Schedule: 2009 Tour: Septeto Nacional has received their US visas.

News of the 2009 US Tour

Homenaje for Ignacio Piñeiro in Jesus Maria, an abakwa barrio in Havana. Documentary due out 6/09

Photos

Music

Links

Excellent Performances of Cuban Traditional Groups in European Festivals, 9/06


El Raspa

Septeto Nacional and Ignacio Piñeiro

Cuban sonero and composer Ignacio Piñeiro founded Sexteto Nacional in 1927, as Columbia Records’ answer to RCA Victor’s popular Sexteto Habanero. Both groups added the trumpet, and so defined the classic septet sound. Today, third-generation descendants of Septeto Nacional continue to define Cuba’s consummate son tradition. Augmenting the septet’s sound and embellishing its classic repertoire are vocalists Pío Leyva, Caridad Cuervo and Bertha Portuondo, congüero Tata Güines, pianist Guillermo González Camejo "Rubalcaba" and tres master Pancho Amat. Their close renditions of two well-known Piñeiro compositions (No Juegues Con Los Santos, featuring Cuervo, and Coco Mai Mai, featuring Portuondo) sustain an intuitive interplay between the band’s three singers, the musicians and their guest counterparts. Lead singer Eugenio Rodríguez "Raspa" can turn a song inside out (e.g., Llora Como Llore, Quimera, Tu Mi Afinidad), while Leyva’s wicked, raspy 82-year-old baritone (as heard on the recent Afro Cuban All Stars) intertwines with Rubalcaba’s stylish piano in a compelling fashion.

History

At the end of the 19th Century in the sugar cane and coffee plantations of the Cuban 'Oriente' region, two different music styles began to combine: the rhythms of Africa and the songs of Spanish heritage.

The result was a new music: the Son Oriental whose popularity, in the beginning, was limited to the rural areas of its origin. Officially it was classified as frivolous and indecent. However, its fame spread quickly to the urban neighbourhoods of the main cities in the region.

At that time Son was played by small combos composed of three to five musicians. Among the first groups to achieve fame were the Cuarteto Oriental and some years later the famous Trio Matamoros.

At the beginning of the twenties Havana experienced a major influx of orientales (people from 'Oriente') and due to their cultural influence Son became more and more accepted in the Capital. The 'Habaneros' (people from Havana) fell in love with the new rhythm and immediately put their peculiar stamp on it, speeding up the tempo, and playing it with six musicians.

During that period new groups such as the Sexteto Bolona and the Sexteto Occidental were formed and others, like the Cuarteto Orientall becomeing the Sexteto Habanero, adapted to the new conditions.

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Juan de Marcos, author of the successful project Buenavista Social Club and director of the Afro Cuban, offered to and audience of more than 8 000 what he named " the flavor of the tradition ", an outstanding musical group similar to the Cuban National Septet. The latter took the opportunity to present its last CD entitled A Conga Evening, produced by EGREM -the Cuban Recording Company- on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the group that will take place next year.

The Cuban Septet also performed at the International Festival of Sardinia, in Calagonne, together with Chucho Valdés and his quartet; and at the 7th Cuban Festival Seyne-Sur Mer, in Toulon, with NG the Band, Isaac Delgado and Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco.

In addition, they played during the Geneva´s Holidays, together with Cesaria Évora, from Cape Verde at Mataros´ Festival, in Catalonia, with X Alfonso, Jose Mercé, and the Algerian Khaled -popular known as the king of the raí-; at the Jazz Parade La Liberte, in Friburgo, Switzerland; at the International Festival of Ethnic Music, in Naples, Italy; and finally, at the South Festival of Latin-American Culture, in Reutlingen, Germany.

For Eugenio Rodríguez -alias El Raspa, director and vocalist of the group, and Frank Oropesa -alias El Matador, the Septet´s percussionist, the most exciting thing was the presentation made by tres-guitar Juan de Marcos. Juan told the audience how he learnt the secrets of Cuban music with this group, thanks to the generosity of Lázaro Herrera and Rafael Ortiz, main consultants of the Sierra Maestra musical group, that he directed.