Cuban journalist Rafa Escalona joins Rebecca to talk about the latest trends in Cuban music, including how hard it is to track this information on the island and how recent out-migration has affected the evolution and definition of "música cubana." While contemporary Cuban music is of course dominated by reparto, the songs shared by Rafa provide a broader look into the latest trends.

Songs played:

Un Momentico + — Melanie Santiler & Dale Pututi

Andala Remix — Wildey, Musteerifa & Raydel El Q Manda

Suite Para Isaac Oviedo — Jorge Iván Martín feat. Juan Carlos Aguilera

Amanacer Sin Ti — Albita & Lenier

Tertuliando — Angel Toirac feat.

LINKS

Newness Cuba playlist (50 best songs in Cuban music from the past year): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gPyKTGHHQy16z7YO2lhHV

Cuba Tracklist (Instagram account with weekly lists of most popular Cuban tracks): https://www.instagram.com/cubatracklist/

Rafa's Substack: https://divagacionesmusicales.substack.com/

A recent piece Rafa wrote (in Spanish) about reparto and YouTube: https://revistaelestornudo.com/reparto-youtube-dicen-charts-musica-cubana/

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https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Kevin Moore is back to help us pay tribute to one of timba's brightest stars, Paulito FG (EPD), who died tragically on March 1.

Songs played:

El humo o la vida, Dan Den feat. Paulito FG

Y ahora que,

Percussion and vocal track for Entre Dos Amigos

No te lo creas,

Laura (demo track)

El punto

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Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Finally, we're back with a brand new episode, inspired by Bad Bunny's love letter to Puerto Rico, Debí Tirar Más Fotos! We get deep into the weeds of the Puerto Rican musical and political traditions that are referenced in Bad Bunny's wide-ranging, exquisitely produced album. Joining Rebecca are Puerto Rican musician and educator Hector Lugo (founder of the Bay Area Latin roots band La Mixta Criolla), and Puerto Rican writer, translator and Bad Bunny scholar Carina del Valle Schorske.

Songs played:

A Guayama, Desde Cero

Si Yo Fuera Alcalde, Chuíto el de Bayamón

Aires de Navidad, Hector Lavoe & Willie Colón

La Huelga, La Mixta Criolla

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https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Send us a text

Support the show

You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Cuban journalist Jesús Jank Curbelo joins Rebecca to speak about a range of topics, including the legacy of El Taiger, one of Cuba's most popular artists who was killed recently in Miami. We also talk about Curbelo's career in Cuba reporting on the reparto movement, as well as the pain of leaving Cuba and challenges of building a new life in Texas.
Curbelo has published several pieces at the Texas Observer and Palabra.

Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1El7dqfI2n-eTFs--dNryJI8OBsqXRhePszFu6I1PCzg/edit?usp=sharing


Songs played:

Coronamos (Remix), Taiger & J. Balvin (feat. Cosculluela, Bad Bunny & Bryant Myers)
Hilito Rojo, El Taiger & DJ Conds

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You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

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Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Part 2 of Rebecca's conversation with Cuban music historian Rosa Marquetti. The second edition of her book Celia en Cuba (1925-1962) was recently published in Spanish, and will be translated into English next year.

Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W8qgbzs7DHwP2JlTl3FDZfbCc2aLSFovv2SVxZSw3Xc/edit?usp=sharing


Songs played:
Quédate Negra, Celia con La Orquesta Leonard Melody
La Sopa en Botella, Celia con La Sonora Matancera
Sueños de Luna, Celia con La Sonora Matancera

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Rebecca speaks with Cuban music historian Rosa Marquetti Torres, author of several books, including one on Chano Pozo and another one on Celia Cruz's career in Cuba—the Celia book has just been released in a new edition!
Part 1 of our conversation covers the challenges of conducting research in Cuba and her work on Chano Pozo

Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WKJZoLnQJHo3t85_AMxsZ08p_nwPNZ_rZTBDTKmgoSQ/edit?usp=sharing

Songs played:
El pin pin, Chano Pozo
Tin Tin Deo, Chano Pozo & Dizzy Gillespie

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https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

Ethnomusicologist Edwin Porras joins Rebecca to speak about Chinese musical influences in Cuba, which date back to the mid-19th century. The double-reeded suona was adopted by Santiago conga groups around 1915, becoming an unmistakable musical signifier for conga santiaguera.

**Fun fact: Cuba was the first destination for Chinese laborers in the Americas, before even the U.S.**

Songs played:
Example of Cantonese opera
Lion dancing musical accompaniment (field recording)
Caridad Amaran and Georgina Wong performing excerpt of Cantonese opera in Havana (field recording)
De Oriente a Occidente, Diana Fuentes
Paso Franco en la loma de Tivolí, Conga Paso Franco

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Support the show

You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

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Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions