by Eddie
Hi again!
How’s the festive season coming along? Lots of dancing and celebrating I hope. :)
As 2008 is coming to an end, I needed to find a song that people loved. You might find it familiar but you might not know the name. It's none other than *drum roll* “Clasiqueando Con Rubén” by Afro-Cuban All Stars. *warm applause from everyone* *Thank you. Thank you very much*
This song has a really great grand entry which comes to a stop. That is followed by a piano solo and when the rest of the instruments come together in the middle, it flows naturally and with grace. This is the kind of song which you can play in any kind of party to give that party a really warm feel.
What's even better is this song has a lot of accent hits and pauses which you can play around with your partner. Depending on what kind of instrument you like to hit. From trumpets to congas, you name it. It is obvious when the song is coming to an end as well and in any case, this song has 4 thumbs up from me.
Details of the song:
Title: Clasiqueando Con Rubén
Artist: Afro-Cuban All Stars
Album: A Toda Cuba Le Gusta
Year: 2007
Listen to Clasiquando Con Rubén here. Look for Track 9!
A Little Background
Some of you might know them. They were here in Singapore for Singapore International Salsa Festival 2007 and man did we have a blast that year with the band playing live and all. Overall it was an amazing experience hearing them live.
Juan de Marcos González was an important figure in the forming of the Afro-Cuban All Stars. Initially, while he was studying in university he co-founded the group Sierra Maestra in 1978 which had only the tres, trumpet, bass, percussion and vocals in the group. The group was formed to bring about an appreciation on Cuban son by the young and they were very much successful, recording fourteen albums in Cuba, touring Europe and Africa and winning various awards.
During the recording of the album “¡Dundunbanza!” in 1994, González met Nick Gold from London based record label World Circuits. It was during this time when Nick encouraged the group to expand their line-up to include piano, congas and a trumpet section in a tribute to the forties and fifties styles of Arsenio Rodríguez from Cuba. With both having the same understanding and establishing common ground. They took it a step further by having a bigger band recording featuring the neglected stars of this golden age of Cuban music.
González had long wanted to put a band together consisting of the old masters and the new generations of Cuban musicians. He had wanted the experience of the older generation combining with the energy of the younger ones and thus proceeded to find many of his heroes, many of them already retired from music such as singers Manuel Puntillita Licea, Pío Leyva and Raúl Planas, all in their seventies, legendary pianist Rubén González with his chosen bass player Orlando Cachaíto López to name a few. Thus Afro-Cuban All Stars was born.
Sources: theagencygroup.com
Please note that this article was compiled based on information from various sources. It is only meant for casual reading and while we try to ensure the accuracy of the information, please do let us know if you spot any errors.
Eddie is currently an instructor with En Motion Dance School with a deep interest in music and dance. Leave a comment (preferred!) or contact him at eddie@dance-en-motion.com
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