live and outdoors, curiously.) But anyway, Alvarez's songs get covered quite a bit by Puerto Rican bands as well. But I think this here is his band, perfoming one of his songs that I like, and this sounds okay, except that it sounds like some old midi file off a tape recorder, etc. (Also, am I getting mixed up about why I haven't liked his own recordings in the past? So far none of the videos I've clicked on have been charanga. Hmmm.) *Just kidding. Cuba has had a lot of obstacles beyond whatever problems may or may not be inherent in its economic system. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Opus Trece de Cuba: Te Olvide (La Madrugada)
Followup
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| Here are some CDs. (You might want to comparison shop, although sometimes descarga.com is the only place for certain harder to find items.) |
Here is a link that might be useful: Adalberto Alvarez CDs (with some descriptions)
RE: Cuban music
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| Oh lerue, you're a sweetheart! See u some day on the dance floor! :D |
RE: Cuban music
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| For some quieter old pre-Castro music, there is a wonderful C.D. "La Bodeguita Del Medio" with Carlos Puebla/Santiago Martinez/Pedro Sosa. Recorded in March 1957. At the La Bodeguita Del Medio cafe, Havana. Riverside Records (Fantasy) |
Here is a link that might be useful: Cuban cafe music
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