{"id":1978,"date":"2011-04-01T01:39:32","date_gmt":"2011-04-01T09:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/?p=1978"},"modified":"2022-07-04T12:49:07","modified_gmt":"2022-07-04T16:49:07","slug":"afro-cuban-all-stars-visit-seattle-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/2011\/04\/01\/afro-cuban-all-stars-visit-seattle-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Afro-Cuban All-Stars Visit Seattle – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Buena Vista is \u201chasta la vista\u201d<\/em>. Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, the founder of the famous group whose album “Buena Vista Social Club”<\/em>\u00a0won a Grammy in 1998, has evolved the group into a smaller and more versatile ensemble.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This evolution of the Afro-Cuban All-Stars was forced in part by the passing of some of its elderly founding members. Most passed during the first decade of the 2000s. The departed include such Cuban music glories as Ibrahim Ferrer, Manuel \u201cPuntillita\u201d Licea, Compay Segundo, Ruben Gonzalez, Pio Leyva, and Orlando \u201cCachaito\u201d Lopez.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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But instead of sticking with the winning formula, Juan de Marcos decided to evolve the sound of the band. He expanded its repertoire to include jazz.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI want to show people that we can maintain the traditional Cuban music essence and play a wide range of musical rhythms, from traditional Cuban melodies to Latin jazz\u201d,<\/em> explained Juan de Marcos in an exclusive interview with Latino Music Caf\u00e9.<\/p>\r\n

The Origins of Buena Vista Social Club<\/h3>\r\n

Juan de Marcos was born in the Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood of Havana. This was also the birthplace of many of Cuban popular musicians, including legendary percussionist Chano Pozo. His dad, Marcos Gonzalez, was a popular singer who spent a few years with Cuban music great Arsenio Rodriguez.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Juan de Marcos Gonzalez<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Through his dad, Juan de Marcos knew many of the musicians of his dad\u2019s generation. This included pianist Ruben Gonzalez who was also part of the Arsenio Rodriguez \u201cconjunto\u201d.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cAs a young musician, I didn\u2019t take the traditional Cuban music. Instead, I started my career as a rocker. Rock was prohibited in Cuba in those days as the governments classified it as \u201cimperialist\u201d music. As young guys, we wanted to play the prohibited rock\u201d,<\/em> explains Juan de Marcos.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cIt was Carlos Santana who influenced me to look at the music of my country again,\u201d<\/em> says the also founder of traditional Cuban \u201cson\u201d music group Sierra Maestra. \u201cWe listened to rock through AM radio stations from the US, and when I heard Santana playing cha-cha-cha (‘Black Magic Woman’ and ‘Oye Como Va’), it made me look back at the music I grew up with at home and at my neighborhood.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This seed led to the forming in 1976 of the band Sierra Maestra, who played traditional son with the same instrumental lineup as the groups of the 1920s and 30s, but dressed like “punks”. Sierra Maestra was well received by the Cuban public. Then in 1995, they released \u201cDundunbanza\u201d,<\/em> an album tribute to Arsenio Rodriguez.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Juan de Marcos added, \u201cin this album we beefed up the band for some songs, trying to resemble the three trumpets, conga, and piano lineup that the Arsenio Rodriguez ‘conjunto’ had”<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n

The Two Albums that Marked Cuban Music<\/h3>\r\n

\u201cDundunbanza\u201d<\/em>\u00a0was a commercial success, and opened doors to two concept albums Juan de Marcos wanted to do:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n