Walk down almost any street in Santiago de Cuba on any summer day, and you will encounter live music in some fashion. Whether it be a solo trumpeter performing in front of a park bench, or a full son cubano ensemble blaring out of a “casa de música,” in the summer months, Santiago D.C. is just teeming with live music. For clarity: “son,” like mambo, rumba or salsa, is a subgenre of Cuban music. Son, however, originates in the Oriente, and thus is most popular in the Santiago D.C.
Throughout Santiago D.C., there is a mixture of famous, marquee music halls, and smaller, lesser-known venues. Located in central Santiago, just a block from Parque Céspedes, Casa de la Trova (House of the Ballad), is one of the more popular music halls.
One evening, I ventured to Casa de la Trova, with a French friend and a Cuban friend. The band was enjoyable; however, as the Festival del Caribe had ended the night before, there was not much of a turn out, in terms of the crowd. That said, as a drummer, listening to Cuban rhythms is always an entertaining activity.
Below are some assorted pictures from Santiago D.C. My personal favorite is the graffiti “Soy un tambor” (“I am a drum”) that I saw in a park near La Gran Piedra (The Big Rock), a popular attraction on the outskirts of the city. More to come…
Below are a collection of videos from the 2008 Festival del Caribe in Santiago de Cuba. Please see the previous post to read more about festival. The final three videos are from the Burning of the Devil ceremony, which marked the culmination of the Festival del Caribe. Enjoy!
After spending several weeks in Havana, I departed on a fourteen-hour bus ride to Santiago de Cuba, in the Orient. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba’s second-largest city, holds a special place in Cuban history, as it was the city where Fidel Castro proclaimed victory of the Revolution in 1959.
Santiago de Cuba has a very laid-back, relaxed feel to it: there is a notable absence of the daily hustle found in Havana. Aesthetically, Santiago almost looks as if it were a Cuban (mini) version of San Francisco: the city is set on a hill that overlooks a bay. The endless rows of pastel colored houses and overhanging telephone lines also radiate a “San Fran” feel.
Every mid-July since 1980, the city hosts la Festival del Caribe, the Festival of the Caribbean – it is also known as the Fiesta de Fuego, the Fire Festival. The festival showcases the music, dance, and other various cultural intricacies of each of the countries in the Caribbean. For one week, Santiago de Cuba is overflowing with people from all of the Caribbean: it is a wonderful means to bridge cultural gaps among the people from different Caribbean countries. Each year, the festival is “dedicated” to one country, and this year, Mexico was country of honor.
The week-long celebration includes countless activities, but the final day of the festival, which features an elaborate parade, is the true highlight of the week. Each country participates in the parade; showing off the country’s respective music and dance. Because Cuba is the host country, throughout the procession, there are representatives from all of the provinces of Cuba – compared to the singular group from every other country.
The procession commences in the late afternoon and stretches until just after sunset. The heart of the festival is located in the plaza in front of Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Asunción.
Most certainly, the music during the procession is outstanding: it is such a neat juxtaposition to hear all of the respective rhythms from each of the Caribbean countries. While each performance has a strong emphasis on dance (and the extravagant costumes that go with it!), the music truly is the focal point of the parade. As true with all parades, drums and percussion are the cornerstone of the musical ensemble.
While I will readily admit that the majority of the rhythms of Caribbean music do not greatly differ country to country, there are many notable differences in style and form among each country’s respective music. It is impossible to pinpoint my favorite performance, although I thoroughly enjoyed the cavalcades of Brazil, Trinidad & Tobago, and the Dominican Republic. The procession of Trinidad & Tobago was especially memorable, as there was a large truck with a full-kit drummer and steel drummer playing on the back.
On that note, I’m sure I will never forget the fire-breathing roller-skaters, or the cross-dressing drummers that played tin cans and boxes. (Words cannot describe; see pictures below…)
As the sun began to set, the streets became more packed and packed: it felt as if the entire city was partaking in the festivities. After the parade-portion of the festival ended, the festivities culminated with the Quemando del Diablo, the Burning of the Devil.
The march from the town hall in the center of the city to the effigy, located near one of the ports about a mile away, was epic, to say the least. Just before 9pm, a twenty-foot, wooden effigy of Lucifer was set ablaze. Drumming, singing, and dancing around the burning flames continued well into the night.
Below are just a handful of pictures from the Festival del Caribe/Fiesta del Fuego. Videos will be posted shortly.
Tucked away in Central Havana – not too far from the Malecon Boulevard –, Callejón de Hamel is one of the truly legendary music venues in Cuba. Unlike the Buena Vista Social Club, a members-only club, Callejón de Hamel (Hamel Alley) is open to the public, and in turn, stands out as of one of the staples of the Cuban music scene.
Founded in the early 1990s by Salvador Gonzales, a local artist, Callejón de Hamel aspires to promote the artistic abilities of the Afro-Cuban population.
The physical space itself is extraordinary: murals, sculptures and assorted artistic-creations are scattered throughout the alley. At times, the vividly bright colors are mesmerizing.
Although events are also hosted on Friday and Saturday, Sunday is the most bustling day at Callejón de Hamel. Every Sunday, different, local rumba artists perform free concerts for the public.
Rumba is one of the most distinct musical genres in Cuba: while it is difficult to define rumba, as it simply needs to heard to be understood, in essence, rumba is a heavily African-influenced Cuban music.
The offbeat rhythms of rumba (as in, rhythms that do not hold a steady two-four beat) make the music very unique, rhythmically. As a drummer, rumba is so engaging because the percussion section is not locked down to a steady beat. That is to say, the rhythm of rumba music is very “free” and “open” – in a sense, the rhythm of rumba has the same sort of mobility that a melody typically enjoys.
The performance I attended was very enjoyable; although, truth be told, it was not the best rumba performance I saw in Cuba. Surely, Callejón de Hamel is an “authentic” Cuban experience; nevertheless, as it is listed on Lonely Planet’s “Must See In Havana” list, the place is, not surprisingly, swamped with tourists.
This over-exploitation explains why the “premier” rumba players no longer perform at Callejón de Hamel. That said, the space is stunningly beautiful, the music is enjoyable, and I have never been to anywhere quite like Callejón de Hamel. I wholeheartedly recommend a visit to the place.
By showcasing the most talented Afro-Cuban artists and musicians, Callejón de Hamel promotes the development and growth of the creative arts in Cuba society. Despite its recent “guidebook celebrity status,” Callejón de Hamel is an integral part of the Afro-Cuban community and well-worth a visit!
One muggy afternoon, I found myself on Calle Obispo, a rather busy street in Central Havana. As I was walking leisurely, ice-cream cone in hand, I stumbled upon a music shop, Longina Música, that sold both records and instruments.
As I entered the store, I immediately saw a series of ornately crafted drums. These drums could easily be mistaken for sculptures: one drum depicted a little man whose head was the top of the drum, another drum was of a screaming face, and another had complex lattice of woodwork around the body of the drum. It is too difficult to describe phenomenal details of these drums; I would recommend scrolling down to the bottom of this entry to see the photographs.
The master behind these ingenious creations is Eduardo Cordova Reyes, a native of Havana. From an early age, Mr. Cordova studied music, most specifically drums and percussion. At some point in his late teens, he became interested in wood crafting; and eventually, he fused his two passions, and began crafting drums and percussion instruments.
Most interestingly, Mr. Cordova uses his dreams as inspirations for the visual blueprints of his instruments. Through an academic lens, this concept is pretty fascinating to think about; nonetheless, after viewing some of Mr. Cordova’s drums, it all makes perfect sense. His most famous drum is entitled, “El Tambor de las Siete Bocas” (“The Drum With Seven Mouths”) – not the most creative of titles, but the fact that his drums even have names underscores the notion that his drums actually are more artistic than practical. As the name indicates, the drum has seven different faces; and actually, there are seven different (drum) heads on the instrument, so the player can play on any of the seven heads.
Over the course of this past year, I have encountered some amazing drums; and with that in mind, I can firmly assert that Mr. Cordova’s creations have the most intricate craftsmanship I have seen. The drums are more akin to artistic sculptures than musical instruments: he truly has crafted some very special instruments. According to the music shop owner, Mr. Cordova has won several international awards for his craftsmanship.
Much to my dismay, Mr. Cordova was out of town – at a workshop in Italy. I was able to chat with the music shop owners about Mr. Cordova's work, so I was able to learn a bunch about him. A couple years back, a Cuban magazine called Tropicana Internacional, published a pretty extensive interview with him; and somewhat ironically, the article was entitled, “Cordova: el arte del tambor” (or, in English, “Cordoba: The Art of the Drum”).
Sadly, I was unable to purchase a drum, as I was weary of bringing back anything from Cuba to the States. That said, I was blown away by what I saw, and those memories are enough for me…
Longina Música is located on Calle Obispo No. 360, between Calle Habana and Calle Compostela.
After my brief stay in London, I flew to Havana, Cuba, for the final leg of my Bristol Fellowship. On the plane ride back to my usual hemisphere, it was hard to believe that my year of research was almost complete.
Like my transition from Japan to India, at first, I had a bit of difficulty adjusting to life in Cuba. Simply put, I had had such a positive experience in Morocco – both in terms of my research and my social life – that I actually did not want to leave Morocco at all! Either way, after a restless flight, I found myself in downtown Havana.
Truth be told, I am not in love with Havana. While the city is aesthetically pleasing, there is so much hustle in Havana that it can be quiet a hassle to walk the streets alone. Needless to say, it is a fascinating city in itself; it truly is like stepping into a time capsule, as the majority of the cars are from before 1959 (not to mention most of the buildings look like they have not been restored for five or six decades).
Access to the internet in Cuba is limited, at best, making it impossible to update my website while I was in the country. Furthermore, as a citizen of the United States, my visit to Cuba was, technically, illegal; so I did not want to attract any unwanted attention.
Over the forthcoming days, I will post more on my musical experiences on the island. Without a doubt, I attended some incredible shows; I can boldly assert that Cuban rhythms are the most enjoyable in the world. Videos and (more) photographs to come…
Just hours after the post-party for L’Boulevard Festival ended, I flew from Casablanca to London – in a not-so-direct manner, as I had a layover in Rome. I spent three days in London, in order to gather the proper documentation to enter Cuba. (Actually, the gap between the flights turned out to be essential, as my bag was lost by the airline!)
Coincidentally, Radiohead, one of my all time favorite bands, was in town, playing two shows in Victoria Park; and naturally, I attended both concerts. I actually got a free ticket to the second show; perhaps I just have very good music-karma.
While these experiences had nothing to do with the fellowship per se, Radiohead’s drummer, Phil Selway, has always been at the forefront of pushing the creative envelope for drums and percussion. Phil is best known for his integration of acoustic and electronic drums. Furthermore, unlike many popular rock drums, Phil often employs odd time signatures to his beats.
Both shows were outstanding – I have no doubts that Radiohead are one of the best live bands out there, if not the best. The highlight of both shows came during “Bangers & Mash,” as Thom Yorke, the lead singer, played drums on an auxiliary kit and sang. Most definitely, the prospect of two drummers on one song makes me smile.
And, might I add, Thom has some serious chops! Enjoy the photographs.
Over the past few years, L’Boulevard Festival in Casablanca has emerged as one of the premier festivals to showcase popular Moroccan rock, reggae and hip hop acts. Like so many other festivals throughout Morocco, the festival was extremely well organized and the promoters demonstrated a profound level of professionalism.
The festival ran from Wednesday, June 18th through Sunday, the 22nd: I was only able to attend two nights, Thursday and Sunday, as I wanted to attend the Maroc Hit Parade in Rabat on the 21st. (This just goes to show how many festivals there are in Morocco; many festivals overlap one another).
On Thursday, I attended a performance by H-Kayne, probably the most popular hip-hop act in Morocco. It was definitely a fun show, although, as a drummer, I always am a little jaded while watching a concert that does not have a live drummer. As they say, “Drum machines don’t have souls.”
Sunday was the biggest day of the festival, anyway, with performances by Darga, Barry, Band of Gnawa, and of course, Hoba Hoba Spirit. The whole afternoon and evening was a blast. Hoba’s performance was incredible: it was the hometown show for the band, so there was an even higher level of energy than normal. Because I was leaving Morocco the next morning, it also was the last Hoba Hoba Spirit concert I attended, making it a very special experience for me.
Throughout the course of this year, I have been exposed to many new wonderful musicians. Without a doubt, I have seen more talent in Morocco than any of the other countries I have conducted the research in.
When friends ask me, “What is Moroccan music like?” I cannot help but roll my eyes. Moroccan music is absurdly diverse: because North Africa is teeming with so many different cultural influences, the music of Morocco cannot be easily categorized. But, to answer that nagging question, Moroccan music can sound like traditional Arabian music or classical Berber music or classical Andalusian (Spanish) music or typical French music or tribal West African music…or, it can sound like a hybrid of all, or some, of those influences!
Because contemporary artists have such a deep musical pool to draw from, bands like Hoba Hoba Spirit and Darga emerge with a very unique, but very grounded, sound. I think it is so neat how modern bands employ traditional elements.
To think of the evolution of Moroccan music, it is so incredible to remember that a genre of music, like gnaoua, originated as the music of West African slaves brought to Morocco. The rhythms of gnaoua can be heard in the music of Hoba Hoba Spirit. These same rhythms even constitute the backbone of blues music. Very, very cool, indeed…
In terms of my personal experience in Morocco, I have only the fondest memories of country. I would highly recommend anyone and everyone to travel to Morocco; it is one of the most fascinating, and beautiful, corners of the world. If you are a music aficionado, definitely visit Morocco anytime from the middle of May to early July, as there are a plethora of festivals. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the “music season” in Morocco is that almost all of the performances are free: it is so commendable that the King and other private institutions have financed so many great festivals.
Lastly, I must say a big, BIG thank you to Amine Chabi and Adil Hanine for all their help. I could write a list of a hundred names of individuals that assisted me throughout my field research, a testament to the tremendous level of hospitality throughout the country…
Apologies for the delays on the website; more to come on my adventures in Cuba. Stay tuned…
On Saturday, June 21st, I attended the inaugural year of the Maroc Hit Parade Festival, which is sponsored by Hit Radio, in Rabat. Top to bottom, it was the best one-day lineup of any festival I saw in Morocco; some of the artists included H-Kayne, Fnaire, Darga, Bigg, Casa Crew, and Hoba Hoba Spirit
There was a somber atmosphere because a week earlier, the DJ of the hip hop act Fnaire, Hicham Belqas, died in a car accident in Fes. I actually went to Fnaire’s performance in Fes the night before Hicham died. At one point during the festival, all of the artists gathered on a stage for a moment of silence in remembrance of Hicham.
Hoba Hoba Spirit headlined the festival; because there were so many other acts, Hoba didn’t finish their set until almost two in the morning. Of course, Hoba played a great show; but the highlight of the evening was the performance by Darga, another rock-reggae-gnaoua fusion band from Casablanca. Amine Belghiti, the lead singer of Darga, actually performed a couple of songs with Hoba. A very cool collaboration indeed…
Truth be told, I had rather mixed feelings about the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music: on one hand, it is a fantastic gathering of musicians, but on the other, it is a blatant exploitation of religious music. While the festival has a strong emphasis on multiculturalism, which is a positive aspect, there is a rampant sense of materialism at the festival – a prospect that should be contradictory to “sacred” music.
Indeed, a lingering question remains, as to whether “spirituality” in music can exist when there is corporate sponsorship. How can it truly be spiritual if a profit is made? Spirituality music is supposed to be free of material chains; the music of the Divine should be accessible to all. Furthermore, music is an expression of the self; so in a sense, almost all music can be labeled as “spiritual,” as, existentially speaking, the self is a reflection of the Self.
Yet, this is all a matter of perspective; some people do not find anything negative about the festival’s approach to “spiritual,” or “sacred,” music. At one show, I met a young banker named Khalid Ben Hadine, who is from Fes. Khalid had very positive things to say about idea of the festival: “Spiritual music is more important [than contemporary music]…it helps you to be comfortable with yourself.” Khalid asserted that with, “rock and hip hop, we lose spirituality. They are too commercial.” He lamented that the youth of Morocco just “want the clothes” that the artists wear. According to Khalid, “modernization” has caused this desire for the material world. Nevertheless, with the music at the Fes Festival, the people are able to learn about “the history of my country.” The festival creates a, “good chance [opportunity] to meet old cultures” from around the world Khalid was adamant when he stated, “We need it [sacred music]. Radio is just pop, house, rap; it is so rare to find spiritual music on the radio.”
In sum, the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music is extremely well-organized festival; yet, unfortunately, due to the high cost of the tickets, it remains inaccessible to the bulk of the Moroccan population.
The Fes Festival of Sacred Music is not exclusive to “sacred” music: several venues, chiefly Ait Skato and Bab Boujloud, feature contemporary musicians. While I support the idea that the Fes Festival has both traditional and contemporary music, I firmly believe the organizers need to try to bridge a gap between these two genres. That is to say, there is no effort to recognize the “spiritual” aspect of contemporary music. Indeed, it is disappointing that the event organizers place so much emphasis on the “sacredness” of traditional music yet fail to distinguish or define “spiritual” essence of modern music.
When discussing this issue with Adil Hanine, the drummer of Hoba Hoba Spirit, he asked me, “What is spiritual music?” After a quick pause, he answered his own question: “Spiritual music is the heart’s expression.”
Regardless of this debate (although, as it is impossible to contradict Adil’s answer, there is not much of a debate at all), the festival organizers did a good job to showcase popular Moroccan artists, such as Nass El Ghiwane, Fnaire, Fes City Clan and Hoba Hoba Spirit.
Hoba Hoba Spirit actually played twice at the festival: on Saturday, June 14th, at Ait Skato, a venue outside the city center, and the following Sunday at Bab Boujloud, located in a plaza in the old medina. Both shows were well-attended: there were between twelve and fifteen thousand people in attendance for Saturday night’s show at Ait Skato, and about ten thousand showed up for Sunday afternoon’s performance.
As always, Hoba put on an outstanding show: they are one of the top live performers of all the bands I have ever seen. At each Hoba concert I have attended, the band has formed such a strong, immediate connection with the audience. Because these concerts represent a major form of social outlet for many young Moroccans, there is always so much energy in the audience, which, in turn, transfers onto the stage.
Below are some photographs and short videos from Saturday’s performance. I will post the media from Sunday’s show shortly…
My apologies for any difficulties experienced while viewing this site. I have had some issues with my new posts as of late. I am not sure what is wrong, but will try to fix everything asap. More from Morocco and Cuba to come...
First and foremost, apologies for this extended delay: my last two weeks in Morocco were extremely hectic. At the end of June, I left Morocco for Cuba, spending about a month in a Caribbean. Before I get ahead of myself, let me finish my analysis of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music…
On Thursday, June 12th, the legendary Abdelwahab Doukkali performed at the Bab El Makina. Abdelwahab Doukkali is one of the most successful Moroccan musicians of all time; to give his level of popularity some perspective, the following night at the Bab Boujloud scene, there was a tribute band that just played Abdelwahab Doukkali compositions. A. Doukkali is more than a musician; he is an institution.
This evening’s performance was entitled, “Spiritual Dialogue Between Souls.” The orchestra of Rachid Regragui, a very young but already-celebrated conductor, accompanied A. Doukkali. Typically, A. Doukkali plays contemporary music; nonetheless, tonight, he only performed traditional, religious music.
Princess Lalla Salma was in attendance; and, naturally, the audience gave her a huge ovation. (Side note, in the Moroccan royal family, the woman married to the King is not given the title “Queen,” but instead, “Princess”).
Throughout the entire evening, the performance almost felt as if it were exclusively for the Princess: that is to say, it felt as if the audience was watching in on a private music session of the royal court. All of the musicians wore tuxedos, with the sole exception of A. Doukkali who wore traditional Moroccan garb. Needless to say, it was a majestic production.
Born in Fes, A. Doukkali sings and plays the lute. Although all of the vocals are in Arabic, it is clear that the lyrics of each song reflect typical themes of the music of Sufism: the individual’s quest for a union with God.
Accompanying A. Doukkali was an orchestra of forty musicians, giving the ensemble a very full sound. Truth be told, the music was more melodic than rhythmic: there were only two percussionists. Like many other nights of the Fes Festival, the audience was very engaged, often clapping the beat.
After almost three hours of music, the performance at Bab El Makina ended, and I headed over to the Dar Tazi scene. As with every other night at Dar Tazi, this evening’s performance showcased traditional Sufi musicians. Tonight featured the Derkaouiya Brotherhood, conducted by Abdelhamid Zouya. From Larache in North Morocco, the group consists of fourteen musicians. Despite its name, the group is not an exclusively male: there are two female performers. Because of the Derkaouiya Brotherhood is from the north of Morocco, there was a definite Andalusian influence: the group had two lute players and two violists.
As always, the place was full to capacity. Once again, the audience was obliged to sit, rather than have the freedom to dance. It does seem a little odd that dancing is discouraged; and I sincerely have no idea why the rules are what they are. Regardless, the performance at Dar Tazi was a great ending to an even better evening.
Hi everyone. Apologies for the lack of updates over the five-plus weeks: I was in Cuba, and thanks to the embargo, was unable to update the website. Without a doubt, I have much to write, both from my final days in Morocco and my time in the Caribbean. Over the next few weeks, I will post those entries.
I actually am back in New York City! Very exciting to be home; nonetheless, I already miss my travels on the Bristol Fellowship....
I graduated from Hamilton College in 2007, with degrees in Religious Studies and Hispanic Studies. I have been awarded the Bristol Fellowship, a year-long grant.
As a passionate drummer, I would like to explore the art of the drum, with a global perspective: to establish the spiritual process that a craftsman undergoes while building a drum, and to define the intricate spiritual relationship that the drummer has with his drum. The itinerary includes Fiji, Japan, India, Morocco, and the Caribbean.
