« The heart of Cuban music » by R2 (Rock’n’Reel)

In 1992, fearful of the impact that the onslaught of rock and especially rap music from mainland America was having on the music of Cuba, French ethnomusicologist François Jouffa travelled, with his analogue tape recorder, to the island’s second city of Santiago de Cuba, known as ‘The Queen of son’, the style that has been called ‘the heart of Cuban music’ – and recorded the seven groups that feature on the fifteen tracks here. Covering traditional boléro, guaracha, mambo, guajira, conga, and rumba in order, less-sophisticated styles than has often been the case, and with the treble sound of the tres much to the fore, there is also an astonishing and very différent rendition of the standard ‘Guantanamera’. Of course, four years later Ry Cooder arrived in Havana and introduced the world to the Buena Vista Social Club. The rest is history, but this very listenable and roosty set certainly presents the listener with a « what if ? » conundrum. Norman DARWEN – R2 (ROCK’N’REEL)

Produits associés

Santiago de Cuba, La Reina Del Son

LIVE RECORDINGS IN CUBA, 1992 (BOLÉRO, GUARACHA,...