Tregar Otton, founder of the orchestra, playing the violin
Orquesta La Moderna Tradición has been one of the most legendary groups of Cuban music in its entire history. It is a group whose members are based in San Francisco, California, and consists of 11 members who play different genres such as danzón, timba, guaguancó, cha cha chá, son, rumba, charanga, among others. They also mix in elements from American jazz, violins, and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
The beginning of this orchestra’s story goes back to 1996, since they started to perform throughout the United States to bring the best of traditional Cuban music to every corner of the country and transport Cuban immigrants back to the Havana’s streets and clubs during the 50’s. All the success accumulated allowed them to perform at the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Smithsonian Institution, the Lincoln Certer and many other venues of high prestige.
Recently, Orquesta La Moderna Tradición once again displayed their talent at Yoshi’s, a jazz club and restaurant located in Oakland, California, whose reputation in the San Francisco Bay Area is not up for discussion. Our editor Eduardo Guilarte was present at the show to cover the details of the event, which left all those present in awe.
Conversation with Tregar Otton, founding director of the orchestra
Tregar Otton and Maru Pérez-Viana, his wife and an important part of the orchestra
Based on the above, we talked with Tregar Otton, founder, director, composer, and violinist of the group. This talented musician, born in the Marshall Islands and raised in Texas, started to learn about classical music from an early age and joined the Berkeley Symphony while he still was a teenager. By the 1990s, this musical promise worked as a regular part of Virgilio Mart Y Sus Majaderos, La Tipica Novel and the Charanga Orquesta Broadway.
By the year 1995, Otton founded Orquesta La Moderna Tradición with Roberto Borrell. At the beginning, the group started to become well-known for its soft sounds of Afro-Cuban charanga, which are accompanied by a set of wind instruments and violins that give a unique touch to this group’s music.
Today, we have the welcome presence of the musician to talk about each and every one of the issues raised in this brief review and anything he wants to reveal to our dear readers. It is such a pleasure to have you here today, Tregar. How are you feeling?
I am fine here near San Francisco. Good to see you today.
Very good, Tregar. You got started in the world of music at a young age. Could you tell us a bit about your beginnings?
I started playing violin when I was four years old and my family had a violin teacher as a neighbor. My parents did the laundry for all our neighbors, so we met her and she ended up giving me classes every day. After that, I studied a lot of classical music, bought music when I was about 20 and fell in love with it because it used the violins differently from classical music. I really enjoyed playing dance music because the connection with the public is quite different from that of classical music. In the case of classical music, many people get bored, but Cuban music and salsa music make a much more direct connection to the audience. There is nothing like playing for a floor with dancers.
We understand that you were born in the Marshall Islands, but grew up in Texas, is that correct?
Yes. After my dad married my mom, they both moved to Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, in the middle of the Pacific. After that, I grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, till I was 13 or 14 about when I moved to California.
I asked because it is very interesting how you set your eyes on Cuban music despite your origins. Where does this interest in Cuban music and the rhythms you play come from?
For the same reasons I play dance music. It caught my attention when I heard Charanga de La 4 or one of these New York bands. I was impressed that violins were part of the percussion and were making repetitive sounds with the refrain and the son montuno. We are more part of the rhythm section than the melodic section in many of our songs. We can dance while we are on stage. I was also impressed by the improvisations of Cuqui and Alfredo de la Fé. I had many Latin friends I met in college while learning Spanish because no one in my family spoke it.
How did Orquesta La Moderna Tradición come about and who joined you in its foundation?
I was working with a group. I was in New York, where I was playing with the Broadway Orchestra and the Orquesta Tipica Novel. I was very lucky to have been in that city because I got to know many veteran musicians in the 80’s like Renato Valdés, Virgilio Martí, and Adalberto Santiago. I visited a Cuban friend from San Francisco named Fito Reinoso, who had a group called Ritmo Y Armonía and he visited us here in New York. I was tired of the cold in New York, so I decided to go to San Francisco, where Tito and I had the idea of creating a group. It was there that I met a great drum instructor and dance teacher Roberto Borrell, who joined us to found Ritmo y Armonía. After two years, we had to be apart, but Roberto and I still wanted to play danzón. At least here in the Bay Area, it is very difficult to get singers. The ones we have are good, but there are not so many. So, we planned to make a danzonera or danzón group. When the orchestra began to work, we only played danzón songs, rehearsed every week and did many tours with this musical genre because there was a boom with swing dancing and dance music during the 40’s. So, we were surfing that wave. So, we were surfing that wave and doing collaborations with swing groups because it was older music. Danzón is a very rich genre, but it is no of interest to many people because they do not know how to dance it, so we started expanding our repertoire to include more modern and dance music. We still play danzones, but only two per set. There are still musicians from the original group in the orchestra including Michael Spiro. Roberto went to Peru about a decade ago, so Michael and I stayed with the group and invited Eduardo Herrera, who is a singer born in Caracas, Venezuela, to perform with us. We expanded the repertoire by doing the best we could with my own creations. Let’s remember I am the arranger of the group, so I do some songs and we have one that is included in the new recording in which I wrote the music and maestro Carlos Caro from Cuba added the lyrics.
Orquesta La moderna Tradición at one of its shows
Although rhythms like danzón are not so popular, did you feel the acceptance of the public?
There were many people who knew danzón who began to notice that it was a very interesting genre due to the presence of the violins. As Roberto Borrell is a dance teacher, he teaches many of his students how to dance danzón, which is not easy because they should be affixed on each turn they have to make according to the sounds of the instruments.
Can you go from one genre to another in the same song?
Yes, we do that a lot. On our new album, we have rhythms with batá drums from music of Santería, which we use for our danzón songs. It sounds complicated when I explain it, but it is easy at the time of listening to it.
What makes Orquesta La Moderna Tradición different from other Latin music groups in the United States?
Well, I know no other group that plays danzón or charanga. There are two genres of popular dance music in Cuba that come from son montuno, which uses violins and flutes. In the case of charanga, the musicians use violins and flutes. Since the 70’s and 80’s, charanga is now no longer heard in the United States. In Cuba, neither do you hear danzón much. We are a group that has so many danzones in the repertoire. There are not too many groups that play cha cha chá. Me being an arranger, I try to create cha cha chá songs that are not copies of what was played by Orquesta Aragón and other bands in the 40’s and 50’s.
Given that music has evolved so much, what reaction do you perceive from the young public when you play charanga, cha cha chá, danzón and other rhythms?
Interesting question. For young people who do not know and are not salsa fans, our music sounds like salsa because it is difficult to distinguish the genres without knowing them well. However, I work as a music teacher and I have many groups of children, in which there are many salsa fans. They listen to Ray Barreto, Willie Colón, and Hector Lavoe. They also like charanga and understand it well. However, I think danzón is more difficult because it has to be a reflection of what people are feeling in their culture. Cha cha chá is simpler and innocent, but danzón is finer and refined. I think music can influence people and play its part in changing the direction of their culture.
Can you tell us a little bit about your performance at Yoshi’s?
Because of COVID-19, for a year and a half, we could not do anything. We could not even rehearse until the vaccine came on the market. We got this date with Yoshi’s because we have played there many times before as well as Yoshi’s in San Francisco. So, they gave us a date and we had the support of local DJs like Luis Medina, Chuy Varela and Jose Ruiz. We also made use of social media to promote us, sell our CDs and attract people to our shows. The staff of Yoshi’s was impressed because it is rare that a local band has been able to sell so many tickets. We were very excited to see so many people loving us and showing how much they love music. We have a large audience that is very loyal to us and has been going wherever we perform for over 20 years.
Orquesta La Moderna Tradición performing at Yoshi’s
What are your future projects?
We get everything ready for the repertoire of the new album. When I was in New York, I was working with Juan Carlos Formell, Juan Formell’s son, who is the bass player and took over his father’s position in Los Van Van. I was one of the first people he met here in the United States and we became very good friends. Then he told me that I could arrange any of his songs without any problem, so I have about four or five of his songs ready and some others that I have not finished yet. We have enough material to make at least two albums, but it is very expensive. One could only cost us about $15 to start with.
Cover art work for the Orquesta La Moderna Tradición new album El Encantado
Dominican Republic where the traditional music is merengue expands to diverse musical rhythms such as bachata, rap, salsa, among others, and this time we had the opportunity to present 2 great musicians (both cousins) called Héctor and Cuso Cuevas , who have joined their talents and experiences in music to found the Orchestra who baptized it “Son Borojol” in March 2015, which is characterized by being a different and very tropical band, its name derives from a tribute to that popular sector because there the genre of son has always been danced.
Héctor Cuevas, was born in the Dominican Republic and lived a season in the USA, from the age of 13 and 14 he began his musical life with Johnny Ventura learning and working in the USA with respect to music, he was also in Caracas, Venezuela, Miami where He was musician for Hansel and Raul in the 80s.
In the “Son Borojol” Orchestra he is integrating a musical group that has several members from other countries apart from Dominicans and he mentions that the vast majority are Venezuelans, among them Cesar Augusto Anuel better known as Albondiga, a great trombonist, arranger, composer and musical director of the Latin dimension. He said he was very happy with the coupling of the members of the orchestra, who at each party give their best, showing their talents to please the dancing public.
Son Borojol Orchestra live
The orchestra is composed of experienced musicians who have the peculiarity of having 3 violins (which are from the symphony), trumpeters and other instruments which manage to make a difference in quality and sound, when playing either Cumbia, Merengue, Son , Guaracha, Charanga, Traditional Salsa (La sonora matacera style, jhonny pacheco, Roberto faz)
He comments that once they had a contract with a Latin music label, where Hector wanted it to be pure salsa but they wanted a compilation of different Latin rhythms (merengue, salsa among others) but the most important thing is that the music was from Son Borojol and not from other artists, for a time they were counting on the support of maestro Sony Ovalle (who passed away on December 13, 2020).
The experience that Son Borojol has, in addition to its members, is added the great career he has had in various orchestras with his cousin and renowned bassist Cuso Cuevas (he also died in 2020), who worked with Félix del Rosario, Joseito Mateo, Jhonny Ventura, Santa Cecilia among others. For his part, Héctor Cuevas, played with the orchestras of Hansel and Raul, Jhonny Pacheco, Primitivo Santos and others in the United States.
With this project, the Son Borojol Orchestra has the objective that the public can enjoy different musical genres such as cumbia, danzones, salsa, boleros, Latin jazz and of course the son, a rhythm that every day continues to penetrate more and more in taste. popular of young people; since normally the more adult people who dance are montuno, habanero, bolero and son.
But apart from this particular objective, they have the following as their main idea:
“Our goal is to conclude some songs in the portfolio and prepare to travel to the United States, where they already want to get to know the orchestra, but for that we continue to rehearse hard, because we want to stay for many years to make our people happy every weekend and at private parties. How we are doing it ”, he expressed.
Hector Cuevas selfie
Héctor Cuevas, who is currently the musical director, once commented… “In those trips that I took to the Dominican Republic, I always had the idea of forming an orchestra of my own, since I have the experience because I had The Boston Latin Band, I met with my cousin Cuso Cuevas and we invited other proven musicians and today Son Borojol, it is a reality that continues to rise every day and our presentations speak for themselves, because we try every day to improve in quality, sound and interpretation ”.
Although he currently conducts the orchestra alone, he continues on in honor of his cousin Cuso Cuevas; During the Covid 19 pandemic, they took advantage of this time when all the events were canceled and the closure to record their new musical themes so that when the events opened they were ready for everything that came to them in the future; At least now in 2021 they began to open clubs and other venues, mobilizing dynamic activity in the country, of course with a much shorter work period than before or opening much earlier to take advantage of the regulatory time given by the government ( flexible quarantine)
Photo of directors Hector and Cuso Cuevas
Currently they have many television offers and live events on the beaches of the country, and when everything is normalized with the pandemic, make their musical tour that was planned in 2020 to different countries of the world And as the penultimate stop in the USA and finally in the Dominican Republic .
A message to his viewers in this interview was the following: “That they take care of themselves, that they always have friends in their hearts and many blessings, and if they have a goal to follow that they do not deviate and always continue forward … nothing stops me and I keep moving forward and that’s what makes you feel good and reach that goal and don’t look back … ”
Spanish Author Saúl Delhom Immerses Us Into The World Of Salsa In Four Simple Illustrated Texts
El Antimanual Para Bailar Salsa. Episodio I: El Social was published in November 2019 and contains 73 pages
The computer engineer, illustrator and dancer, Saúl Delhom, recreates the culture of Salsa in an exclusive selection of four short books that are easy to understand, a substantial exploration of the representatives of the genre, and an enjoyable reading that you can finish in a week.
The author of these different texts tells us quickly and with the characteristic Spanish humor about the skills, efforts, adaptability, and approach of Afro-Caribbean music.
With these books aimed at Salsa fans, you will get motivation, reflection, knowledge of history, tips, and advice on social dance based on real stories that will not allow you to get left behind in this competitive and fascinating world of Latin dance.
The four books on Salsa by Valencia-born Saúl Delhom will make you learn the most relevant data of the Salsa industry in a fast and exceptional way.
En Clave
En clave is one of the books by the Valencia dancer with which he makes a chronological journey of Salsa through the lives of 77 women artists around the world. For this reason, you will find singers, instrumentalists, composers, and directors of the genre from Croatia, Denmark, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Puerto Rico, the United States, Cuba, and Venezuela, just to mention a few countries.
En Clave is structured by a timeline dating from 1877 to 1995, separated by decades. So in the first instance, you will read the biography of an artist who is probably the source of inspiration for another. Then, you will come across a connection diagram as visual support and contribution of extra information that will provide you with emotional ties, teachers, professionals, and collaborations between members of the industry.
Likewise, you will find at the end of each biography the title of a song along with a printed code that you can scan through your smartphone that will link you directly to the Spotify digital platform to listen to it.
And finally, you will observe a second timeline with the exhibition as a frame of reference for contemporary male singers and groups and the exact date of the incursion and musical performance of the artist reviewed for that moment.
“In short, for this book, I have opted for that general vision of the term Salsa… This has also allowed me to include interpreters of traditional Cuban music, to travel back in time making prominent women visible, and to the future including generations of artists who merge, and they reinterpret. For that reason, you will find exponents of the Trova, Danzón, Danzonete, the Cuban point, Guajira, or Latin Jazz. ” Excerpt from the En Clave book.
Remember that you need to read this book because…
“More Salsas are known with female names than female names in the Salsa”. Saúl Delhom
El Antimanual Para Bailar Salsa: Episode I. The social
El antimanual para bailar Salsa is an ironic and humorous illustrated guide on how to successfully overcome a social dance of this Latin rhyme on a dance floor.
In this first book by Saúl, you will find answers to common questions of beginning dancers, such as: Should the girl be dragged to the floor? Is it better to dance only with your partner? Is doing many figures the best to stand out? Do I have to know all the songs of memory to be a real Salsero? Is criticizing other couples a national sport? Who moves my drink from here?
Delhom tells us that his intention in creating this project was initially purely personal and without any commercial intention, but due to its success and the liking of the experience acquired, he decided to write an extension of this book with a few extra chapters and face a second different book.
Ficcionario Salsero. 50 New Words Explained For Normal People
The Ficcionario Salsero is a dictionary of 50 words invented by the author.
These simple words with minimal modifications in the union of two of them or the exchange of one or two letters make the meaning vary entirely, creating a new terminology in salsa slang.
To do this, Saúl Delhom developed an advanced algorithm that allowed him to generate each new term, which in the writer’s words, that should already exist today.
In addition, in the last pages of the Ficcionario, you will find a story about the events that take place in a Salsa Congress and in which these new words are used as an example and that make you actively get involved in this fascinating world.
It should be noted that the style and method applied to the illustrations here are different from those applied previously.
Trivial Salsero
Finally, there is the Trivial Salsero, a Salsa cultural enrichment book. Its base consists of 360 questions that join a playlist of 160 songs.
In the questions related to a hit, for example: According to a song from El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, what city do you recommend living in summer to have fun with charm and beauty? You will have the information about the correct answer and bring you the exact time within the song through a mark on the digital link to listen to it on Spotify.
Trivial Salsero also includes a system to choose pages randomly without the need for dice or cards.
And is that if you consider yourself a real Salsero you should already know the answers to any of these questions that appear in this book and that I leave you here below as a preamble to what you will find in its internal pages:
With what instrument is the artist Noro Morales associated?
What discipline did Celia Cruz leave to dedicate herself to music?
What nickname has the artist Charlie Palmieri received?
What is the meaning of the word Segundo of the artist Compay Segundo?
“I’ll tell you a little personal anecdote… The first time I tried a Salsa class was in a pub called Cachao. At that time, I had no idea who was the legendary double bass player Israel López “Cachao”. I believed that it was an invented word or the name of some island. Years later, I not only know his story thanks to dancing and the controversial term Salsa, but I have ended up writing a book in which appears his sister Coralia López, much less known”. Saúl Delhom
Quinteto D’Amore was founded in 2000 within an acoustical format; cultivating traditional Cuban music, although in its repertoire, you can find international songs; and made various presentations both domestic and international.
All these years, different musicians have integrated the group, but two years ago, it has been renewed and is now composed of Bass, Tres, Violin, bongo, minor percussion and soloist.
They are characterized for combining music, voices, and choreography in some of their songs, filling those who can enjoy their show with joy and energy.
Quinteto D’Amore of Havana – Cuba
Yasney (violin): Graduated from Higher Institute of Art with a specialty in Violin (ISA). Member of the UNEAC, she joined the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, participated in recordings of leading groups and soundtracks, as well as in the CD “Mi Querido Pablo II” with Pablo Milanés and his guests: Milton Nacimiento, Lucecita Benítez,
Fito Páez, Joaquín Sabina, Alberto Cortes, and at the concert offered at the National Auditorium in Mexico City.
He has made numerous tours and concerts with the band “Mambo Así”, the group “Sol y Arena”, “Piel Morena”, among others, through various countries such as Moscow, Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong, Saint Martin Island and Guadeloupe, Italy, and Angola. Yasney joined D’Amore in May 2014.
Quinteto D’Amore
Yonel (three/four Cuban guitar) I began my career in music when I was six by learning to play the guitar. Since then, I used to sing some songs and to accompany others like my brother. AI was seven when I started at the school of arts in Santiago.
In Cuba, I studied violin for about three years and, in time, I started to learn about other instruments such as the piano and the percussion to reach the bass with which I played with the group Son Chévere de Matanzas for several years.
Then I came to Havana and started playing the tres until I made it into a CUATRO, adding a couple more strings and it is the instrument with which I currently work in Quinteto D’Amore.
Evelyn (soloist) began to study music since choildhood, taking piano and musical theory lessons. At the age of 11, she received her first award as a solo singer given by the pioneers’ organization and took dance lessons at the National Ballet School in Havana and contemporary dance workshops, integrating various dance companies and performing in the 2nd Tropicana Show. She is a mid-level graduate from micro operator. She studied at the School for Art Instructors.
As a singer, she started her professional career by joining several groups such as: Lady Salsa Mix, Cuban Salsa Orchestra, Las canelas, Ketlman Ferrer and his orchestra, etc. She is currently the lead singer of Quinteto D’Amore.
Quinteto D’Amore was founded in 2000 with an acoustic format.
Orley (Bass): He studied bass and contrabass, he began his musical career in Ciego de Avila as part of different groups of small and great format such as: Eclipse Orchestra, Conjunto Campesino “Campo Lindo”, etc. Later on, he joined groups in Havana such as Septeto Tradición, the group of the singer Leyanis Lopez with whom he travelled to France (Paris) under the record label “Luz Africa”. From 2007 to 2011, he was on the Orchestra of Maykel Blanco Y Su Salsa Mayor with whom he made several international tours in Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, and Peru, and participated in the recording of his 2 albums. From 2011 to 2013, he joined the groups like “Amor y el Son”, Pepitín y su CumBachá”, and Habana Midic with whom performed in Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Lebanon. Orey joined D’Amore in May 2014.
Daymé (Director, tres and bongo): Graduated of Telecommunications and Electronics engineering at the “José Antonio Echeverría” Higher Polytechnic Institute and at the intermediate level in music in the specialty of “Tres”. She belonged to the amateur artistic movement for 14 years, participated in international festivals, integrated several groups of small format with which she performed in Cuba in the “Dos Gardenias” complex, La Bodeguita del Medio, the Floridita Restaurant and various hotels, Outside of Cuba, she has fulfilled several contracts in Jamaica, Qatar, Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain), Jordan, Egypt, Japan, Spain, Turkey and China. She is currently the bongo player and director of Quinteto D’Amore.
Maria Carla (2nd violin) began her music studies at the “Alejandro García Caturla Conservatory” where she acquited basic secondary education and the 7th year of violin.
In 2006, she entered the “Amadeo Roldán Conservatory” to continue his studies to reach the ipper secondary level of violin. During her time as a student, she was part of the orchestras of the respective schools and participated in meetings, competitions and concerts as both instrumentalist and vocalist in choirs.
Upon her graduation, she taught in the province of Pinar del Río and gave classes at the Vocational School of Art in the same city for two years.
Since 2010, she is part of the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba by working simultaneously with various classical and popular music groups such as “La Camerata del Son”, “Ensemble Alternativo”, “Quinteto D Amore”, “Orquesta Panorama”, and “Quinteto Doble Sabor”.
María Carla has also participated in several events and festivals: Encuentro Nacional de Orquestas Sinfónica, Feria Internacional Cubadisco, Encuentro de Coros, Festival América Canta, Festival de Música Contemporánea, Festival de Jóvenes Pianista, Festival del Danzón, Feria Internacional del Libro de La Habana as well as in several recordings and phonograms with artists such as José María and Sergio Vitier, Toni Pinelli, Rafael Guedes, and Aldo López-Gavilán.
She has also accompanied renowned soloists such as pianists Lang Lang, Chucho Valdés, Frank Fernández, Aldo López Gavilán, singer Omara Portuondo, violinists Ryu Goto, Francesco Manara, clarinetist Keisuke Wakao, and guitarist Joaquín Clerch.
He has worked under the baton of conductors such as Yoshikazu Fukumura, Marin Alsop, Francesco Belli.
Quinteto D’Amore Repertoire
Latin/English Recent Hits
Havana – Camila Cabello
Someone Like You – Adele
Don’t You Remember – Adele
Unbreak My Heart – Tony Braxton
Rehab – Amy Winehouse
Whenever Whatever – Shakira
Dancing – Enrique Iglesias,
Lambada – Kapma,
Macarena – Los del Rio,
Mambo No 5 – Lou Bega,
Nossa Nossa – Miechl Telo
Yo Tengo Tu Love – Si7e
Solo Quiero Darte Un Beso – Prince Royce
Despacito – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee
English Pop, Rock, Blues, Jazz, R&B
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
Yesterday – The Beatles
Only You (And You Alone) – The Platters
New York New York – Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli
Misty – Errol Garner & Johnny Burke / Johnny Mathis
Girl From Ipanema – Pery Ribeiro, Frank Sinatra
Flying To The Moon – Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall
Summertime – Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday …
Autum Leaves – Nat King Cole, Andrea Bocleli, Eric Clapton …
My Way – Jacques Revaux, Paul Anka / Claude Francois, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley
I Just Called To Say I love you – Stevie Wonder
Somewhere Over the Rainbown – Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg / Judy Garland, Israel
For Ever And Ever – Demis Roussos
Hotel California – Eagles …
Cuban/Latin Salsa, Son, Rumba, Cumbia, Bolero
El Yerbero Moderno – Celia Cruz,
Quimbara – Celia Cruz
Life is a Carnival – Celia Cruz
Idilio – Wilie Colon
El Carretero – Buena Vista Social Club
El Cuarto De Tula – Buena Vista Social Club
The Discreet Kisses – Compay Segundo
Chan chan – Compay Segundo
Hasta Siempre, Comandante – Carlos Puebla
Maridos Majaderos – Perdro Luis Ferrer
Yolanda – Pablo Milanés
Volveré – Diego Verdaguer
Montón de Estrellas – Polo Montañez
Cariñito – Los Hijos del Sol
Oye Como Va – Tito Puente / Carlos Santana
Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare) – Dean Martin …
Capullo de Aleli – Cateano Veloso
Dos Gardenias – Daniel Santos, Buena Vista Social Club
La Flor Pálida – Polo Montanez / Marc Anthony
Perfidia – Alberto Domínguez / Los Panchos, Perez Prado, Nat King Cole, Ben E. King,
Luis Miguel
Guantanamera – Celia Cruz, Compay Segundo, Tito Puente, Joan Baez
On May 8, Cuban Son Day is celebrated on the birth of Miguelito Cuní and Miguel Matamoros, great exponents of the Creole genre.
This article is dedicated to exalt the most Creole of Cuban music, especially son.
This day is a tribute to this music-dance expression and to the musical legacy of its great exponents included Miguel Matamoros and Miguelito Cuní, reported the Cuban Music Institute.
The Official Gazette of the Republic said on 2 October that the Decree 19 of the Council of Ministers recognizes Cuban son as part of the intangible heritage since 2012.
May 8th Cuban Son Day
This declaration consolidates the file for its proposal to this candidacy.
The information has also been shared by the chief proponent of this initiative, maestro Adalberto Álvarez, who said on his Facebook page that the joy of having our Son Day is very great.
Cuban son is a vocal and sanceable instrumental genre that constitutes one of the basic forms within Cuban music that blends African musical elements with Spanish musical elements.
May 8 is a representative day, since the births of Miguelito Cuní and Miguel Matamoros are commemorated, that is why this date was the one proposed, said the 2008 National Music Award.
May 8 is a representative day
In addition, the Caballero del Son, as Álvarez is known, stated that this is just a part of the task, so we already have Cuban Son Day, we still have to get son to be named an Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
This is a vocal and danceable instrumental genre that constitutes one of the basic forms within Cuban music that blends African musical elements with Spanish musical elements.
It reportedly was born in the easternmost region of Cuba and was developed in provinces such as Guantánamo, Baracoa, Manzanillo and Santiago de Cuba in the late 19th century, even though there are testimonies that the most ancien Cuban sones date back to the 16th century such as the Son de la Má Teodora by the 1562 and performed by two Dominican sisters, Micaela and Teodora Ginés.
DECREE 19, CUBAN SON DAY Single Article. To declare May 8 “Day of the Cuban Son” as a tribute to this music-dance expression and to the musical legacy of its great exponents. IT SHALL BE PUBLISHED in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba. DONE in the Palace of the Revolution, Havana, to the next two days of September 2020, “YEAR 62 OF THE REVOLUTION”.
The Cuban Son was born from the blending of Afro-Cuban and Spanish crossbreeding.
History of Cuban Son
Cuban Son was born by mixing Afro-Cuban and Spanish cross-breeding. Its origin is intimately linked to Changüi, considered as the mother rhythm of son.
Son came from the East to Havana around 1909. The “Cuarteto Oriental”, created in 1916, became the Sexteto Habanero in 1918, establishing itself as the traditional format of the son bands. In the 1920s, with the emergence of commercial radio broadcasting, the rise and popularization of son began, being the Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro one of the main representatives from this time.
The upper classes of Cuba, who are fond of danzón (Cuba’s first native genre) sat watching son warily, seeing it as a slumming and classless genre. However, son was gaining popularity and ended up imposing on danzón, which was consigned to oblivion.
Apart from the fans son has always had in Cuba, the importance of this genre also lies in the influence it has had on the emergence of other genres such as son montuno, mambo, and salsa. In contrast of danzón, son has always been present in Cuba, either directly or within other later musical genres.
Son montuno is a type of son that was played and danced in the last part of Danzón. The importance of this son was its influence in the creation of salsa, in both in music and dance.
Dancing
This dance is only played at the last minute in a salsa club room if the deejay is Cuban, and hardly anyone dances it well.
The base of this dance is three steps followed by a pause, such as salsa. The figures are very simple and similar to those of Cuban salsa. The fundamental difference with salsa is the way of taking the steps. They are more energetic, such as mambo, with a wider hip movement and the pause more marked than in salsa. In other words, instead of the rhythm fast-fast-slow on salsa. In the case of son, it could be considered as fast-fast-fast-fast-slow.
The rhythm of son is, in general, slower than that of salsa, which allows the dancers to recreate in adornments and flirtations. The rhythm is better followed with the key, which is usually very marked.
There are no enchuflas, which are typical of Cuban salsa. The side steps, cockroach style, the couple turn, the walk, the side walk, the side walk, and the step forward-back are widely used.
A very typical and spectacular figure is when the man crouches or even is placed in a horizontal position, leaning the point of the foot on the floor, and the girl takes hom by his hand and walks around him, making him turn the sole of his foot.
Source:
Cuban Son Day is commemorated on May 8 on the occasion of the birth of Miguelito Cuní and Miguel Matamoros.
