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April 4, 2011

Alberto Nacif on Septeto Nacional de Cuba

By Alberto Nacif

Septeto Nacional de Cuba

Of the many great Cuban musicians and orchestras to grace our stages, one that I thought I would never see is coming to Ann Arbor on Thursday, April 7th!

The Septeto Nacional de Cuba, which was founded in 1927 by Ignacio Pineiro (1888–1969), contrabass player, singer, and composer will perform the real Cuban son, the music of the Cuban countryside that took over dance halls and clubs alike in the early 1930s. This music, which is the true progenitor of Salsa and is still popular in both urban and rural settings, originated in Oriente, a province 600 miles from Havana and was a combination of African-derived instruments with Spanish verse forms and stringed instruments. The son has syncopated rhythms and catchy melodies and harmonies which make this a music to sing and dance to.

Ignacio Pineiro

The music of Pineiro has become a part of the vocabulary of Cuban music, played lovingly by so many of the great musicians, past and present, Cuban and non-Cuban, and still fresh and vital 80 years later. The late 1920s were witness to an explosion of trios, quartets, sextets, and septets from different parts of Cuba each exploring the son, each competing for the pinnacle of expression. Pineiro named his septet “Septeto Nacional” because of the representation of musicians from all over Cuba, and quickly rose to be one of the most successful, thanks again to Pineiro’s compositions and the Septeto’s musicianship.  It is no wonder then that so many young musicians are still drawn to this sublime style of music that has maintained its sepia-tone warmth along with Kodacolor excitement.

This concert will be this legendary and much-revered group’s first visit to Ann Arbor, a younger generation of young masters to bring the magic and fire of the Cuban son.

Don’t miss this!!!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alberto Nacif is a musician who has extensive musical ties to Cuba and its musicians. His many trips to the island began in the 1980's for exploration of the varied musical genres that form the intricate tapestry of Afro-Cuban music. He was the originator of WEMU's "Cuban Fantasy" radio show, has performed nationally and internationally with well known Cuban musicians, and currently composes and performs original Cuban music with Tumbao Bravo.
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