Cuba

For six weeks in January and February, I studied folkloric music in Cuba. 

In Havana, I stayed in a “casa particulaire” – a private residence where students/travelers rent rooms. My host, Maria, was incredibly warm and welcoming. She didn’t speak a word of English, but she was always up for a good conversation. That brings me to my first order of business: Español. 

Before leaving Canada, I took a Spanish 101 crash course. I’m grateful that I did that, because – unlike everywhere else I’ve been – English doesn’t cut it in Cuba. For the places that I wanted to visit, the people I wanted to meet, the things I wanted to learn, Spanish was the only option. My speaking/comprehension came a long way in six weeks, but I often found myself falling back on: “Despacio, por favor.” ;) 

While learning Spanish was an ongoing education, the main focus of my six-week adventure was music. I studied the Bata (“bah-tah”) musical tradition – a drumming style closely related with the Santeria religion. With origins in Nigeria, Bata were brought to Cuba with the slave trade; for centuries, this ancient musical tradition was been preserved in Cuba.

Bata are hourglass-shaped drums played with hands. Three drummers play at once; each drum has two heads. With six different rhythms being played at the same time, the resulting rhythmic/melodic interplay is second to none. Add a chorus of call/response vocalists and expressive dancers in brightly coloured dress, and you’ve got a truly incredible musical experience.

I studied Bata in Canada for the past six years with my professor, Steve Mancuso. With a few years of playing under my belt and a decent comprehension of the tradition, I felt it was time to experience the “real deal” – it was time to go to Cuba.

Over the course of six weeks, I was never lacking for excitement; Havana is a very vibrant city. As with any city, it certainly isn’t without flaws (that’s for another time), but there is an energy here that never ceased to amaze me. There’s constant balance between hustle-bustle and stopping to say hi to EVERYBODY on the street; between roadside churros and home-cooked meals; between Cuban Convertibles (CUC) and Moneda Nacionale (CUP); between old cars ... and older ones.

I spent large parts of my days exploring the city on foot. When not walking, I was usually at a concert. Most nights, I went to local Rumba concerts (the more popular/accessible form of Cuban folkloric music). With a heavy focus on drums, Rumba features congas, vocals, and – fairly sexual – dancing. Because most Bata drummers are well versed in Rumba, these concerts were a great way of meeting people in the drumming community. I was lucky enough to meet many incredible musicians that were all very open to sharing.

Anyways, that’s just a brief overview. Now I’ll let the pictures share their own stories.

Enjoy!

Comments

[Chris Butcher]

Cool Derek,

Ruy Lopez is a friend, last time I jammed with him and hung at his place. I'm playing a gig with him at Lula on May 16th.