#cuban rumba

[guywithbeer]

Enjoy this classic Afro-Cuban jazz album from SABU MARTINEZ.

[sonicandvisualsurprises]

1948

[cinnamoncee]

[1001albumsrated]

#11: Sabú - Palo Congo (1957)

Genre(s): Afro-Cuban, Rumba, Jazz

This is the first album in 1001 Albums to really blindside me. I've listened to a hell of a lot of Blue Note albums over the years (and bought and sold even more) but I've never seen this thing in my damn life. That being said, I'll admit that Rumba (and Afro-Cuban music at large) is a musical blind spot for me. I've heard enough bits and pieces over the years to recognize the sound, but it's not something I've ever had the chance to go deep on.

Palo Congo, according to my scholarly Google research, is the first album by conguero Sabú Martínez (credited here simply as Sabú), and his first and only release on Blue Note. It features Arsenio Rodríguez on guitar, a name that I recognize but can't quite place, but who is apparently a Real Big Deal in the world of Afro-Cuban music. Like most Blue Note records, and a large chunk of jazz at the time, it was recorded by legendary recording & mastering engineer Rudy Van Gelder (if you've ever seen "RVG" in the dead wax of a record that's your cue that he did the master for your pressing, and it probably sounds damn good as a result).

I was really surprised by this one. This is a great listen. Most of the album is comprised of a dense layer of percussion with call and response vocals, with some stringy bass and scuzzy guitar (and, I believe, some other Cuban string instruments) sneaking in around the edges. The percussion section is covered in a thick layer of cavernous reverb, which is an odd choice for RVG (who usually is of the recording school of presenting the music as-it-is with a realistic live sound), but it creates a fascinating atmosphere in this case. The percussion hits are clean, followed by watercolor reverb trail as the tails of the drums all bleed into each other. On some tracks the vocals are more sung, on some they're closer to shouts. The string instrumentation is sparse, sometimes playing a melodic ostinato, sometimes providing rhythmic stabs, always with a gnarly, lo-fi sound to it when it creeps in. There's something very forward-thinking about the sounds here, particularly on an aesthetic/timbral level. Many moments call decades forward in time to early post-punk groups like Savage Republic and Joy Division. Other times the dense, layered atmosphere creates the feel of an African Head Charge track.

Unfortunately this album seems to be out of print across the board. I'd clock it as a prime candidate for a reissue in Blue Note's Tone Poet series, which primarily focuses on bringing long OOP titles back into print on vinyl with some of the best quality pressings on the market today, with a focus on these sorts of beloved deep cuts. Regardless, it's a shame it's not more readily available today. Luckily it's at least on streaming (for the nerds, I listened in hi-res on Qobuz). I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for a copy of this one.

More to the point, MUST you hear Palo Congo before you die? I'm sure glad I did, that's for sure. This album is absolutely killer. I don't know enough about the history of Afro-Cuban music to judge it on a historical or cultural basis, but I think it makes the cut on aesthetic value alone. It's an incredibly fun listen, and one that is sonically forward-thinking in a way that's truly rare to hear.

Next time, we stay in the Afro-Cuban vein with Cubop artist Machito and his album Kenya!

[postcard-from-the-past]

Cuban rumba in Havana, Cuba

American vintage postcard

[oinfodemaniaco]

O Foro Madrid, tipo uma versão fascista do Internacional Comunista, considera Cuba o articulador da onda crescente de comunismo criminoso e antidemocrático no mundo. Essa colaboração entre o grande cuban Elias Rojas e o Paganini da kora, o maliano Tourane Diabaté, obviamente representa a extensão dos tentáculos de uma ilha caribenha com a economia detonada por 60 anos de sançoes em todas regiões do Sul Global.

[dwtsfun]

Dancing with the Stars Season 5 Week 5: Rewatch

Sorry for the delay. Last week was quite a week for me and not in a good way. Anyway, back to our rewatch. And we're about to experience one of the most infamous moments in DWTS history, literally right off the bat. So, let's get started.

Marie and Jonathan- Samba (Judges' Score=21, My Score=7)- This dance was interesting. There were moments of brilliance, but they were scattered through a lot of clumsiness and not so great technique. Marie did perform it extremely well, but that's never an issue for her. Now the fainting spell was wild. Even though I knew it was happening, it still startled me. Fainting is scary for everyone. Seeing someone faint is wild. Being the one that faints (me) is such a mindf*ck. You lose consciousness well before you actually hit the ground and then wake up so disoriented. Glad she was okay though and was able to continue receiving her scores. Also, Jonathan and Tom reacted incredibly well. That could have gone way left.

Jane and Tony- Rumba (Judges' Score=26, My Score=8)- This was a really pretty dance. I wouldn't quite say sexy, though it teetered right on that line. They did perform it well and they have great chemistry together. I would have loved to see her push the hip action just a bit more. But it was great.

Mark and Kym- Samba (Judges' Score=21, My Score=6)- So this dance started out kinda awkward. But as it went on, he got more comfortable and settled into the rhythm of the dance. As far as rhythm goes, this was his best. It was his best performance too. Now his feet were atrocious. Technically, it was not good. But it was probably, no definitely, his best Latin dance to date.

Sabrina and Mark- Rumba (Judges' Score=28, My Score=10)- While their paso was such a statement, I will always say that this is my favorite dance of theirs. The rumba is Sabrina's dance in my opinion. It was sexy and sensual. Her lines are gorgeous. The way she pitched this performance and pulled in how hard she attacks dances was mesmerizing. Her musicality was superb. It was honestly perfect. This is the type of partnership that you need to have a trained eye to really nitpick. Sabrina is so good and Mark really gave her some incredible choreography that showed off every single talent that she had.

Jennie and Derek- Samba (Judges' Score=25, My Score=8)- This dance was a lot better than I remember it being. There was a ton of content and it was technically sound. I do agree with every single judge. Jennie did kinda hesitate a bit throughout the dance and she can benefit from getting way more down and dirty with her dancing. It was too pretty for a samba. That said, I also agree with Len that it was very good as a whole.

Helio and Julianne- Rumba (Judges' Score=23, My Score=8)- Helio really struggled during this dance. It didn't feel like it felt natural for him at all. His lines were mostly good, but his dancing was just very calculated and stiff. I know it was choreographed, but it looked choreographed. That's not a good thing. He lost a lot of the charisma and the ease of movement that makes Helio the special dancer that he is. It was just very cold.

Mel and Maks- Samba (Judges' Score=29, My Score=9)- This dance was amazing. The bounce was amazing. The content was great. Everything really came together. The only issue was that Mel was off balance at one small moment in the middle of the dance. That was it. Otherwise, it was perfect.

Cameron and Edyta- Rumba (Judges' Score=26, My Score=9)- This was HOT! These two have some incredible chemistry with one another. Whewee. I really like this season so much not only because of how good this group of celebs are, but because how much they improve from week to week. I would like for Cameron to smooth out some of his dancing just a bit more. He also stumbled out of a turn very early on. Otherwise, another amazing dance.

My Rankings and Scores Out of 30:

1 Sabrina and Mark- 30 2 Mel and Maks- 29 3 Cameron and Edyta- 27 4 Jane and Tony- 26 5 Jennie and Derek- 25 6 Helio and Julianne- 24 7 Marie and Jonathan- 21 8 Mark and Kym- 20

So after all was said and done, the bottom two were Mark and Jane. And Mark was sent home. It was the right decision. There was no reason for him to outlast anyone else at this point in the competition. Mark really worked hard and improved a lot, but it was time for the big dogs to compete now. Let me know you all's thoughts and I will be back later this week for week 6, another infamous week of this season. Quick sidenote: this is such an iconic season.

[jazzdailyblog]

Jerry González: Celebrating the Latin Jazz Legacy of a Musical Maestro

Introduction: Within the vibrant tapestry of jazz, few musicians have embraced the fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms and improvisational jazz as profoundly as Jerry González. A renowned trumpeter, percussionist, and bandleader, González left an indelible mark on the world of Latin jazz. His innovative approach, rich musical heritage, and unwavering commitment to bridging cultures resulted in a legacy…

[thedarksideofmymoonhasmatches]

Homenaje a la tradición from Santo Solar

[alexanderlp]

藤沢の劇場では、特別な夜だった。観客の皆さんは、私たちの演奏をとても楽しんでくださいました。阿部知子さん、お招きいただきありがとうございました。また、このような素敵なコンサートに同行してくれたミュージシャンたちにも感謝したい。カルロス・セスペデス、ヨエル・パス、ロランド・スペック、モイセス・サモラ、そして私。友人にはとても感謝しています。! #Cuba #Japón #Cubano #Músico #guitarrista #cantante #compositor #arreglista #productor #singer #raybantokyo #composer #Cuban #japan #tokyo #guitarist #havana #rumba #Soncubano #sonymusiclatin #Cuba #music2023 #音楽家 #singersongwritersofinstagram #lovequotes #producer #Cuba #guitaristlove #livemusic #envivo #fujisawa #japan #musicaenvivo (en Fプレイス) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnve5_eL-M_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[faceeeeee]

"They call me Cuban Jim, I'm the king of the rumba beat. When I play the maracas I go chick-chiky-boom chick-chiky-boom"

[cinnamoncee]

[theartofmelyy]

Heya guys ! Here's a lil' drawing of Namaari !

i watched the movie "the mask" with jim carrey last week and "the song" was stuck in my head while i was drawing this u know, so... that's why she's holding maracas/ rumba balls.... just imagine princess namaari of fang singing "cuban pete" 🥲

[sbnkalny]

Who is the mice king of the Rumba beat  when I play the maracas I go  Chic-chic-ky-boom  Chic-chic-ky-boom  yes sir, I'm Cuban Pete  i'm the king of the Rumba beat  when I play Bad game

dave

[lboogie1906]

Ramón “Mongo” Santamaría Rodríguez (April 7, 1917 – February 1, 2003) was a Cuban percussionist and bandleader who spent most of his career in the US. Primarily a conga drummer, he was a leading figure in the pachanga and boogaloo dance crazes of the 1960s. His biggest hit was his rendition of Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man”, which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. From the 1970s, he recorded mainly salsa and Latin jazz, before retiring in the late 1990s.

He learned to play the congas as an amateur rumba musician in the streets of Havana. He then learned the bongos from Clemente “Chicho” Piquero and toured with various successful bands such as the Lecuona Cuban Boys and Sonora Matancera. In 1950, he moved to New York City, where he became Tito Puente’s conguero, and in 1957 he joined Cal Tjader’s band. He formed his charanga, while at the same time recording some of the first rumba and Santería music albums. By the end of the decade, he had his first pachanga hit, “Para ti”. He became a pioneer of boogaloo with “Watermelon Man” and later signed record deals with Columbia, Atlantic, and Fania. He collaborated with salsa artists and became a member of the Fania All-Stars, often showcasing his conga solos against Ray Barretto. In his later years, he recorded mostly Latin jazz for Concord Jazz and Chesky Records.

He was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame and the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame the following year. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence