Cuban music in Hammersmith
Our recent visit to Cuba [my narrative here] has stimulated my interest in Cuban music. We bought a couple of CDs during the trip and, since we returned from the holiday, we’ve purchased and watched the 1999 film “Buena Vista Social Club” [my review here].
So we were excited at the opportunity to hear some Buena Vista Social Club stalwarts live in London and attend a concert last night at the Hammersmith Apollo. Vee and I were joined by her twin sister Mari and brother-in-law Derek plus two of our special friends from the Cuba trip, Juan-Jose and Joanne.
Now the Apollo is an unimpressive venue with poor facilities, but the concert was wonderful. It began with a group from Los Angeles called Very Be Careful. Then we had the Buena Vista Social Club for almost two hours (there was no formal interval all evening).
As well as an 11-piece band from Havana, we had the four stars: Cachaíto Lopez on double bass, Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal on trumpet, Jesús ‘Aguaje’ Ramos on trombone, and Manuel Galbán on guitar and organ [biographical summaries here].
Photograph taken in Havana on last night of
our visit to Cuba advertising an event with
exactly the same performers as we heard in London
What I love most about Cuban music is its sheer joy and exuberance. However, I also delight in the ensemble nature of the playing with each main instrumentalist and singer having a chance to take the lead and show his or her virtuoso talent.
It was a terrific evening and, for the last number, we were all dancing in the rows. If anything, that was all that was really missing to make the evening perfect. Cuban music and dancing are simply inextricable and, in Cuba itself, the best concerts feature professionals dancers and the restaurants and clubs positively invite customers to swing their hips.