Sierra Maestra on US Tour: DC Concert

It still feels close to miraculous to see Cuban bands touring again in the US. Sierra Maestra performed at the Artisphere ballroom (near Washington, DC) Tuesday night (7/19), with all the simple, rural majesty of the mountain range itself.


Los cantantes: Jesus Bello, Alberto Valdes, and Luis Barzaga

In person, they sound exactly like their records, which are also notable for a distinct, steadfast sound over the years. There are many son bands, but you would never mix up any other with Sierra Maestra. Due in part, I think, to their signature vocalists, but also their arrangements that feel both classic and fresh. With very little effort, they seem to be getting every ounce of vibration out of the ensemble, as if sounding all the seeds in the maraca. There's something about the amplified acoustic son band, vs. a salsa band or big band or timba band, that retains a very organic energy: skins, wood, gourd, seeds, strings, and a little metal; it's a very lively, pleasing texture. Instantly transcultural, maybe because we were all close to the land once, at some point in our history.



They played two beautiful sets, in this huge ballroom (4,000 sq. ft.) that feels intimate because of its wide orientation and low, thrust stage. There's also a viewing balcony; I'll bet the sound would have been great up there, but I stayed near the dancefloor. Nice crowd for a Tuesday night, a lot of couples and families as well as DC casineros, dancers and deejays representing.



I talked briefly to tresero Emilio Ramos, and happened to catch video of a couple of his solos. Cool style, and an interesting pickup on the instrument. In the background of these photos, you can see the two percussionists switching off on bongos; I didn't talk to them but I think they are founding member Alejandro Suarez (above) and Eduardo Rico (below). I don't know if hand drummers work harder in a son ensemble, or if you can just hear them better than you would in a salsa band, with all the horns and timbales. I wouldn't doubt it. These guys percolated hard all night, and traded hot solos on a few tunes.





After the show, Jesus Bello (above) and Luis Barzaga were nice enough to record WXDU station IDs for me on my audio recorder. Jesus was very friendly with fans and stayed in the hall during the break, and post-show, to chat and take pictures.



The youngest member, I'm sure, must be 28-year-old trompetista Yelfris Valdes. The band is known an incubator for Cuba's top trumpet talent, keeping the traditional style of son playing alive. Its former horn players include Jesus Alemañy and Julito Padron.



In back, in the rhythm section, there's a dedicated guiro player (I love that), Carlos Puisseaux, and leaning in close to the drummers, bass guitarist Eduardo Himely. Both are founding members who've been with the band since its founding in the 1970s.





The genres they played included son (fast); son (slow), which is not cha cha cha, but hardly recognized as such by dancers outside of Cuba anymore; sucu sucu ("Felipe Blanco"), a genre someone from La Isla de la Juventud once told me is native to that island; changui, from Guantanamo; and even a conga santiaguera (marking the first time in my life I actually joined in a conga line--and enjoyed it).

These rumberos, who are active in the Afro-Cuban cultural scene in DC, were taking advantage of the last exuberant song of the night. Dancers: Oscar Rousseaux (white pants), and Adrian Valdivia:



Note to local arts presenters: Sierra Maestra would be a fantastic Cuban band to build in to your next arts season, whenever they may be touring again. I guess we have to go back to Buena Vista and start from ground zero, in terms of building audience recognition for Cuban music again, but that is what makes this group a perfect segue. And, if possible, make it a DANCE and find a venue that will welcome those of us who love and honor this cultural tradition as our own, not just your high-end concert series subscribers.

For example:

COMING UP:

Duke Performances has booked Joan Soriano, "El Duque de la Bachata," into Motorco this coming September 23. Bachata, a Dominican folk form that is a direct spin-off of son, is best presented where it can be danced, as well as listened to, so kudos goes to Aaron Greenwald and his staff at DP for getting it right. Looking foward to that show.

Sierra Maestra @ Artisphere in Virginia TUESDAY (7/19)

Before Buena Vista, there was Sierra Maestra. Since the '70s, it's been Cuba's flagship son band, with a traditional formation that still includes clave, maracas, trompeta, bongo, y tres. But, this is no music for oldtimers: Sierra Maestra plays modern son, hard and fast, infused with the rocking, relaxed groove native to Cuba's eastern province of Oriente.

On tour in the U.S. from July 14 through 26, Sierra Maestra plays a dance in the Artisphere ballroom in Arlington, VA (Metro DC) this Tuesday (7/19). It will be the venerable soneros' only tour stop in the Southeast. Tickets are $22 and $25, with a dance lesson at 7:30 pm, and dancing from 8:30 to 11 pm. Artisphere Communications and Marketing Director Annalisa Meyer says the ballroom space comprises 4000 sq. ft., with a stage that still offers an intimate concert experience. Dancers, if you're anywhere near D.C., seize this chance to see one of Cuba's legendary performers in IDEAL ballroom conditions!



Former members of Sierra Maestra include tresero Juan de Marcos (who masterminded Buena Vista Social Club), and some of Cuba's top trumpeters such as Jesus Alemañy (who went on to form Cubanismo) and Julito Padron (who has toured with Afro Cuban All Stars).

Here's the active lineup:*

First Name / Family Names / Instrument / Founding Member (1976)

Luis Manuel BARZAGA SOSA - Vocals , claves / YES
Eduardo Idelfonso HIMELY PINO - Bass guitar / YES
Carlos Antonio PUISSEAUX MANSFARROLL - Güiro / YES
Emilio José RAMOS BATISTA - Tres
Eduardo Manuel RICO MENENDEZ - Congas, bongo, cowbell
Jesus Eusebio BELLO DIAZ - Vocals, guitar
Alejandro SUAREZ GALARRAGA - Claves, cowbell / YES
Alberto Virgilio VALDES DECALO - Vocals, maracas / YES
Yelfris Carlos VALDES ESPINOSA - Trumpet

*thanks to Annalisa Meyer of Artisphere for providing advance information and publicity photo.


EVENT LINK:

Sierra Maestra live at Artisphere, Arlington, VA - July 19, 2011

Alex Cuba TUESDAY @ Berkeley Cafe

A really unusual Cuban-born touring artist will chase away the Thanksgiving week doldrums at the Berkeley Cafe: singer/songwriter Alex Cuba, just awarded Best New Artist Latin Grammy.

Here's the link to my writeup in the INDY for Alex Cuba's appearance at the Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (11/23); see also the N&O feature on Alex Cuba.

I first came to know Alexis Puentes [aka "Alex Cuba"] via the Puentes Brothers' Morumba Cubana, a rootsy little album of Cuban son that turned up one day at the radio station WXDU around 2004. Canadian emigres, the brothers Alex and Adonis Puentes were doing fun, original material that draws not only on traditional Cuban son, but trova, the native Cuban and Latin American tradition of folk. I seem to recall some American swing mixed in there as well. This album fell into the "pleasant surprise" category.

It wasn't until recently that I realized that Alex and Adonis--now on quite different solo paths, are actually (fraternal) twins. There's enough difference in their look, sound, and personal style that this never hit me as obvious. Naturally, there's a great resonance between them, too.

Adonis blew me away with his shrewdly cynical, yet bumpin' dance tune "Commerciante" on his 2005 solo album Vida. With the coro, "yo no soy músico, soy comerciante (I'm not a musician, I'm a businessman)," the song is both a resignation to, and a protest of, the pressure on artists to produce "hits." Adonis' sound is much more traditionally Cuban, informed by newer dance grooves of timba and salsa but hewing close to the acoustic aesthetic of traditional son. His vocal style reminds me of elegant, jazzy sonero Issac Delgado. Adonis was tapped as a vocalist recently, along with Ruben Blades, for the Lincoln Center free revival concert of Larry Harlow's La Raza Latina: A Salsa Suite.

I would have pegged Alex for the younger brother, because his style, both audio and visual, is much more contemporary and fused with urban and pop fashion. Whereas the cleanshaven Adonis strikes me as a plainspoken craftsmen, Alex, with his trademark fro and arching sideburns, cuts the figure of a flamboyant hipster. Both of them have the songwriting knack and a strong, clear voice. Trova is generally written in a much more personal first-person voice than son, so in a way this is a good starting point for pop fusions, something Alex in his solo career has exploited well.



I really liked Alex's last album, Agua del Pozo, because it congenially strayed from Cuban tradition without falling into a generic Latin pop sound. The new one, self-titled, I've only heard on the website, and while it sounds a little poppier to me than the last one, I can't give it a full review yet. If it's any indication of which direction he's going musically, Alex also helped craft Nelly Furtado's first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, which also one a Latin Grammy this year.



Alex plays a mean Gibson, and I'm curious to see what the touring band sounds like, and how much of the show will be acoustic vs. electric.



LINKS:

Alex Cuba @ Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (venue link)

Alex Cuba (artist website)

Saludos Compay, 4pm Saturday (10/23)

Saludos Compay kicks off the Saxapahaw Octoberfest lineup from 4:00 - 5:20 pm. The band will take quintet format featuring Erich Lieth (piano), Pablo Valencia (guitar/voice), Robert Cantrell (congas), Lisa Lindsey (saxophone), and Arturo Velasquez (percussion/backing vocals).



Happy feet might want to stick around for The Straight 8s (rockabilly) and The Countdown Quartet (New Orleans jazz).

The last outdoor party of the season? Rain or shine, no dogs allowed, and as always at Saxapahaw, admission is FREE; donations for are accepted for the musicians.

LINK:
Saxapahaw Rivermill Concert Series

Service for Peter Heiman SUNDAY (8/2)

At Montas Lounge. Photo courtesy of Pilar Montas.

It's with sadness that I report the passing of Peter Heiman, a friend and local salsa enthusiast who remained an active part of our scene until his death last month at age 79.

I'd heard many exciting tales from Peter's life, about his family's escape from Nazi Germany when he was a young child, and about his trips to Havana in the 1950s where he danced mambo and cha cha cha. Still, I learned a lot I didn't know about Peter's eventful life from this obituary, written by his daughter and son-in-law, Heidi and Robert Venier:

Peter W. Heiman obituary published in the Carrboro Citizen, July 23, 2009

Though visually impaired, Peter creatively beat social isolation. At the old Montas Lounge, I first met Peter on the dancefloor. He would dance with me (and all the other ladies) and at the end, request to be taken to the next dance partner.

Peter was also an avid listener to my radio show, Azucar y Candela, Wednesdays 6-8 pm on WXDU 88.7 FM. Once he won concert tickets I was giving away, and when I personally dropped them off at his home, he wouldn't let me leave without giving me something. That turned out to be a giant chocolate bar. His kindness and joie de vivre always left a smile on one's face.


Peter authored a cookbook in 1993. Photo courtesy of Heidi and Robert Venier.

Peter loved life, and he definitely loved Afro-Cuban rhythm. One of his favorite songs was "Oriente" by Henry Fiol, and whenever I played it, without fail, he would call me up at the station and we'd have a nice chat. He always ended our calls by saying, "thank you for playing such beautiful music." Peter was a special listener; I'll miss him.

If you remember Peter Heiman, or have stories to share at his memorial service, please join us at a celebration his life THIS SUNDAY (8/2), 2-4 pm at the Ronald McDonald House in Chapel Hill.


Postscript, updated 8/2:

I will add some notes soon about the gathering for Peter. In the meantime, here is a nice picture I took tonight of his daughter Heidi and her husband Bobby. She's a jazz singer and has worked A&R in the music business, interestingly enough. We sat around at Peter's place and talked about Celia Cruz, Tito Nieves, stickball and the Borscht Belt.



Peter faced a lot of obstacles due to his health--among them blindness and Parkinson's. I think he threw himself at the barricades and took his disabilities as carte blanche to be as "out there" as possible, even to the point of sitting on the street with a sign around his neck at Weaver Street Market reading: "I like company. How about a 5-minute conversation?"

Peter used a red cane and and had an old man's shuffle, until you led him to a dancefloor. He could tire out most young women, and had a firm lead. A photo of him dipping his partner, while dancing outdoors at Weaver Street, jogged memories. Heidi confirmed for me that her parents were both inveterate dancers and took part in the New York Jewish-Latin scene, including family vacations at the famed Grossingers resort in the Catskills (where all the Latin bandleaders entertained). Peter moved to New York from Germany at age 4, so he grew up as a real New York kid, and was reportedly a good stickball player. When Heidi was a student at NYU, living right around the corner from the Blue Note, she and her dad went to see Tito Puente and Celia Cruz whenever they could. For me, dancing with Peter was like a time machine, he did these slow rotational turns in a circular pattern that no one in "salsa" does nowadays; that HAD to be Cuban in origin, via the Catskills I suppose. That's stuff you can't learn in books.

He had a great talent for making friends, and giving of himself. I had no idea he volunteered for 14 years at Ronald McDonald House. Everybody had stories of his continuous thankfulness, his priceless sense of humor and pretty much shameless enjoyment of everything from music and dance to cuisine.

He made new friends right up until the end of his life, including Gordon Strauss of Chapel Hill. Gordon just met Peter in March 2009. Nonetheless, he summed up a lot of our comments at the service with this thought:

"Peter had something that all of us wish we had. It was intangible. It was mystical."

I think that's true--the power to see no strangers or obstacles, to find and spread joy in everything, and an absolutely audacious approach to life.

"Mystical" is a word often used by musicians and cognoscenti to describe the quality of Afro-Cuban rhythm that makes us all lifelong hostages to it. Similarly, I was reminded of the call and response of Cuban son by the prayer of remembrance used to close the service, from the Reform Judaism Prayer Book:

At the rise of the sun and at its going down
we remember you

At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter
we remember you

At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring
we remember you

At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer
we remember you

At the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn
we remember you

At the beginning of the year and when it ends
we remember you

As long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us
we remember you

When we are weary and in need of strength
we remember you

When we are lost and sick at heart
we remember you

When we have decisions that are difficult to make
we remember you

When we have joy we crave to share
we remember you

When we have achievements that are based on theirs
we remember you

For as long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us
we remember you

This same refrain has long been used by soneros to enshrine their musical ancestors:

"Te recordaremos."

--Ibrahim Ferrer (with Chucho Valdes), "La Musica Cubana," from the album Buenos Hermanos.

Whenever we dance, we embody the memories of the lives of those who danced before us. Peter is part of our steps now. I hope I will dance as long and as joyfully.

Greensboro Tiene Ya Su Guaguancó

Some pics and commentary from Afro Cuban All Stars at the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro last night (4/3):


Juan de Marcos, still the empresario. Behind him: former Cubanismo pianist Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera, who lives in Minnesota, and bassist Alberto Pantaleon who lives in Mexico City.


Representing the old school: Evelio Galán is a nephew of Mañuel "Puntillita" Licea, an original member of the Buena Vista Social Club who passed away in 2000. Galán lives in Dublin and heats up the scene there in percussionist Conor Guilfoyle's band, Havana Son. Juan de Marcos (on stage, behind him) called him "the best singer I have ever heard." Gorgeous voice, like butta. He blew me away. (I like how he strategically placed himself in front of my camera too. These are not bootlegged, I had a photo press pass.)


Calixto Oviedo is a beloved timbero in Stockholm. His 90-year-old mother is gravely ill right now, and although he is very worried about her, it didn't affect his performance. We all hope she will hold on to her health until he finishes out the tour next week and can go down to Cuba to see her. This guy has tremendous musicality on the timbales, and a great attitude!



Behind Emilio Suarez's dancing torso, that's bongosero Pepe Espinosa, who played an unusual solo on bell. He lives in [correction!] Stockholm, I believe. His sister Madelin Espinosa is also a percussionist.


Jose Gil Piñero, aka Jose Gilito, definitely plays well to the ladies.


Here he is down in the open orchestra pit with the dancers. After intermission the concert went into party mode. On stage behind him: Emilio Suarez, Juan de Marcos (arms raised), Evelio Galán.


Don't curb your enthusiasm.
Jose Gilito gets a hug. Behind him on stage: Emilio Suarez, and Juan de Marcos' wife/business manager, Gliceria Abreu (in white).







Yes, that's one nice thing about Cuban bands, they bring the party to you. For anyone who had reservations about this new and unfamiliar lineup, they are the cream of Cuba's talent diaspora. This is an elite orchestra and I appreciated the vitality and fresh faces. They shared with us a sense of optimism that this tour is opening doors, and that Barack Obama will put an end to the cold war on cultural exchange. Soon we will be ready to exhale!

I write this as rumors about Los Van Van's U.S. tour THIS SUMMER appear to be substantiated. It's going to happen, people! This July 28, Durham will get run over by El Tren!

Shout out: Local musicians I ran into in the audience at the Afro Cuban All Stars show included Bradley Simmons, Robert Cantrell, Jose Sanchez and Cesar Oviedo. If you were there, give a holler!

I also talked to Edwin Dubois, the owner of the Greensboro club Rumba D'Cache. He said he did cancel the Niche concert (sounded like he didn't sell enough advance tickets?), and was out of town that week opening another club.

Afro Cuban All Stars in Greensboro THIS FRIDAY (4/3)

The Afro Cuban All Stars will target Greensboro's Carolina Theatre for a massive vacilón this Friday (4/3):


Nostalgia band brings new faces in '09.

Juan de Marcos' latest combination features expatriated Cubanos, to steer clear of potential headaches with visas and the all-important FBI security clearances. This is the hurdle that since 2003 has in essence prohibited Cuban touring, going on 6 years now. Soon to be a thing of the past? Rumors are flying, but at this time unconfirmed. We'll keep you posted!

Meanwhile, Afro Cuban All Stars are in the 7th week of a grueling 8-week tour that has already taken them from the West Coast through the Southwest, the Midwest and Northeast. View full tour schedule here on Timba.com, including dates in nearby Virginia and Atlanta this week. The tour will wind up in Miami on April 11.

These details on the 2009 Afro Cuban All Stars lineup were reported in All About Jazz.com:

"Ignacio 'Nachito' Herrera (Minnesota), pianist and ex-musical director of Tropicana Orchestra and Cubanismo

Calixto Oviedo (Stockholm), drummer, performed with Adalberto Alvarez, NG La Banda, Pacho Alonso, etc.

Yaure Muniz (Madrid), Igort Rivas (Curacao) & Miguel Valdes (Vancouver), trumpeters, members of the Buena Vista Social Club, but also lead trumpet players with Paulo FG, Klimax, Tropicana Orchestra, etc.

Alberto 'Molote' Martinez (Amsterdam), trombonist, member of the original line up of Buena Vista Social Club, but also a featured member of Elio Reve's Orchestra, Cuban Symphonic Orchestra, etc."

Mambo Film, Demos TONIGHT in Richmond

This just in: a new documentary film, La Epoca: The Palladium Era will be shown Sunday, 3/22 in Richmond at the Fuego Restaurant.

The 7:30 pm screening costs $10 and includes a "live orchestra" and dancers who will demonstrate mambo styles, as well as a Q&A session with producers, who are taking their film around independently to show it in nightclubs and universities. More at the website, www.laepocafilm.com.



Behind the scenes: the soundtrack includes new music by Alfonso "El Panameño" Joseph and his son, the film's executive producer Josue Joseph, as well as his vocalist daughter, Raquel-Maria. Tres legend Charlie Rodriguez also plays.

I'm a little confused by the soundtrack, which appears to be half originals by the Joseph family band, padded with long-reissued tracks by Arsenio Rodriguez, the godfather of son conjunto. I hope the movie doesn't turn out to be more creative niche marketing to the dance congress crowd than a true mambo documentary. It should be interesting to see how they connect the dots.

[Update: ok, I get the connection now--Alfonso played bass with Arsenio. So what the album appears to be in reality is a retrospective/renewal of his career. The clips do make this film appear to be pretty much oriented to dance obsessives--do I really need the difference between "on 1" and "on 2" explained to me again? This is just counting, it doesn't take a new film to grasp it. What is disappointing already is that the group purports to be purists of the style, but the producer's sister's vocal ("Vale Mas") is already an R&B flavored modern fusion. That is fine, for what it is, but how does this take me back to the roots of mambo? Also, there is an awful lot of straw man construction; Johnny Pacheco as the epitome of "salsa," not to mention some very strange (to me) implicit tearing down of Fania including Hector Lavoe! Don't tell me Hector Lavoe doesn't have clave. There is a LOT MORE to salsa/son/mambo/Afro-cuban music/whatever you want to call it than counting from 1 to 2.

I think this project makes a lot of good points, about connecting the dots from Arsenio to mambo through Cachao, about the marginalization of black guys like Arsenio in the salsa market. But you can hardly say that Arsenio's sound or his commercial presence was central to the mambo scene, either. They make a big point about mambo coming before salsa, historically, but mambo is also a modern urban creation in New York City that was in essence a commercial adaptation to the influences of that time and place. But so was Arsenio's son, which came before that. I don't like the leveraging of these arguments about the history in such a way that one era is privileged as purer, better, than the others. If people want to dance mambo today I think that is cool and well and good but it's very obvious that commercial interests are behind the mambo revival as well. They aren't giving away dance lessons or salsa congress subscriptions or instructional videos. Do I think dance instructors and musicians have a right to earn money from their art and instruction? Absolutely. But the narrative of a golden age can get carried away. There is absolutely NO NEED to tear down the artistry and craft and poetry and clave brilliance of a Hector Lavoe, in order to recognize the importance of an Arsenio or a Cachao. Can't we all just get along?]

If Charlie Rodriguez is in the house, that would worth the drive. Tres, though, is not really a mambo thing, it comes from the tipico side of Cuban music, not the big band era. Hence I'm mildy confused, yet curious as hell.

Basically, in a world of iPods and cable TV, I think I speak for many when I say we are hungry out here for a anyone and anything bringing a consciousness of history to the scene, and maintaining the dancer's connection to live performance. Bring it on.

Venue-surfing the Carrboro Music Fest

Carrboro Music Festival (9/28) was the best way I've spent a Sunday in a long time.

What a great concept for a festival: instead of herding people into a narrow, fallow tract, the town of Carrboro transforms their whole downtown grid into a living, breathing festival space. They get local bands to play, all day and evening long, at over 20 indoor and outdoor venues within strolling distance. They do it on a Sunday, when parking is eased, and the coup de grace: they make it free. Streets and sidewalks are full of people venue-surfing, giving the pleasant sensation of urban bustle in an area with the geographic footprint of a village. Music lures into courtyards, concert halls, grassy knolls and parking lots. Real kitchens and bars offer food and drink (especially drink) fit for grown-ups. It's a truly civilized, all-ages show.

I won't describe every song in the jukebox, but blog-relevant: I did catch Razpa's set. They were very well-received, I looked around and saw lots of heads bopping, feet moving. Nice crowd. Particularly inspired by the guitar-driven cumbia, Manu Chao cover "Desaparecido," a Mick Jagger lookalike did noodly dance steps, with a tall can of Clamato Chelada in one hand and a cigarette in the other. That about sums it up.

The party really got started, for me, at twilight, when I got to Tyler's Parking Lot in time for a quick cuddle (figuratively speaking) with the Tim Smith band, before my dance date with Saludos Compay. Tim, aka Mr. Goodvibes, will give you a contact-high on life with his jazzy flute, sax of plenty, and that remarkably floating falsetto voice. Orquesta GarDel's Peter Kimosh shares bass duties here, a most excellent foundation for the reggae-inspired groove, and Robert Cantrell brings his Afro-Cuban skills to the congas.

As dusk fell behind the porch-like bandstand with a rustic American flag mural painted on the wall behind it, dancers coagulated in the yard in anticipation of Saludos Compay. I was heartened to see Robert Cantrell keep his seat behind the drums, adding weight to the trio's backbone, Pablo Valencia, Erich Lieth and Chuck Nolan. Though tiny (as Latin bands go), without timbales or vast horn choir, Saludos Compay generates an authentic dance groove by hewing close to the simple, time-tested formula of Cuban son montuno, with some of cumbia's rasping bounce.

Rather than edgy, hard and urban salsa, this rural dance music springs from the tilled earth. A perfect fit for the freespirited Orange/Chatham milieu. Dancers sprawled like wheeling cogs across the courtyard, reverberating to the hypnotic, primal pace of son. It's been awhile since I caught a full-blown dance set by Saludos Compay, and it was nice to be reminded why they have one of the most dedicated followings in the Triangle.

Join their e-list to get schedule updates via the band's website. Saludos Company will occupy the dance tent at Shakori Hills late Saturday night during the Grassroots Festival (10/11).