Interview w/ Felix Sanabria

(Jose Rivera, Willie Everich, Photo Credit: Ralph Duque)

In October of 08' I made a trip to NY to catch up with Willie, Jose and Alfie, but also to conduct a comprehensive interview with Felix Sanabria, "Awo Orunmila Oshebile". We mapped it out and choose a Saturday when everyone was free, and headed out to Staten Island. Felix and his lovely wife Susan greeted us with open arms and Susan hooked up a wonderful meal that was slammin'. At the end off the night we walked away with 4 hours of interview material. 4 hours!!!
Now that is not only alot of information to go through but also alot of material to edit. So until now we are still working on being able to present to you the clips in a manner we feel most presentable. The amount of information and conviction from which Felix told us his history was not only informative, but moving as well. For Willie and I, that is all the validation we need to "do what we do".

(Felix doing his thing, Video Credit: Ralph Duque)

So all that to say, that soon enough we will have parts of Felix's interview up on the blog. Stay tuned...

Hangin' with the Legends

Here I am with Totico and Victor Venegas, two of the true legends of this music. For those of you who may not know...Vic was one of the most prolific bassists in the last 40+ years. He was a first call bassist in NYC for years and his credentials run the gamut from Cortijo Y Los Cachimbos to Machito. I first saw him in 1964 at the Schaefer Beer concerts which were held in Central Park's Wollman Ice Skating Rink during the summer months. He was playing with none other than Mongo Santamaria. He recorded many albums with the Mighty Mongo. Vic passed away about 3 years ago and is truly missed by those whose lives he touched. Totico is still active in the folkloric scene in NY con su juego de Aña Fundamento.

Tribute to Puntilla @ The Schomburg

Willie just emailed me the following:

(Puntilla (ibae), Photo Credit: CCADI)

Tribute to Orlando "Puntilla" Rios Concert Master Afro-Cuban Bata DrummerJanuary 10th 2009 – 7.00pm

Special Performances by: Nueva Generacion – founded by Orlando "Puntilla" Rios and Olufemi Mitchell

New Yor-Uba - founded by Michele Rosewoman

And a short preview of the documentary When the Spirits Dance Mambo. Produced by CCCADI.

Musical Director Puntilla

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture 515 Malcolm X Blvd @ West 135th St New York, NY 10037 Tickets: $15 each To purchase tickets, call The Schomburg Shop at (212) 491-2206. Ticket charge hours, Tuesday through Saturday, Noon to 6 p.m. Part of the proceeds will be donated towards a youth drummer scholarship in recognition of Puntilla Orlando "Puntilla" Rios joined the ancestors on August 12th, 2008. This concert will celebrate the contributions that Orlando "Puntilla" Rios has made to maintaining the rich sacred Afro Cuban traditions in New York City and internationally. A master traditional leader, popular musician, teacher and mentor since his arrival to New York from Cuba he shared his profound knowledge with all communities. For more information please contact Monthina Williams

mwilliams@cccadi.org or 212-307-7420 ext 3006

Bomba Classes - Washington Heights

I just got an email from Julia on some upcoming classes taught by none other than herself and Alex LaSalle.

Thursdays, 7:00 pm8:30 pm

Hybrid Fight Dance Studios
1828 Amsterdam Ave (btwn 150 151 Sts)
Washington Heights, NY 10031
C train to 155th Street

STARTING JANUARY 22ND, 2009
ALL ARE WELCOME!

Intensive Puerto Rican Bomba
DANCE & PERCUSSION CLASSES

Honoring our cultural heritage and spiritual legacy
by
Alexander LaSalle (Director, Alma Moyó)
Julia GutiérrezRivera (dance teacher)

For more information: almamoyo7@yahoo.com / rioloiza@gmail.com
www.almamoyo.com / http://www.myspace.com.almamoyo/

About Alma Moyo:

Alma Moyo is an Afro-Boricua musical group dedicated to the preservation of Puerto Rico's oldest living African musical and cultural tradition, la Bomba. Founded in 2002, under the musical direction of Alexander Vale LaSalle (Moca, Puerto Rico), the group's members are a talented intergenerational mix of musicians, educators, community organizers and historians from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Offering performances, school-based residencies, workshops and lectures, since its inception, Alma Moyo has toured regionally and collaborated with numerous bomba collectives in the US and Puerto Rico, all to critical acclaim. The group is hailed as the next movement in Pan-Caribbean Musical Expression, and is considered as NYC's new bomba ensemble powerhouse.

BOMBA has its roots in the Western coast of Africa and especially in the Congo/Bantu people of Central Africa. Bomba refers to a Bantu word that translates according to the Kikongo language into "drum" and "music". Bomba arrived in Puerto Rico during the slave trade in the late 1500's, where it continued to evolve, picking up influences from New Orleans, Haiti, Guadaloupe and other Caribbean islands. Bomba music follows the Call and Response tradition common to all African music and has served as a means of communication where members of the community express the reality of their daily life through song and dance.

About the Instructors:

Alexander LaSalle, a researcher & lecturer of the oral history of Afro Antillean traditions, Mr. LaSalle is a skilled percussionist, songwriter and singer whose versatile musical talents lend themselves to singing Afro-Boricua, Afro-Dominican, Afro-Cuban and Haitian traditional music. As the founder/director of Alma Moyo, one of NYC's most powerful Bomba ensembles, Alex works dedicatedly to honor the legacy and voice of the ancestors from the bomba communities stemming from Mayagüez, Cataño and Guayama. Alex is a member of Los Pleneros de la 21, Juan Usera y La Tribu and has performed with numerous groups both in Puerto Rico and throughout the United States

Julia L. Gutiérrez-Rivera weaned as a child on bomba and plena, received formal training as a part of Los Pleneros de la 21's Bomba and Plena Children's Worshops' Pioneer Class. As a young woman, she is now recognized as one of NYC's premier Bomba and Plena dancers of her generation. Taught by many of NY's bomba and plena luminaries, including founding members of Los Pleneros de la 21, Eugenia Ramos, Paco Rivera, Tito Cepeda, and Roberto Cepeda, Julia embraces diverse regional influences in her dance as a member of Los Pleneros de la 21, Alma Moyo, and Bámbula. Julia has also worked with La Tribu, William Cepeda's Afro-Boricua and Afro-Rican Jazz ensembles, Papo Vázquez Pirate Troubadours and Plena Libre. Julia has provided workshops for students of all ages nationally for the past four years.