Cuban culture is a luminous mosaic of influences, reflecting the island’s indigenous, African, Spanish, and Caribbean heritage. It is a culture rich in tradition, innovation, and resilience, offering a vibrant tapestry of arts, music, history, and more that speaks to the strength and spirit of the Cuban people.

At the core of Cuban culture is its music, a pulsating force that ranges from the rhythmic beats of Son Cubano and the passionate dance of Salsa to the intricate melodies of Afro-Cuban jazz. These sounds provide the soundtrack to daily life in Cuba and have made significant impacts worldwide, symbolizing the island’s profound cultural influence.

Visual arts play a crucial role in expressing the Cuban experience, with art movements reflecting the country’s social and political evolution. From the revolutionary posters of the 1960s to the contemporary art scene in Havana, Cuban art tells a story of identity, resistance, and creativity.

Cuban literature, with its rich narratives and profound poetry, offers insights into the Cuban soul. It weaves tales of struggle, love, and the search for identity. Prominent figures like Josรฉ Martรญ and Nicolรกs Guillรฉn have contributed to Cuba’s literary heritage, exploring themes of freedom and cultural expression.

Cuban cuisine, a delicious blend of Spanish, African, and Caribbean flavors, tells its own story of cultural fusion. Dishes like ropa vieja and arroz con pollo are not just meals but celebrations of Cuba’s diverse heritage.

Exploring Cuban culture means engaging with the island’s history, from the colonial architecture of Old Havana to the revolutionary landmarks that dot the landscape. It’s an invitation to understand the resilience and pride of the Cuban people, who continue to shape a culture as dynamic and vibrant as the streets of Havana itself.

Tag Archive for: Cuban Culture

The Chan Chan route: Traditional Cuban Music from Alto Cedro to the world.

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Byย Rocรญo de Lucรญaย (Cuban Musicologist)

One of the most iconic Cuban songs is undoubtedly “Chan Chan.” Many people can immediately identify that simple but delicious composition just by entering the four chords on which the song is based, authored by another of the great symbols of Cuban culture: Mรกximo Francisco Repilado, better known as Compay Segundo. Star of theย Buena Vista Social Club, Compay achieved world fame with this traditional Cuban Music project. However, he was more than 70 years old and a respectable figure, an authority in Cuban Trova and Son music.

Compay Segundo never had academic musical training, but he brought an innate gift with which he would captivate everyone. One morning he woke up with the harmony in his head, to which he put the lyrics of one of his childhood anecdotes. He said he dreamed of the melody of “Chan Chan,” like many of his compositions.ย 

The song tells the story of Juanita and Chan Chan, two young lovers who wanted to get married. As they lived in poverty, they went “to the sea to sift sand” to find gold and thus be able to become independent. When the young Juanita entered the sea, her dresses got wet and clung to her body, so when she wiggled while she “shook the jibe,” the sensual movement of her figure caused “pain to Cha Chan.”

The author recreates this story that hides a subtleย double meaning and turns it into an adventurous artwork, with some very well-suggested touches of eroticism, but never explicit or vulgar. The verses accompany a singular tumbao, not the typical Cuban son. It is a Phrygian turn in rhythm with such a peculiar cadence, resulting in an extremely simple and irresistible song.ย 

In other verses, he sings: “the love I have for you, I can’t hide it from you, the drool comes off, I can’t avoid it anymore.”

compay-segundo-chan-chan-cover

The journey of the song

Being aย troubadour from the tip of his hair to the end of his feet, Compay Segundo begins his song by recounting one of the popular tours he used to do in his wanderings as a musician. The first verses of the single describe a route that includes several towns in the Holguรญn province, located east of the island of Cuba: “from Alto Cedro, I go to Marcanรฉ, I get to Cueto, I go to Mayarรญ.” Finally, the last verses are related to this introduction: “clear the straw path, that I want to sit on that log that I see, that I cannot get there.” Knowing the good humor of Cuban musicians and their propensity for double meanings, a second meaning related to the history of Juanita and Chan Chan can also be added to these final verses.

“Chan Chan”ย became known during the jam sessions of the Cuarteto Patria, directed by the great musicianย Eliades Ochoa, around 1987. Eliades says that the same year he had met Compay, and Compay had given him a cassette with his compositions, asking him to formally record them with his quartet so that he could earn some money from copyright. In that cassette came a son that Eliades drew attention to since the tumbao was quite unusual. That son was Chan Chan, to which Eliades Ochoa would later add his mastery to finish the bill for the song.ย 

The song was performed for the first time at theย Casa de la Trova Santiagueraย by Compay himself and the Patria quartet. The single immediately hit the public with its contagious cadence and natural grace. The composition was recorded on the Buena Vista Social Club album in March 1996, and its international premiere was on September 16, 1997.

Pope Juan Pablo Segundo invited the Compay Segundo group to give an exclusive concert in a small room below the papal office. There they performed “Chan Chan,” among other great classics of Traditional Cuban music. Even in the Vatican, they enjoyed this legendary song. This exquisite composition shows that simplicity is an exact path when you want to communicate something honest and meaningful.ย 

Experts could analyze the success formula of “Chan Chan”ย  endlessly. Yet, without a doubt, its pertinent arrangement has been an emphasized factor in helping the spontaneous flavor of its rhythm and harmony to shine and make even the most skeptical dance.

If you like this traditional Cuban music we recommend you to check out our Spotify Playlist Cuban Traditional Songs. There you will find one of the “Chan Chan” versions and many other beautiful Cuban songs that you will certainly enjoy.ย ย 

Cuban Women in Music: Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists – Part 2

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ByYami Cabreraย (Cuban musicologist and Business Development Director of Havana Music Toursย and Musical Getaways)ย 

Modernity in Cuban music continues to showcase excellent female artists, who make the culture grow on the island more and more. In the last 20 years, women musicians have stepped forward to create songs in various genres. Therefore, we could not end Women’s History Month without honoring the new generations of Cuban Women in Music. That’s why we are launching this second part of our blog CUBAN WOMEN IN MUSIC: SPOTIFY PLAYLIST TRIBUTE TO WOMEN ARTISTS โ€“ PART 1.

In this new edition of our tribute blog post, we will be presenting the songs we recently added to our Spotify Playlist, Cuban Women in Music; Playlist Tribute to Women Artist. These additions mainly display songs popularized or composed by Cuban singers.

This new list of artists included in our Playlist will find an extraordinary variety of impressive Cuban and Cuban-American female musicians who defend their musical roots worldwide. Most of them are considered among the best contemporary female singers and composers in Cuba and Latin America due to the diversity of their voices and musical spectrum.

Cuban Women in Music, 21st Century songs written or popularized by female musicians in the last 20 years

  1. รngel y Habanera – by Liuba Marรญa Hevia
  2. Mala – by Haila Marรญa Mompiรฉ
  3. La Bella Cubana – by La Camerata Romeo / Zenaida Romeo
  4. Bailando con otro – by Anacaona / Omara Portuondoย 
  5. Donde stabas anoche – by Aymee Nuviola / Septeto Santiaguero
  6. Lรกgrimas de soledad – by Danay Suarez
  7. Guajiro – by Sexto Sentido
  8. Tu nombre – by Diana Fuentes
  9. Equivocao 8.6 – by Telmary y Habana Sana
  10. Tenerme – by Gretell Barreiro
  11. Palabras – by Haydรฉe Milanรฉs
  12. La rumba me llamo yo – by Daymรฉ Arocena
  13. Mulata Linda – by Brenda Navarrete
  14. Tengo que partir – by Luna Manzanares
  15. Voy – by Eme Alfonso
  16. River – by Ibeyi
  17. Universo – by Yissy Garcรญa y Bandancha

Bonus track: Havana – by Camila Cabello / Young Thug

You can find our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists here. Enjoy, and let us know your opinion about our selection on the bottom part of this blog post.ย 

If you want to know more about women in Cuban music, check out our blog,ย THE 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE MUSICIANS IN CUBAN MUSIC FOR 2020.

 

 

Cuban Women in Music: Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists – Part 1

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ByYami Cabreraย (Cuban musicologist and Business Development Director of Havana Music Toursย and Musical Getaways)ย 

Cuban women are the inspiring soul of the great culture that Cuba preserves. Each sector of Cuban society and each bit of history contains the names of sovereign and courageous women who became examples for the nation and the world. That’s why we want to share this Spotify Playlist Tribute to honor the role of Cuban women in music during this Women’s History Month.ย 

There is an extended list of female figures who have triumphed in the Cuban and international music scene when it comes to musicians. They have made history through songs.

Many of these courageous women have become an example for younger generations in Cuban society. Among these musical legends it is possible to mention: Maria Teresa Vera, Omara Portuondo, Celia Cruz, Isolina Carrillo, Mercedita Valdรฉs, Elena Burke, Rita Montaner, Celeste Mendoza, Rosita Fornรฉs, and others.

Vanesa-formell-cuban-women-in-music

Vanesa Formell

Nowadays, Cuban culture enjoys an immense arsenal of talented young women who defend their musical roots anywhere. Cuban women musicians have positioned themselves among the best in the industry. Some of them are Daymรฉ Arocena, Eme Alfonso, Yissy Garcรญa, Brenda Navarrete, Luna Manzanares, Gretell Barreiro, Diana Fuentes, Telmary, Vanesa Formell, Aymรฉe Nuviola, La Reina y la Real, etc.

@havanamusictours

#WomenInMusic #CubanWomen in Music,@DaymรฉArocena at #Havana #JazzPlazaFestival 2019 ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡บ #jazz #cubansinger #musicacubana #cubanmusic #womenhistorymonth #trending #sing

โ™ฌ original sound – Havana Music Tours

What is in our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists?ย 

A long list of women’s names has become part of Cuban cultural and daily life due to their crucial role in music. We know that we can count thousands of songs dedicated to Cuban women, but we can also acknowledge a lot written, performed, and popularized by various women. In this Part 1 of our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists, we would like to mention essential classic songs written or popularized by women musicians in Cuba.

The following list mentions a few of our favorite classic songs written or popularized by Cuban women.

  • Veinte Aรฑos (written by Maria Teresa Vera, in 1935)
  • Damisela Encantadora (popularized by Esther Borja in 1935)
  • Dos Gardenias (written by Isolina Carrillo, in 1945)
  • Quimbara (popularized by Celia Cruz in 1974)
  • El Manisero (popularized by Rita Montaner, in 1927)
  • Yo soy el Punto Cubano (written by Celina Gonzรกlez, in 1956)
omara-portuondo-cuban-women-in-music

Omara Portuondo

Cuban women’s beauty and unique identity have also been a source of inspiration for multiple musicians. You can find lots of great songs dedicated to Cuban women. Many of them become representative compositions of Cuban music internationally. We decided to include a few of these songs on our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists Part 1.ย 

The following list mentions a few of our favorite classic songs dedicated to Cuban women.

  • Guantanamera (written by Joseรญto Fernรกndez, in 1929)
  • Longina (written by Manuel Corona, in 1918)
  • Marilรบ (title theme of the orchestra Los Van Van, between 1969 and 1970)
  • Marรญa Caracoles (written by Pello El Afrocรกn, in 1964)
  • Yolanda (written by Pablo Milanรฉs, in 1970)
  • El cuatro de Tula (written by Sergio Gonzalez Siaba of the Buena Vista Social Club, in 1996)

You can find our Spotify Playlist Tribute to Women Artists Part 1 here. Enjoy, and let us know your opinion about our selection on the bottom part of this blog post.ย 

If you want to know more about women in Cuban music, check out our blog, THE 10 MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE MUSICIANS IN CUBAN MUSIC FOR 2020.

ย 

What is Cuban dance like? All you need to know about it

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Cuban Dance 101

By Rocรญo de Lucรญa (Cuban Musicologist)

We want to start by saying that perhaps contrary to what many expected, all Cubans do not dance like salsa professionals; not even all of them like to dance. For some, it could be an evident axiom; for others, not so much, so it is worth the clarification.ย Although, Cubans have alternatives for any dancer. If you prefer slower and more relaxed types, you can practice danzรณn or son. But, if you desire faster and more energetic movements, you can try the casino, conga, rumba,ย and even reggaeton with its extreme sensuality add-on. In general, Cuba is full of options when you ask about dance styles. That’s what we want you to learn from our article today. Let’s find out what are Cuban dances like?

Local dances that Cubans like

The last three decades of history have changed the music-dance scene in Cuba quite a bit. Although many people tend to think that people from Cuba only dance casino (salsa style), rumba, and danzรณn, the truth is that Cubans nowadays practice a diverse and modern variety of dances. The cultural opening of the Island revived its link with international trends, a connection quite similar to other regions of the Caribbean and Central America such as Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, among others.

Like in other Caribbean contexts,ย reggaeton has become the favorite musical genre among the youngest and most of the Cuban population. However, even when Puerto Rican reggaeton is widely consumed by the Latinxs community everywhere, Cubans have their own style, different and particular. Without the intention of doing a far-fetched musicological dissertation in this regard, we will comment that this Cuban reggaeton is distinguished by a specific rhythmic cell based on theย Cuban clave.

Cuban reggaeton also uses and generates a lot of local slang. Some of the most popular reggaeton names are Chocolate MC, Yomil y el Dany, El Chacal, Divan, El Taiger, Harrison, El Kamel, etc. Then, the dance has particular characteristics and patterns, totally different from the rest of the geographical area.

Besides reggaeton, the other most danced genre is timba, with itsย casino dance. Timba is a mix derived from Afro-Cuban jazz, similar to son (original type of salsa), but faster and more aggressive. Cubans started calling it casino dance since its widespread use in casino clubs during the ’50s. The style sets the basic rhythm of the salsa, but it does not do it linearly but freely.

This style allowsย greater freedom of improvisation and more spontaneous and rhythmic movements. You can dance in pairs and around, hence the famous “Ruedas de Casino” (Casino Wheels, a type of casino danced in a group). Among the most popular orchestras of this timba genre are: Alexander Abreu y Habana de Primera, Bamboleo, El Noro y Primera Clase, Alain Pรฉrez, Pupi y los que Son Son, Adalberto รlvarez y su Son, and Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco.

In addition to these dances,ย we foundย Rumba dance,ย a folkloric style that remains strong among Cuban people.ย Theย Rumba styleย is divided intoย Yambu,ย Columbia, andย Guaguancรณ.ย The dancers’ energy and flavor explosion is their central characteristic. Despite its more than a hundred years of history, this “mestizo” style continues to captivate generations and generations of Cubans.ย 

The dance varies according to the style of each dancer and the type of variant. You can dance in pairs, separate people, or in a group. You can find rumba dance at both public and private parties, as well as in cultural or recreational centers. One of our favorite places to dance rumba is the Callejon de Hamel.

Another folkloric Cuban dance very vivid on the Island is conga. This genre has a marked African influence, where percussion plays the leading role. This style is a single type of dance, but in a group: the musicians play the congas (drums) and horns, and the dancers follow them through the streets, setting a basic rhythm with their feet. It’s also common for Cuban people to dance at least one conga at private parties and Carnivals.

Other styles danced in Cuba.

Cuba has been working hard to preserve a few other famous but “old school” styles among the popularity of many modern dances. “Classical” orchestras are a big part of this effort, groups that have essentially made Cubans dance for decades. Los Van Van and La Orquesta Aragรณn are two of these bands highly prestigious in the national and international music scene.

Los Van Van developed a music/dance style called Songo, where the Cuban son’s essence is interpreted with a particular rhythmic base and a charanga style of music format. The most faithful follower of this genre has been Maikel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor. Another of the most beloved by the Cuban people,ย La Orquesta Aragรณn, also uses a traditional charanga music format. They mostly performs danzones, chachachรกs, boleros, and sones.

However, we must point out that these music and dance genres are reserved for most adult populations. In the same sense, you must know that even when it seems paradoxical, the Buena Vista Social Club and its exquisite repertoire are icons currently reserved mainly for tourism and not the Cuban people. But, that doesn’t mean that they won’t enjoy it every time someone plays it.ย 

On the other hand, it is essential to talk about foreign dance styles currently popular in Cuba, likeย merengue and bachata. For the youngest, electronic and pop music also appear in their tastes. These styles have become very famous after the abundance of more modern music festivals on the Island. In this realm, we need to add a special mention of a phenomenon called Cimafunk. This bandย has made the funk style fashionable and danceable among Cuban youth, mixed with Afro-Cuban rhythms and other indigenous stylistic features.

Where do Cubans like to dance?ย 

As a general rule, family celebrations, national anniversary dates, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas, the New Year, school graduations, religions, and the reception of friends or relatives who live in other regions are often top reasons to organize a party. Food, drink, and dance music will not be missing in these celebrations. We must add that, in reality, there is not always a reason for this kind of event; many times, Cubans meet only for leisure and recreation.

Yes,ย socialization and partying are essential elements in Cuban society. To better illustrate the Cuban character on this topic, note that some dates indicated as “International Worker’s Day” or “International Women’s Day” are usually commemorations of struggle and protest in other world regions; in Cuba, they are holidays. In addition, we will mention events such as Festivals and Carnivals, different spaces that occur regularly, and where music and celebration abound.

So, if you are looking for a communityย where you can find cultural parties, not so much in clubs, but spontaneous and artistic events,ย full of traditions, culture, and joy, Cuba is one of the best places for it. However, you can also find all kinds of venues around the Island with excellent music and an impressive number of people dancing.ย 

 

If you want to learn more about Cuban dance, we highly recommend the Music Education & Cultural Cuba Tour

Cuba, a benchmark for dancers

We could list hundreds of reasons in favor of travel, and about the benefits of visiting and interacting with new cultures. One of these, without a doubt, is that knowing a new city allows us to confront stigmas and stereotypes usually built around culturally different communities. Cuba has not been exempt from this condition. That is why it is necessary to talk about these common stigmas related to Cubans and their culture.

If you like to dance, undoubtedly, Cuba will not disappoint you, especially since the conceptions of dance tend to be more accessible and without so many rigid structures of interpretation. As a general rule, Cubans value the atmosphere, the energy more than the virtuosity of the movements. Their celebrations are full of life and flavor, a friendly spirit, and communion. Even if you are not a dancer, but you like to enjoy this type of environment, in Cuba, you will have unforgettable experiences, and you will indeed be infected with the joy and warmth of its people.

Cuba’s International Salsa Festival in Havana – February 2023

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The Cuban Salsa festival in Havana, Cuba is one of those events where you won’t stop dancing for a second. The event brings together the most relevant famous music orchestras from all over the Island. It is an explosion of music and energy never experienced before.

The highlight of this Festival is the salsa music genre, better known in Cuba as “son” or “timba” -one of the most modern and popular variants of Cuban son. Hence, the possibility of enjoying the rhythmic-melodic combinations of contemporary Cuban popular music.

Since the first versions of the Havana Salsa Festival, the presence of Afro-Cuban rhythms, rumba, Salsa, and casino dance in different modalities has been shocking, such as concerts, showcases, conferences, visits to places with relevant musical history, etc.

The Cuban pianist and composer Maykel Blanco plays the primary host of the event, together with his Salsa Mayor orchestra and Cuban cultural institutions such as the Centro Provincial de Espectรกculos y de Carnaval de La Habana (Provincial Center of Shows and Carnival of Havana), and other music businesses like Artex, Paradiso, Musicalia, Clave Cubana, Instituto Cubano of the music.

The festival headquarters is the Club 500 of the Josรฉ Antonio Echeverrรญa de Palmares Recreational Complex, besieged in the heart of one of the most central and popular neighborhoods in Havana, Vedado. The space includes a large stage with an extensive area conducive to enjoying good music and dancing with your friends.

Every year, the famous Cuban Salsa festival welcomes important Cuban groups such as Pupy y los que Son Son, Adalberto Alvarez y Su Son, Alexander Abreu y Havana DยดPrimera, and the legendary Los Van Van orchestra. In addition to national artists, the Salsa Festival has had the presence of international musicians such as the Puerto Rican salsero Victor Manuelle.

For 2022, Festival de la Salsa organizers presented another tight Line-Up, including the famous Cuban orchestras mentioned before. Let’s check it out!

2023 Tour Dates are February 21st-March 1st, 2023

 

Check our special Cuban Salsa Festival playlist if you want to get in tune with our Cuban Salsa Festival Tour.

The Modern Buena Vista Social Club (Part 3)

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The Buena Vista Social Club Today

 

Byย Rocรญo de Lucรญaย (Cuban Musicologist)

When we talk about The History of Buena Vista Social Club Part 1 and The History of Buena Vista Social Club Part 2, we find that Buena Vista Social Club was the name of a Social Club where the best โ€œsonerosโ€ of the 50s used to sing in Cuba. Then, it was a song that paid tribute to those sublime encounters and musical sessions of the homonymous Club. Later, the song would give the name to an album, a project, and finally to a musical artistic concept, with a particular style and format, founded on bringing together the glorious musicians and songs of previous decades. All that is Buena Vista Social Club.

The project traveled the world always changing the members of the orchestra. Although, it is true that some figures achieved greater popularity, becoming a kind of Buena Vista icon. Many of these original interpreters passed away a few years ago, others are now of advanced age. Let us remember that, by the creation date of the project in the 90s, the vast majority of artists were over 65 years of age.

What happened in Cuba?ย 

Currently, in Cuba, the legacy and principles of the Buena Vista Social Club continue to be exalted, in a project called Tradicionales de Los 50. Because the original name is the intellectual property of the record company that recorded the homonymous album, the longest-lived figures of the Cuban son, they meet every night at the Rosalรญa de Castro Club. Located in the heart of Old Havana, there those songs that for years have brightened the lives of all those who enjoy them are honored.

Former members of the Sonora Matancera -the orchestra with which Celia Cruz recorded her first two musical albums in Cuba and a legend of Latin American dance music of the last century-, along with other great stars of the Buena Vista Social Club and Afro-Cuban All-Stars have been part of this project since 2002.

Among the most prominent figures who have collaborated, we find Julio Alberto Fernรกndez, Barbarito Torres, Amadito Valdรฉs, โ€œEl Guajiroโ€ Mirabal, Julienne Oviedo Sรกnchez, Carlos Gonzรกlez Cรกrdenas, Lรกzaro Villa, Rosa Fornรฉs, Rolo Martรญnez and Manolo del Valle. These names are joined by other great personalities of the Cuban music scene: Rolito, Armandito y Navarro, Feliz Baloy, Hector Tรฉllez, Alfonsรญ Quintana, Caridad Hierrezuelo, Hilda de la Hoz, Marรญa Elena Pena, Xiomara Valdรฉs, Teresa Garcรญa Caturla, Ela Calvo, Marรญa Victoria Gil, Amparito Valencia and Luis Tรฉllez.

The current stars, all stand out for an important musical trajectory, of excellence within Cuban music. There we will find Rolando Montero, Mundito Gonzรกlez, Josรฉ Valladares, Jorge Mulet, Migdalia Hechavarrรญa, Jose Luis Arango, Sergio Farรญas, Raquel Hernรกndez, Flora Max, Pablo Santamarรญa, Millรกn Zuaznabar, Leonor Zayas, Feliz Bernal, Yanko Pizako, Emilio Ramos, Adalberto รvila โ€œCandelaโ€, Martha de Santelices, Andrรฉs Sรกnchez, Maria Elena Lazo, Alfredo Rodrรญguez, Laura Rodrรญguez and Marรญa de Jesรบs Lรณpez.

The wide versatility of the project and its classic soundย make this show a jewel of Cuban cultural heritage. A repertoire that ranges from the great classics of Miguel Matamoros, Miguel Cunรญ, Benny Morรฉ, Compay Segundo, Celia Cruz, and Sonora Matancera -among others-, continues to transport us to the golden age of Cuban music, with the particular timbres and styles of each interpreter.

All of them preserve that old and delightful essence that allows us to enjoy, even in the XXI century, those glorious moments that made the Havana nights of past decades shine. An enjoyment turned into a privilege to get a live glimpse of the flavor and talent of the musicians who have made the whole world dance and distinguished the name of this beautiful island through passion and art.

You can find Parts 1 and 2 of this blog trilogy in the following links:

THE HISTORY OF BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB PART 1: THE VINDICATION OF CUBAN MUSIC

THE HISTORY OF BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB PART 2

The 10 Most Influential Female Musicians in Cuban Music for 2020

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A Reflection about Female Musicians For Women’s History Month

By Rosi del Valle (Cuban musician)

Last year was one of the most difficult for artists, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, music events were not possible. However, the artistic movement in Cuba did not stop. Social media was flooded with concerts from every genre. Female artists made a difference during this time of total isolation. That’s why we prepared this list of the 10 most influential Female Musicians in 2020 as a tribute to them in this Women’s History Month. All of them are great singers and talented musicians.

10. Luna Manzanares

luna-Manzanaers-female-Cuban-artist

Luna Manzanares is part of the young generation of Cuban Female singers. Last year she released a new album, “Luna Nueva,” made up of her songs, and ventured into musical theater. She also made her debut as host of the “Adolfo Guzman” Song Festival.

9. Aymeรฉ Nuviola

aymee-nuviola-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Aymรฉe Nuviola is a Cuban/American Female Musician and singerย based in the United States. Winner of the 2020 Grammy Award in the Best Tropical Latin Album category for “A Journey Through Cuban Music.”

8. Gretell Barreiro

gretell-barreiro-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Gretell Barreiro is a peculiar Cuban Female singer and pianist. In her most recent musical production, “Marina,” she highlighted femininity through various genres of Cuban music.

7. La Reina y La Real

la reina y la real-influential-Cuban-female-artist

La Reina y la Real is a Cuban Female Musicians andย Rap duo based in Havana, Cuba. These rappers released their most recent phonogram, “Mirame,” on April 3, 2020, under Bis Music record label. During the confinement, they participated in various international online programs and festivals.

6. Haila Maria Mompiรฉ

haila-maria-mompie-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Haila Marรญa Mompiรฉ is a Cuban Female Musician and singer and a trendy icon in the Cuban music scene. Last year Haila premiered her new children’s music album “A song to the smile,” licensed by the EGREM record label. She also frequently offered online concerts.

5. Daymรฉ Arocena

dayme arocena-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Daymรฉ Arocena is one of the youngest Cuban Female Musician and singers dedicated to mixing Afro-Cuban music with Jazz, having already achieved a prominent career. She’s also one of the singers who emphasizes women’s right to art, regardless of race.

4. Brenda Navarrete

brenda-navarrete-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Brenda Navarrete is a surprising Cuban Female percussionist and singer with a very active career in Havana, Cuba. She is also a composer and jazz musician invited to Miami’s Global Cuba Fest 21. She stands out for reflecting Afro-Cuban rhythms in her songs.

3. Diana Fuentes

diana-fuentes-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Diana Fuentes is a very versatile Cuban Female Musician and singerย currently based in Miami. She and Divan (Cuban reggaeton artist) starred in the song “Otra Boca,” one of the most popular last year. Diana captured the attention of the Spanish singer Pablo Alboran, with whom she co-authored two songs.

2. Telmary

telmary-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Telmary is one of the most potent Cuban Female voices of Cuban Rap Music and a former member of Free Hole Negro and Interactivo bands. Together with her group, Habana Sana, she has substantially impacted social networks. Being considered an icon for style, she launched her accessory brand “Tumbao de Telma” last October.

1. Omara Portuondo

omara-portuondo-influential-Cuban-female-artist

Several magazines selected the Cuban Female singer Omara Portuondo as the most important Cuban woman of 2020. She is also a national glory. Omara received another Grammy nomination for her latest album, “Mariposas,” with the collaboration of several artists. She was one of the first to join the online concert strategy.

 

We hope you will follow along with us and learn more about Cuban culture and music.ย You can even take a tour with us!

Rumba, an essential style of Cuban Music

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ByYami Cabrera (Cuban musicologist and Business Development Director of Havana Music Toursย and Musical Getaways)

The rumba is one of the most important and universal Cuban styles of music. Many travelers and music lovers go to the island of Cuba to learn and enjoy a good Cuban rumba. Without a doubt, it is a relevant cultural attraction of this Caribbean island. Therefore, in this article, we will be addressing some essential elements of this peculiar genre.

What does the term rumba mean?

The term rumba is included within a series of Afro-Cuban words that designate a collective and profane festival in Cuba during colonial times. It is originally conceived as a couple of dancers that occur within a related group of people. Rumba is a party, touch, and dance. It manifests itself within a cohesive collective by ties of kinship or friendship, of the neighborhood.

Rumba party? Music and dance in Cuban rumba.ย  ย 

At the rumba party, some play the drums, others raise the song, others respond as a chorus, and the others cheer with claps, waddle, go into the ring to dance, etc. Initially, the instruments used in these festivities were boxes of different sizes, frequently boxes of cod and candles; to achieve the highest sounds it was percussed in a bottle, in pans, or in some metallic implement.

These instruments were replaced with the development of the genre by three โ€œtumbadorasโ€ or โ€œcongasโ€ of different heights. Each drum has a particular and specific rhythmic function.

The highest voice, the โ€œQuintoโ€, a talking drum, is the one in charge of the improvisations that urge the dancer to make different figurations. The third drum or โ€œsalidorโ€, with a deep voice, marks a low ostinato, and the middle voice, โ€œtres dosโ€, produces another stable rhythm that balances the whole percussion section of the rumba music. The singer carries the โ€œclavesโ€, which start and remain stable during the song.

Generally, rumba songs are preceded by a melodic vocal inspiration called โ€œDianaโ€. Then, with the entry of the text, improvisation begins to expose the issue that gives rise to the rumba; this is called decimating. After improvisation, it โ€œbreaksโ€ the rumba with the entrance of the instruments and the alternating solo-chorus form.

When the rumba breaks, a couple of dancers go into the ring. The dance is evocative and, in general, convulsive and disjointed; every step and gesture represents the events that precede the possession of a chicken. The Cuban rumba also presents variants of its style of music and dance: the guaguancรณ, the yambรบ, the Columbia, and a Spanish type of rumba.

Cuban rumba style became known at the beginning of the 20th century through famous groups such as `Los Roncosยด, and `El Paso francoยด. Later, they met rumberos who acquired great prestige such as Agustรญn Pina, Roncona, Malanga, Tรญo Tom, Chano Pozo, Virulilla, etc.

New technologies and most current rumba sounds

Undoubtedly, technology has allowed the Cuban rumba to approach contemporary sounds. With it, the electric bass is incorporated into a percussive plane. On some occasions, you can see the electric piano’s presence and the jazz band’s current sound, which has accompanied us since the 1920s when Cuban musicians, mentioned above, brought the rumba and the son to the Latin Quarter of New York. In addition, we can regularly find the violin combined with a contemporary touch during the spiritual songs to the ancestors.

Nowadays, there are famous rumberos such as the Clave and Guaguancรณ, Yoruba Andabo, Los Muรฑequitos de Matanzas and Los Papines groups, among others. The artistic representation of this folkloric manifestation can also be appreciated in the presentations of professional groups such as the Conjunto Folclรณrico Nacional, and local groups such as Rumbatรก de Camagรผey and Rumbรกvila de Ciego de รvila.

Conclusions

As you can see, these are just some relevant data regarding the Cuban rumba. The Cuban rumba is a complex and very peculiar artistic phenomenon. On our part, it only remains to invite you to meet and enjoy this wonderful Cuban party with us.

The rumba is one of the most attractive Cuban styles for our team. That is why we always have a special space for her on our Tours. Havana Music Tours offers the opportunity to enjoy this style through direct contact with specific artists and musical groups such as Los Muรฑequitos de Matanzas or Clave y Guaguancรณ.

However, we recommend our Cuban Jazz and Rumba Tour, Fiestaย Del Tambor (VIP), and even the Josone Music Festival in Varadero (Rumba, Jazz Son). These tours specialize their experiences in Cuban musical matters such as the rumba, and especially its percussion instruments. It is valid to highlight that our agency will also take into account personalized suggestions.

Are you ready to dance and enjoy Cuban rumba with our Havana Music Tours team?

Join us for an unforgettable tour of Cuba.ย Book your CubaTour Now!

Also, check out ourย Ultimate Cuba Travel Checklist (Updated January 2022)

The Tonadas Trinitarias: The Folkloric Music of Trinidad, Cuba

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Tonadas Trinitarias, Cuban Folk Music

ByYami Cabreraย (Cuban musicologist and Business Development Director of Havana Music Toursย and Musical Getaways)ย 

Trinidad is a beautiful city in the center of Cuba. There we can find a very distinctive genre of this city, known as Tonadas Trinitarias. In the beginning, this musical expression was developed as part of a festive musician-dance event of a movement and purely profane nature. This style is currently performed by some of its main folkloric-traditional musical groups from Trinidad city.

Although its name refers to a generic species linked to country Cuban music, the Tonadas Trinitarias musical form is very distant from this type of music. On the contrary, it denotes a type of music that is accompanied by three small drums with the parietal wedge, a guataca, a guiro, and a mixed choir. This type of group is also very similar โ€“in terms of sound and instrumental formatโ€“ to that of the harpsichord choirs from the rumba and typical of the cities of Matanzas and Sancti Spรญritus.

This tradition dates back to the second half of the 19th century, and some sources highlight its similarity with the beginning of the independence struggles and the revolutionary fervor of the time. They were organized by choral groups of men and women, in charge of representing the different neighborhoods established in the town.

During the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, it was known of the existence of two main groupings of Tonadas Trinitarias, each one representing specific neighborhoods, such as La Popa or Jibabuco and Simpรก or El Tamarindo. However, the socio-cultural changes that occurred in the neocolonial stage caused a strong depression in the practice of these tunes, leaving both groups practically disabled.

The group meets again with the Triumph of the Revolution. This was possible at the request of government entities such as Cultura Municipal, and with the help of young art instructors. They bring together the main bearers of the tradition, it makes possible the creation of the Tonadas Trinitarias Group in 1963.

Unfortunately, starting in the 80s, this process led to the degradation of the tradition.ย  The Tonadas Trinitarias became a generic type to be included as part of a repertoire of the Conjunto Folclรณrico de Trinidad, and other local groups.

However, due to the ideological and commercial value attributed to the tradition, this tradition has a new resurgence as a cultural product after opening the city to tourism in the 2000s. The Tonadas reaches into the present despite the great challenges in improving its practice.

Currently, the group remains in force thanks to its own members’ efforts and some of the cultural authorities of the town. The Tonadas Trinitarias can be found in different places in the very center of Trinidad, Cuba, such as the Palenque de Los Congos Reales, or in the Patio Bรฉcquer.

 

Here are a couple of different videos,

including a collaboration with Havana Music Tours founder, Chaz Chambers

 

 

An approach to the transverse flute in Cuban music

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By Rosi del Valle (Cuban musician)

For more than a century, the transverse flute has been one of Cuban music’s leading and most exciting instruments. Its prominence ranges from the so-called Charanga orchestras to the most contemporary Jazz, having virtuous exponents renowned worldwide.

In Cuba, the boom of the flute made this instrument increasingly present in orchestras due to the singularity of its sound and the “flavor” it added to dance music.

The transverse flute can be classified as an aerophone instrument whose register encompasses the mid-bass and high-pitched sounds. It’s got a versatile sonority since it can achieve different sounds for different purposes.

History and significant performers of the transverse flute in Cuba

The flute reached its peak in Cuban popular music during the first decades of the 20th century with the emergence of the “Charanga orchestras.” These traditional music groups were made up of percussion instruments (tumbadoras, timpani, minor percussion), piano, violins, bass, flute. Later on, other instruments such as the trumpet, the trombone, and a more extensive percussion set were added. Because of its sonority, the flute became emblematic in the orchestras of the time; it is essential in musical genres such as Danzรณn, Cha-cha-chรก, and Son, all of which are characteristic of Cuban music.

Orquesta Aragรณn (Aragรณn Orchestra) is undoubtedly Cuba’s most crucial charanga band, while Richard Egรผes, nicknamed “the magic flute,” has been its most recognized flutist. His skills and peculiar sound became a reference for many professional and amateur musicians. His improvisations became so famous that they were imitated inside and outside the country. This virtuous musician became the hallmark of this orchestra. One of his most outstanding soloist performances appears in the recording of the famous song “Tres Bellas Cubanas” during the boom of the Buena Vista Social Club musical project.

Over the years, the flute has become essential in Cuban music. This fact justifies its presence in different musical genres and instrumental formats, as was the case of the well-known Los Van Van Orchestra โ€”directed since its foundation by the late Juan Formell, an artist who claims to have changed the development of his group with the incorporation of this instrument.
The versatile and renowned Cuban musician Josรฉ Luis Cortรฉs was the first flutist to use this instrument in Los Van Van. Cortรฉs, known as “el Tosco,” is considered one of the essential flute players within Cuban musical culture.

After being a member of orchestras such as Los Van Van and Irakere, Jose Luis Cortรฉs founded his own, NG la Banda. His performance in this new musical group brought about new sonorities, more moderate and different. His technique to play the flute is nourished daringly by elements of concert music and Jazz, which generates a change in his way of improvising. Due to his transgressive and diverse career, Cortรฉs is considered the most influential flutist of the new generation of Cuban Jazz.

Orlando “Maraca” Valle, another representative flutist of Cuban music, came onto the same artistic background. Unlike Jose Luis Cortรฉs, he covered a much broader spectrum in the world of flute performance. During his studies, he absorbed specific and unique techniques beyond the trend, focusing on sonority according to the instrument’s evolution.

Maraca has the merit of having managed to reproduce the sound of the wooden flute in the transverse flute. He has become one of the world’s strongest exponents of Latin Jazz, especially for his technique to play the instrument and his improvisation skills. He has expanded his music, reaching out to a very diverse audience. He was named “the liberator of the flute” for moving away from the standard established for flutists in charanga music.

The transverse flute is and will be one of the most fantastic attractions of Cuban dance music. It came from Europe to stay forever.