Before Cuba became famous for salsa big bands like la Sonora Matancera, Orchestra Aragón and Beny Moré's orchestra, it was home to the small groups and solo acts who gave us the trova. Trovadores or trova artists embraced a lot of the same Afro-Cuban rhythms and styles that salsa bands would be known for--such as son, montuno, guaracha and pregon--but their instrumentation wasn't nearly as elaborate. In contrast to the large horn sections and orchestration of salsa bands, a trova performance can consist of nothing more ...
Read More
Before Cuba became famous for salsa big bands like la Sonora Matancera, Orchestra Aragón and Beny Moré's orchestra, it was home to the small groups and solo acts who gave us the trova. Trovadores or trova artists embraced a lot of the same Afro-Cuban rhythms and styles that salsa bands would be known for--such as son, montuno, guaracha and pregon--but their instrumentation wasn't nearly as elaborate. In contrast to the large horn sections and orchestration of salsa bands, a trova performance can consist of nothing more than acoustic guitar, vocals and percussion (some of the early trovadores didn't even use percussion, only guitar and vocals). Such rawness and simplicity defines Casa de la Trova, which was recorded in Santiago de Cuba from 1986-1993. All of the trovadores heard on this collection have been active at Casa de la Trova, a Santiago institution that has been featuring trova artists since the late 1960s. A total of ten acoustic groups are heard, including Cuarteto Patria, Duo Cubano, Septeto Tipico Oriental, las Hermanas Ferrin and Sones de Oriente (which is heard on an inspired version of the Trio Matamoros son classic "Como Está Miguel"). One of the CD's most enduring groups is Estudiantina Invasora, which was formed in 1927 and has gone through its share of personnel changes over the years. (In Cuba, it is common for a group to continue long after its original members have all moved on). For those who are interested in the roots of salsa, this collection is well worth acquiring. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi
Read Less
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.