"Cuba Through its Music" Tour

"Cuba Through its Music" Tour

We proposes now an “Introduction to Cuba through its music”, lecture that shows a cultural anthropology approach towards the understanding of the Cuban people by means of their various music’s. It comprises a complete description of Cuban music, said in an easy and enjoyable language that is understood by any kind of public. Without losing the scientific approach of the information’s, the stories and the music itself provides an existing type of Cuban music pleasant atmosphere for everyone.

Description:

Cuba Through its Music:

Descriptions are presented at all, showing their origins in the different social groups that settled or were born in the different regions of the Island. The presentation takes place along different videos shown throughout the lecture. They reveal the aesthetical and social behaviors of the people belonging to each group, as exposed in their traditional parties or celebrations. Traits of Cuban identity are also exposed, indicating the contributions made by each group to the national artistic heritage.

All types of Cuban music are here comprised in six different groups or Categories: Son, Rumba, Cuban songs, Danzón, Punto Guajiro and Afro-Cuban Music.

Others conference themes are:

The true story of Son music:

Cuban son is the most expanded musical activity among Cuban people. Not only within the country but also abroad. But the word “son” was never a lucky one, like the words mambo, rumba, cha-cha-cha and others. Even unidentified son music has made its way to faraway places in the world. The history of the son music has been frequently wrong written and this fact led to a misunderstanding of its contributions to Cuba and the rest of the world. The peasantry that settled around three hundred years ago the Sierra Maestra, the largest mountain range in Cuba, created, in order to break the isolation, a new kind of parties with a very original kind of music and dance.

The birth and evolution of son music up to our days is described along the lecture, showing the real changes and traits that makes this type of music so important to the joy of Cuban people and to many persons around the world

Caribbean music- Afrocaribbean music:

Caribbean music is part of a type of joy that is only to be found in the Caribbean. This behavior is as attractive to tourist coming to the region as the beaches, the climax, the evergreen trees and the architecture. Popular music and dance have turned into important identity symbols of the various peoples that live in this part of the world.

Evolution of music in the Caribbean has two different historical stages: 1. Afrocaribbean music and 2.Caribbean music. Both stages appear in the Spanish speaking countries as well as in the English and French speaking ones. Videos and musical auditions during the lecture show the differences and similarities in the characteristic aesthetical behaviors of the inhabitants. Caribbean musical genres that in different historical periods became important to the world such as Reggae, Calypso, Meringue, Rumba, and Mambo are presented along with the lecture.

The Cuban Rumba:

The Rumba is one of the most original and dynamic art forms of Cuban music. It has a great influence over other forms of Cuban music and it has expanded abroad contributing to other art forms such as Jazz, Salsa and more recently to Reggeton.

Its origin is related to the abolition of the slave system in Cuba and the new social group that emerges from that historical event. This lecture describes the birthplace and date of Rumba and the persons that made it happen. Presentations are made of their musical instruments, ensembles, and dances, as well as of their peculiar rhythms and songs.

Afrocuban jazz or Cuban jazz?:

Mid of the 20th Century appears almost simultaneously in Cuba and in the United States a new form of composing and performing American jazz. It was later named Afrocuban jazz and was also called Latin jazz, but these two names only brought confusion into the understanding of the real event. Particularly they masked the real contribution made by the Cuban musical traditions to its birth. In the United States, the name Cubop was used to identify the new trend born from Bebop at that time.

The history of Cuban jazz is described illustrated by musical samples that give an idea of that what really happened, exposing the real contributions of Cuban music to American jazz.

The role of musicians like Chano Pozo as he joined Dizzy Gillespie’s Band and the Mambo created by Dámaso Perez Prado are described here and related to the first Danzon “descargas” that took place in Cuba.

Arsenio Rodríguez and the Cuban son:

Arsenio Rodríguez is considered as one of the most important musicians in Cuba. His contributions were very important to the evolution of Son music. He created the musical ensemble known as “Conjunto Cubano” where a new type of Son was born and new musical instruments were used in their performances such as the piano, the conga drums and the trumpets performed in harmony blocks.

But his contributions were far greater than just creating a new musical ensemble. Together with the new instruments used in the performances of Son music, musical style elements attached to these instruments moved also into the performances of Son. The conga drums brought into the Son the strength of Rumba, and the name of macho son began to be used to identify it. Marginal social behaviors appeared also in son music.

The piano brought the elegance of Danzón music into the performances of Son, particularly that French Elegance that characterizes the Danzón performances. The trumpets playing in harmonic blocks, as used in American music gave the Cuban Son the modern conceptions that were already to be found in the musical arrangements used in jazz and American Pop music.

The music of the Tumba Francesa Societies in Cuba:

Recently the Tumba Francesa Societies in Cuba were granted from UNESCO the condition of “Art work of Humanity”. They have highly contributed to Cuban music, but little is known about their history in Cuba.

This is a type of Afrocuban music, but it shows a very peculiar transculturation´s process. Although this music was born in Cuba, the fusion was produced by the Africans and Frenchs settlers in this Island.

The social conditions of African slaves belonging to French masters are compared with those same slaves belonging to Spanish owners. The consequences are described as well as the music attached to it.

Included:

• A local lectures (Spanish, English, and German).
• Specialized rooms (extra cost).

Approximate tour duration (total): between 2 and 2.30 hours approximately.

Meeting point: .

Days available: Daily.

Presented by: Dr. Olavo Alén Rodríguez. Olavo Alén Rodríguez graduated as a pianist at the Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana in 1969. He is awarded a scholarship to study musicology at the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. He graduates at that University in 1977 and in 1979 receives his Title as Dr. Phil in Musicology. From 1979 to 2006 becomes the founding director of the Centro de Investigación de la Música Cubana (Center for the Research and Development of Cuban Music). Currently, he is Investigador Titular at the Museo Nacional de la Música in Havana. Other lectures on Cuban music