Volume 9, Number 4 Winter 2005-2006

A Publication of the Segunda Quimbamba Folkloric Center

Entrando La Maquina del Tiempo de Cortijo:Grabaciones de Bomba iajan Hacia el Pasado

Viaje a Chicago:La Odisea de Grabar Bomba y Plena con Grupo Yuba

ADENTRO / INSIDEEntrando La Maquina del Tiempo de Cortijo: Grabaciones de Bomba Viajan Hacia el Pasado

(Por Juan Cartagena) p. 2Exiting Cortijo's Time Machine: Bomba Recordings Go Back In Time p. 10Los Arreglistas / The Arrangers: Pepe Castillo & Edgardo Miranda (Por Juan Cartagena) p. 16Viaje a Chicago: La Odisea de Grabar Bomba y Plena con Grupo Yuba / Chicago Bound: Grupo Yuba& The Odyssey of Recording Bomba & Plena (ByJuan Cartagena) p. 18Reviews / Reseftas:Grupo Yuba, Los Pleneros del Barrio, Los Pleneros de la 21,Don Felix Alduen y Grupo Los Tamboreros de Felix Alduen p. 24Grupos de Bomba y Plena / Bomba & Plena Groups p. 28

9iiiro y 'Maraca, 'VoL 9, :No. 4 Page 2

ENTRANDO LA MAQUINA DEL TIEMPO DE

CORTIJO: GRABACIONES DE BOMBA VIAJAN

HACIA EL PASADO

JUAN CARTAGENA

El elepe La Maquina del Tiempo de Rafael Cortijorepresenta un punto clave en la carrera de un maestroque empezo un revive en la popularidad de la bomba yla plena. Cortijo y Su Combo, con el cantante IsmaelRivera, eran los embajadores de los ritrnos autoctonosde Puerto Rico por todo el Caribe, America Latina y elmundo entero. Por medio de Cortijo Puerto Rico encarasu negritud y empieza un acercamiento inseguro a lostambores de Borinquen. La grabacion, Cortijo y SuMaquina del Tiempo, recibe elogios de los peritos demusica por los arreglos, instrumentacion y ritrnos tradi-cionales hechos modernos que contiene. Sin duda,Cortijo transportaba los ritrnos historicos de Puerto Ricoa nuevos horizontes y nuevas epocas.

Ahora nos preguntamos, Lhasta donde han llega-do los sellos disqueros con la experimentacion queCortijo bautizo en La Maquina del Tiempo? En actuali-dad las grabaciones de bomba en la epoca despues regre-san a otros tiempos, a tiempos cuando la bomba floreciacon seises variados y cuando se tocaban con barrilesautoctonos, Sin poder igualar el exito en ventas queRafael Cortijo logro en los 50s y 60s, la bomba grabadarecientemente es aun mas expresiva y mas representantede sus origines.

LA MAOUINA DEL TIEMPOLos arreglistas principales de esta grabacion eran

dos jovenes boricuas que se conocieron en elConservatorio de Musica en Puerto Rico: Pepe Castillo yEdgardo Miranda. Rafael Cortijo conocia claramenteque este proyecto, y los musicos que integraban Cortijo ySu Maquina del Tiempo, rompia el molde. Todo era "unconcepto experimental" recuerda Edgardo Miranda.Esto se refleja en la apariencia de la guitarra electrica deMiranda - no el cuatro con que se identifica hoy dia -con el piano electrico de Castillo - en vez del acordeonque tocaba en esos entonces 0 el cuatro que toea ahora -juntos con el equipo de percusion de congas, bongo, tim-bales y hasta la ciiica brasilera. Lo tradicional se ve en lascomposiciones mismas, reflejando el monte y la costa,como el popular CarnavaZ y tambien en La verdad - graba-da de nuevo por Lucecita como Le La Lai. Elementostradicionales tambien se encuentran en los repiques deCortijo en las congas, y la voz femenina en el cora encar-nada por Fe Cortijo.

Experimentacion especialmente con la van-guardia de los 70s es la clave para apreciar La Maquina

del Tiempo. Pepe Castillo cuenta como Rafael Cortijoestaba en busca de una nueva agrupacion despues que sedisolvio Cortijo y Su Bonche cuyos arreglos musicalesllegaban de las manos de Jorge Millet. Cortijo y Castillohabian compartido en la produccion de un comercialpara WKDM radio. Pepe Castillo le dijo: "Rafa, yo tengounos arreglos, ya tres arreglos hechos, pero es un grupoun poco loco, no es de salsa es de musica internacional. .. algo bien puertorriquefio pero a la vez bien radical y nose si a ti te va a gustar" y siguio elaborando sobre losinstrumentos que pensaba usar como la tromp eta, sax-ofon, bateria completa, guitarra electrica y un piano quehace de organo tambien. Cortijo se intereso en lacuestion. Edgardo Miranda, al contrario, tenia susdudas: "Muchacho, tu estas loco. Esto no Ie va a gustara Cortijo, el te va a botar con esto para tu sabes donde."En el primer encuentro Cortijo se impresiono con elnumero BaiZa y Goza. "Pepe, esto suena. Vamos a seguirbregando." De ahi en adelante empezaron a ensayarreligiosamente 5 dias a la semana de 3 a 5 de la tarde pordos meses sin parar. Los ensayos se convirtieron en unevento atrayendo a musicos como Johnny Pacheco,Roberto Roena, Charlie Palmieri.

"Rafa, esto esta treinta afios adelanta o. Tejodiste. Esto nadie 10 va a entender" pronostico RobertoRoena - el bongosero sin-igual que aprendio a tocarbongo por medio de Rafael Cortijo. "La Maquina delTiempo ha sido mi mayor dolor de cabeza" comentaPepe Castillo quien a la misma vez 10 califica como unose sus mas grandes logros. "El comentario de RobertoRoena estuvo bien acertado porque fue 30 afios despues,exactamente, cuando esto empezo a tener auge interna-cionaL"

Los siete numeros de La Maquina del Tiempocontienen una plena, dos bombas, un bolero, y variasguarachas, aguinaldos y ritmos en bomba tituladas"dulce." Baila y Goza es una bomba dulce - una bombaen sica aligerada - que ofrece el corte de tambor recono-cido en bomba - interpretado por congas y una bate riaamericana - para introducir un solo fenomenal deCortijo en las congas. Los arreglos de vientos y la pres-encia de la guitarra electrica de Miranda tilden mas aljazz latino que a cualquier bomba de Cortijo anterior.Esta honda se refleja igualmente en el solo de Gonzalo"Gonchi" Sifre en la bateria americana - tal vez laprimera vez que se ha grabado una bateria en ritrno debomba. La seccion de vientos en BaiZa y Goza se grabo enNueva York con la participacion de Lou Soloff, MarioRivera, Ronny Cuber y Mark Lawrence. De Coco y Anises la segunda bomba. Interpretada por Fe Cortijo, eneste numero la guitarra electric a y su "wah-wah"resaltan junto a un banquete de percusi6n menor queraramente se oye en un numero de bomba. Unidos y sin-

qiiiro y 'M.araca, VoL 9, 'No. 4 Page 3

-'.

copados, las congas de Cortijo y la bateria de Sifre inven-tan cortes afuera del repertorio tradicional de bomba en10 que Cortijo florea. La seccion de vientos vino dePuerto Rico y tuvo mas tiempo junto como unidad - algoque se nota en la grabacion - y cuenta con Andres Torres,Orlando Pabellon, Hector Santos y Richard Keene. Elpercusionista Chegui Sanchez, cantante Jose Nogueras yel bajista Luis Velez tambien participaron.

La critic a favorable de Maquina del Tiempo vinode varios sectores empezando con el asesoramiento delbritanico John Storm Roberts, autor dellibro The LatinTinge y columnista del Village Voice en Nueva York,quien denomino la grabacion como "uno de los masavant-guarde grabaciones de salsa que se ha producido."Afiadio que "Maquina de Tiempo fue uno de los masbrillantes fusiones de Latin-jazz habido y por haber en latradicion salsera." Otras opiniones 10 llamaban "intrin-cado ... y adelantado" "interesante" y "definitivamenterequerido" en cualquier coleccion. Hasta su portada sur-realista, por Ely Besalel, recibio elogios.

La opinion de los peritos de musicologia - quelIego despues - choco con la recepcion inmediata con la

cual el publico recibio a La Maquina del Tiempo, segunPepe Castillo: "Cuando nosotros vinimos aqui, antes degrabar, hicimos un show en el Teatro Puerto Rico que setitulo "Juntos Otra Vez" donde estaba El Gran Combo,Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound, estaba Ismael Riveray Los Cachimbos, y estaba Rafael Cortijo y Su Maquinade Tiempo. Entonces tocaron todos ellos y cuando vieneCortijo y Su Maquina de Tiempo la gente empezaronabuchear. Gritaban cosas como, 'Buu, Cortijo' 'Eso no esmusica' 'Dame Maquinolandera. Dame Suelta EI Chivo DeLa Campana. Dame Perico.' Es decir rompian a pedirlelos numeros que querian escuchar. Claro, cuandofuimos al Teatro Jefferson estaba otra gente. Estaba lagente del SoHo, la gente del Village y unos cuantos ilus-tres en cuanto a la musica se refiere 0 de gusto massofisticado. Y ahi fue un gran exito. Yo me sorprendi. Yahi estaba Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, Tito Puente,Pacheco toda la iluminaria de la epoca de la musica lati-

"na.

Pero con todo esta aceptacion experta, Maquinadel Tiempo, acaso tuvo ventas sig- Vea pag. 4

qiiiro y :Jvtaraca, 'floC 9, :No. 4 Page 4

Tiempo - esto se veia, segun el, en la falta de apoyo, laincapacidad de apreciar expresiones alternas en elcampo de musica boricua, y en la personalidad del pro-pio Rafael Cortijo."Lo que paso con este disco es que el concepto era muycomplicado para esa epoca y para los fondos que habian.Lo que se queria hacer wasn't achieved really. Pero era 10mejor que se podia hacer con 10 que teniamos. Y no essolamente con el exito que esperabamos sino tambiencon la produccion. Inclusive cuando estabamos mixian-do el tape, el ingeniero hizo un error y el tape se corriopor todo el piso, y tuvieron que cortar. Si oyes bien haynumeros que brincan y parecen que estan cruzados.Estaba todo el mundo [en panico], Lo salvaron pero conmucho trabajo. Pero tambien me refiero al presupuestoy todo ... La reaccion de la gente era rara - hasta los mis-mos musicos como Hector Santos decia "espera, que esesto" Como que no comprendian. Recuerdate quehablo de esos tiempos mucho mas antes que Irakere enCuba - y esa gente tenian otra mentalidad. Era otracabeza en Puerto Rico yaqui tambien con los puertor-riquenos aqui. No era facil ... Ahora, si nosotros hubier-

"[A pesar de que Cortijo recibio el apoyo de Tite Curet y amos buscado el market ese de festivales de jazz y enque en grabaciones pudo contar con maestros de la talla Europa hubiese sido mas successful. Pero el tiempo node Victor Paz y de su sobrina Fe Cortijo] el maestro no era propicio para eso. No habia mucho movimiento parapudo £lotar en la cresta de la nueva ola salsosa." Sus dis- esas cosas. Y tambien Cortijo no era un tipo que estabacos "permanecieron en el olvido, la radio no los apoyo en ese ambiente, como un Ray Barreto 0 un Mongomientras que los nuevos melomanos siguieron absortos Santamaria. El preferia quedarse con su movida. Puesante 10 dictamina do por el imperio Fania. De esta man- seguimos tocando bailes, como en el Corso, Barneyera, un disco tan interesante como La Maquina de Googles y por ahi seguimos hasta que lIego el grupo a laTiempo (donde ....--------------------------------, salsa. Pues estoCortijo ... trato de quedo como undesarrollar un proyecto."enfoque algo pro-gresivo para labomba ... ) per-manecio intrascen-dente ante el des-precio de los pro-motores y losexpertos que con nopoco fanfarroneriaya anudaban en elambiente."

nificantes en un mundo salsero de los 70s que estaba apunto de explotar. Por limitaciones de espacio no sepuede elaborar sobre estos factores profundamente. Sinembargo, dos opiniones al respecto sirven para ilustraralgunos de los acontecimientos que sefialan ciertas expli-caciones. El autor Cesar Miguel Rendon le hecha laculpa al sello Fania y su papel dominante y sofocante enla industria musical en Nueva York. El imperio Faniaaplasto efectivamente cualquier expresion alternativa demusica latina en esos entonces segun Rendon. Esto seveia en la indiferencia que exhibian los promotores declubes, emisoras de radio y tiendas de discos a estas pro-ducciones. Rafael Cortijo, extrafio hasta cierto nivel eneste ambiente, tenia solamente valor nostalgico paraellos. Dice mucho el hecho que a solo un afio despues deMaquina del Tiempo, Cortijo regresa a su epoca doradagrabando sus jits de Cortijo y Su Combo para CocoRecords donde celebra una reunion con Ismael Rivera,Rafael Ithier, Roberto Roena, Kiko Velez, Sammy Ayalay otros. Rendon resume estas observaciones en El Librode la Salsa:

Pepe Castillo, deigual manera, sequeda convencido deque todo hubiesesido dramaticamentediferente si el mer-cadeo se lIevaba porel concepto original:"Cuando esto se creola intencion fue elmercado interna-cional. 0 sea lavision era hacer unapresentacion de lamusica folcloricapuertorriquefia conun traje de gala,segun nosotros 10entendiamos para el---------1

Foto: Luis Rosario mercado interna-cional. Me refiero a

EdgardoMiranda concluyede manera similaral recordar que laspresiones comer-ciales tuvieronmucho que ver conla falta de ~----aceptacion de Rafael Cortijo

Maquina del

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donde estaba Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, RayBarreto con su Latin Jazz. Pues decimos Latin Jazz, peroen esos tiempos no se decia asi." Al contrario, el mer-cadeo de La Maquina del Tiempo se quedo estancado enel mercado de la salsa - en 10que se llama el /I cuchifritocircuit." Ya para el1974 Castillo estuvo presente cuandoel percusionista Kako (Francisco Bastar) le entre go elelepe a Papin (de Los Papines de Cuba) en La Casa de lasAmericas en Nueva York y segun el cuento, el elepe llegaa Cuba y las oidos de Chucho Valdes quien en 19761anzola primera grabacion del grupo experimental de Cuba,Irakere, que supieron aprovecharse del mercado interna-cional. Por 10 tanto, Castillo conduye que "este discoinfluencio para cambiar todo el sentido de la nueva ondade musica latinoamericana, y caribefia. La musica nuncafue igual despues de La Maquina del Tiempo."

Al fin Y al cabo la experimentacion de Cortijo conla bomba que llega a ser el bautizo de 10que hoy se llamaBomba Jazz representa otro capitulo culminante en unatrayectoria impresionante. La pena es que el experimen-to fue corto y Cortijo regreso a tocar 10 que su publicosalsero quiso oir. De una manera u otra, Cortijo mismoquizas se dio cuenta de algo al comentar sobre la conex-ion inseparable entre ritmos y bailes: "Esto no va ser paralos bailadores. El bailador no debe de responder a lamusica. La musica tiene que responder al bailador."

Despues del transcurso de teinta afios el pronosti-co de Roberto Roena se hizo realidad. El sello MusicalProductions, de Miami, adquirio los derechos de lagrabacion y empezo a mercadearlo de la manera que sefijo originalmente. Hoy dia ventas se realizan en losEstados Unidos, Europa, Canada, Latinoamerica y PuertoRico y la grabacion se ha convertido en algo de colec-cionistas. "He recibido muchas felicitaciones por estaproduccion. Me ha abierto muchas puertas. Que te digo.Hoy en dia lamento que Rafael Cortijo se fue a la tumbasin poder apreciar el exito que tuvo La Maquina delTiempo," conduye Castillo.

EL RESURGIMIENTO DE BOMBA EN GRABACIONES POS-CORTIJO Y Su MAOUINA DEL TIEMPO

La experimentacion de Cortijo nunca se desvio enmodernizar la percusion de sus bombas y plenas en vezde seleccionar instrumentos autoctonos. La conga, bongoy timbal funciono igual en Maquina del Tiempo como enCortijo y Su Combo. El autor Frank Figueroa opina que

"Cortijo siempre dijo que habia dos maneras de tocarbomba y plena. La forma autentica era con panderos, tim-bas 0 barriles, cuas y un coro. La otra forma de tocarbomba y plena era la interpretacion modernizada de las

orquestas de hoteles como Rafael Munoz, Pepito Torres yCesar Concepcion. Cortijo tuvo que hacer una avenencia.Era necesario expandir la instrumentacion de un grupo deplena para darle el sonido de un combo. Pero no era nece-sario conceder de cualquier manera el sabor de caserio ensu musica."

En actualidad es la proyeccion de sonido - el sonido delos tambores de Puerto Rico en el estudio de grabacion -que dictamino las opciones para Cortijo que, por la simpley sencilla razon, no tuvo confianza en la tecnologia audi-tiva para capturar el sonido gordo que necesitaba para susgrabaciones. De ahi utilizo las timbas en vez de los pan-deros. Edgardo Miranda tambien conduye que Cortijousaba cortes autoctonos de la tradicion puertorriquenaaun tocando las timbas de influencia cubana.

Lo que quedaba de la decada de los 70s (igual quelos 80s) enfrio cualquier interes que Cortijo pudo generaren los estudios de grabacion para la bomba puertor-riquefia. Sin embargo, un renacimiento y reconocimientode la bomba en Puerto Rico y en la diaspora lIego despuesde esta epoca. Lo que quedaba de determinar en esosentonces era si las grabaciones de bomba iban rumbohacia el modelo de Cortijo y Su Maquina del Tiempo 0 siiban viajando por otras vias.

El proposito que la bomba puertorriquena goza deuna epoca de redescubrimiento en afios recientes puedecomprobarse, en parte, en un sondeo de proyectos musi-cales disponibles en el mercado comercial. Tal explo-racion nos obliga a diferenciar entre grabaciones debomba en los ultimos vente afios y los que aparecieronantes. Hay ciertos marcos que distinguen dos categorias:las grabaciones de bomba en esta epoca recien presentanuna bomba mas variada en terminos de los seises debomba que se han rescatado hasta el momento. Es decir,uno puede encontrar hoy dia, no tan facil que digamos,discos de bomba que presentan sica, yuba, seis corrido,guembe, holandes y mucho mas. Igualmente, hoy dia labomba se graba utilizando instrumentos autoctonos en suelenco de percusion. Para estos propositos me refiero abombas grabadas con barriles de bomba en vez de las tim-bas de influencia cubana.

Ni la riqueza de nuestra bomba puertorriquena, nisu vitali dad por siglos en Puerto Rico, ni su significadohistorico se reflejan completamente en los productos de laindustria musical comercializada por la rareza de graba-ciones que se han dedicado exdusivamente a la bomba.Esto es un hecho aun considerando el periodo queempieza con la inmensa popularidad de las grabacionesde Cortijo y Su Combo en 10s50s y 60s hasta el dia de hoy.De las pocas grabaciones que se pueden identificar de estaindole existen: 1) Bombas Para Bailar de Cortijo y SuCombo en los afios 50s que induyen exdusivamente bom-bas en sica, menos una plena inter- r Vea pag. 6J

C}iiiroy :Maraca,'!laC 9, No.4 Pane 6

pretada por Celia Cruz (EI Bomb6n de Elena) incorrecta- de varios musicos que ofrecen proyectos donde la may-mente identificada como bomba. Este disco establece el oria de los numeros son bombas. El mas importante enestandar de oro de la bomba de Cortijo y es uno de colec- esta categoria, y tal vez el mas fecundo es Modestocionistas; 2) EI Patriarca de la Bomba por Don Rafael Cepeda. Ademas de la produccion que acabamos deCepeda acompanado por LaFamilia Cepeda y grabado en mencionar, Los Patriarcas de la Bomba, cinco discos bajo su1974. Este elepe ya no se encuentra y es de coleccionistas. direccion reflejan el compromiso que tiene para la bomba:Contene cuembe, holandes, paule y sica. 3) EI Roble Mayor Encuentro de Bomba y Plena Al Acetato (1992,bomba sica yde Rafael Cepeda acompanado por Grupo Folk paule): Raices de Bomba y Plena (1995,bomba sica, yuba,Experimental BombaLeLe de Los Hmnos. Cepeda y dis- gracima): Legado de Bomba y Plena (1997, bomba sica,tribuida en 1996 despues de su fallecimiento donde pre- melao, yuba, holandes): Antologia (2000, bomba sica,senta bombas en lero, yuba, cunya, cuembe, balance y melao); y De la Bomba al Bolero (2004, bomba gracima,sica. Esta misma viene de la autoria del patriarca de la yuba, holandes, melaza). Tambien se reconoce a Williambomba y la plena; 4) La Bomba de Loiza de BalletFolklorico Cepeda que en 1999unio a musicos de las tradiciones deHermanos Ayala conmemorando su 40 aniversario con Santurce, Ponce y Loiza para su grabacion Bombazo queritmos de bomba en corve y seis corrido. La aportacion de presenta seis corrido, corbe, yuba, lero, yuba cuartiao yesta semblanza de la bomba loicefiaes sumamente impor- sica. William Cepeda merece elogios como productor detante en el desarrollo de bomba puertorriquefia: 5) nuestra musica autoctona siendo el productor de dosCandela, Bomba de Mayagaez por Don Felix Alduen y grabaciones historicas: Hermanos Ayala de Loiza y FelixGrupo Los Tambores de FelixAlduen distribuido en 2005 Alduen de Mayaguez. El respetado y carifioso Luisy producido por William Cepeda. Este disco recopila los "Chichito" Cepeda, q.e.p.d., dirigio un proyecto discogra-ritmos de la bomba mayaguezana como cuembe, fico en 2002, Dancing the Drum: Bailando el Tamb6 queholandes, y yuba. Seis de las diez bomba presentadas son incluye bomba holandes, cuembe, yuba, sica y holandes.de la autoria de FelixAlduen: y "Rafa, esto esta treinta afios adelanta' o. El disco inaugural de Los6) Modesto Cepeda y Los,. . dl E di I d "Hermanos Emmanuelli Nater esPatriarcas de la Bomba con su Ie JO tste, sto na Ie 0 va a enten er otro ejemplo excelente de la var-grabacion del mismo nombre, Roberto Roena iedad amplia de la bomba puer-distribuido en 2006. El cidi es torriquefia. Su disco Bomba yuna redistribucion del clasicoelepe de Don RafaelCepeda Plena En Vivo en 2000es dirigido por Jose, Jorge y Victoren el 1974 con dos bombas adicionales. Gracias a Emmanuelli y tiene bomba sica, yuba, danue, calinda,Modesto Cepeda por su esfuerzo en presentar una ver- holande, seis carrido y belen. Del pueblo de Ponce ension digitalizada de esta joya del 1974. 2003nos llega BalletFolcloricoBaramaya de Ponce que en

Mas alla de las grabaciones que presentan bomba un disco del mismo nombre cuenta con siete bombas deexclusivamente en un proyecto discografico, hay una rep- los diez numeros todas ofrecidas en la tradicion surefia.resentacion nutrida de grabaciones que se definen por los DeOrlando viene la bomba lofcefiade BalletFolklorico demarcos que proponemos aqui: presentacion de seises de Bomba y Plena Lanzo, Nuestras Raices, que presenta bom-bomba aparte del sica que popularize Cortijo y/0 graba- bas que unen gracima y seis corrido. La grabacion queciones de bomba con percusion autoctona. Separamos de acompana el especial filmico del Banco Popular en 2001,esta lista intencionalmente un sinnumero de grabaciones Raices tienen 13 bombas en sica, cuembe, yuba, guembe,que utilizan congas y timbales para grabar sica al estilo de gracima, seis corrido, corve, holandes y belen por desta-Cortijo. Admitidamente es ironico que hasta el mismo cados musicos como Los Cepeda, Los Ayala, Paracumbe,Rafael Cortijo no llegaria a esta lista si hubiese grabado Bombazo de Puerto Rico, William Cepeda, Los Plenerosahora 10 que revoluciono la musica puertorriquefia en los de la 21, Felix Alduen y Sus Tambores, Olga Tafton, Jose50s y 60s. Pero esta incongruencia comprueba el punto Feliciano,Andy Montanez, FeCortijo, Ismael Rivera, hijo,que la expresion de bomba hoy dia es distinta a los afios Michael Stuart y Marc Anthony. La recopilacion de bom-anteriores. Con este preambulo podemos sefialar la bas y plenas Asi Bailaba Puerto Rico: Al son de la Bomba y laaportacion importantisima del grupo Paracumbe en este Plena ofrece la mitad de sus selecciones en bombas de arti-campo. Su grabacion en 1987Paracumbe presenta 18 can- tistas de los afios 50s y 60s. Finalmente, la famosaciones, todas menos dos son bombas que evidencian la grabacion Ritmos y Cantos Callejeros de Cortijo y Kako yvariedad de la bomba en diferentes regiones de Puerto Sus Tambores incluye una representacion equitativaRico con bombas en guembe, lero, belen, holande, seis entre bombas y plenas.corrido, corve y la bomba de Toa. Diez anos despuesParacumbe presenta su segundo proyecto discograficoPuerto Rico Tiene Tamb6 (renombrado Tamb6) con bombasen lero, guembe y belen.

A estos niveles afiadimos las aportaciones

A continuacion resumimos grabaciones de bombadonde hay una representacion de varios seises de bombamas que el sica que popularize Cortijo y/0 donde losmusicos presentan bomba con barriles autoctonos:

qiiiro y :Maraca, %[ 9, :No. 4 Page 7

Artista, Grabacion, Ano Seises de Bomba Barriles de Bomba Autoctonos

Felix Alduen y Grupo Los Cuernbe, Holandes, Yuba SfTamboreros de Felix AlduenCandela, Bomba de MayagOez, 2005

Atabal, Del Caribe al Brasil, 1986 Holandes, Sica, Yuba Sf

Atabal, Voces y Tambores, 1991 Sica, Yuba Sf

Atabal, Musica Morena, 1993 Sica, Yuba S'i

Ballet Folklorico Hermanos Ayala Corve, Seis Corrido SfLa Bomba de Loiza, 2002

Ballet Folclorico Baramaya de Ponce Sica SfBallet Fotctotico Baramaya de Ponce2003Batacumbele, (Modesto Cepeda y Su Sica SfGrupo Cimiento Puertorriquerio), Live atthe University of Puerto Rico, 1988

Juan Boria (Rafael Cepeda y Sus Sica SfBomberos), Que Negrota, (circa 19705)

Tego Calderon, EI Abayarde, 2003 Holandes, Yuba Sf

Cepeda, Dancing the Drum: Bailando el Balance, Cuernbe, Holandes, Sica, SfTambO,2002 Yuba

Modesto Cepeda, Encuentro de Bomba Paule, Sica Sfy Plena AI Acetato, 1992

Modesto Cepeda, Raices de Bomba y Gracirna, Sica, Yuba SfPlena, 1995

Modesto Cepeda, Legado de Bomba y Holandes, Melao, Sica, Yuba SfPlena, 1997

Modesto Cepeda, Antologia, 2000 Melao, Sica Sf

Modesto Cepeda, De la bomba al Gracirna, Holandes, Melaza, Yuba SfBolero, 2004

Modesto Cepeda, Modesto Cepeda y Cuembe, Holandes. Paule, Sica SfLos Patriarcas de la Bomba, 2006

Rafael Cepeda (& La Familia Cepeda), Cuernbe, Holanoes, Paule, SicaEI Patriarca de la Bomba, 1974Rafael Cepeda y Grupo Folk Balance, Cuembe, Cunya, Lero, Sica, SfExperimental BombaLeLe de Los YubaHermanos Cepeda, EI Roble Mayor,1996William Cepeda y Grupo Afro Boricua Corbe, Lero, Seis Corrido, Sica, Yuba SfBombazo, 1999 Cuartiao, Yuba

William Cepeda y AfroRican Jazz Cuernbe, Holandes, Sica, Yuba SfMy Roots and Beyond, 1998 Cuartiao, Yuba

William Cepeda y AfroRican Jazz Cuernbe, Holandes, Sica, Yuba SfExpandiendo Raices, Branching Out Cuartiao, Yuba2000

Los Hermanos Emmanuelli Nater Belen, Calinda, Danue, Holandes, Seis SfBomba y Plena En Vivo, 2000 Corrido, Sica, Yuba

Grupo Cohitre D'el Yunque Calinda, Rule SfEsta To' Habla'o, 2000

C}uiro y :Maraca, 'VoL 9, :No. 4 Page 8

Artista, Grabaci6n, Ano Seises de Bomba Barriles de Bomba Aut6ctonos

Guateque: Ballet Folclorico de Puerto Yuba SiRico, Legado Puettortiquetio, 1998

Kokobale, Clave Tres, Vol. 3, 1999 Yuba Si

Ballet Folklorico de Bomba y Plena Temas de Loiza SiLanzo, Nuestras Raices, 2004

Marunguey, AI Son del Manglar, 1994 Sica Si

Yolandita Monge, Mi Encuentro, 1997 Sica Si

Victor Montanez y Los Pleneros de la Calinda Si110, Caliente = Hot, 1977

Paracurnbe, Perecumbe, 1987 Belen, Bomba de Toa, Corve, Guernbe, SiHolances, t.ero, Seis Corrido

Paracurnbe, Puerto Rico Tiene Tamb6 Belen, Guernbe, Lero Si(0 Tembo) , 1997

Paracurnbe, Tamb6 Sabroso, 2004 Belen, Cunya, Guernbe, Lero Si

Plena Libre, Evoiucton. 2006 Cuernbe No

Los Pleneros de la 21, Puerto Rico, Gracima SiPuerto RicolMi Tierra Natal, 1990

Los Pleneros de la 21, Somos Gracirna, Sica SIBoricuaslWe Are Puerto Ricans, 1996

Los Pleneros de la 21, Puerto Rico Barnbulae, Sica SiTropical, 1997Los Pleneros de la 21, Para Todos Gracirna, Holandes, Sica SiUstedes, 2005Proyecto La Plena, Bomba y Plena En Sica, Yuba SiMinnesota, 1999

Marcial Reyes y Sus Pleneros de Gracirna SiBayarnon, Puerto Rico in Washington,1989

Los Relarnpaqos de la Plena, Sica SiResteurecion, 1999Los Relarnpaqos de la Plena, Esto Si Holandes, Sica SiEs Navidad, 2000David Sanchez, Obsesion, 1998 Sica Si

David Sanchez, Melaza, 2000 Gracirna, Bornbas variadas Si

Son del Almendro, Ruta Tropical, 1999 Sica, Yuba Si

Tacuafan, Caribe Negro, 1993 Holandes, Sica, Yuba Si

Angel Luis Torruellas, Plena Maestra, Sica Si2000Varios Artistas (Los Cepeda, Los Ayala, Belen, Corve, Cuernbe, Gracirna, SiParacumbe, Bombazo de Puerto Rico, Guernbe, Holandes, Seis Corrido, YubaWilliam Cepeda, Los Pleneros de la 21,Felix Alduen y Sus Tambores), Raices(Banco Popular), 2001

qiiiro y :Jviaraca, VoL 9, No. 4

Artista, Grebecion, Ano Seises de Bomba

Page 9

Papo Vazquez y Pirates & Troubadours, Holandes, YubaCarnival in San Juan, 2003

Barriles de Bomba Aut6ctonos

Sf

Viento de Agua, De Puerto Rico AIMundo,1998

Cuernbe, Holandes, Sica Sf

Viento de Agua Unplugged, MateriaPrima,2004

Gracima, Guernbe, Holandes, Hoyo de SfMula, Yuba

CONCLUSI6N

La bomba puertorriquefia grabada hoy en diagoza de una expresion mas amplia que la de la era deCortijo, una expresion mas cerca a sus rakes. Todavia noha llegado al exito comercial que tiene la plena si se midesolo por ventas. Por ejemplo, las ventas de Plena Librehan llegado a mas de cienmil unidades. Yla las ventas deCortijo y Su Combo en su epoca tampoco se han igualadoen el mercado de hoy. Varios factores iluminan esta com-paracion. Plena como producto de la industria musicalcomercializada tiene una historia que empieza con lasgrabaciones de Manuel "Canario" Jimenez en los 30ssigue con Cesar Concepcion, rompe barreras con elmulataje de Cortijo, sobrevive con Los Pleneros delQuinto Olivo y se redescubre con Plena Libre. Bomba,por la sencilla y simple razon, no tiene esta trayectoriaprofunda en el mercado disquero.

En cuanto a la distincion entre la bomba grabadahoy dia con la experimentacion de Cortijo y Su Maquinade Tiempo otras consideraciones van al grano. Cambiosdrasticos en los sellos disqueros han contribuido a lagrabacion de varios seises de bomba en esta epoca pos-Cortijo. Indudablemente, los sellos dominantes todaviacontrolan los sistemas de distribucion, la promocion enlas emisoras, y las presentaciones en vivo. Pero la tee-nologia de hoy permite la auto-produccion de graba-ciones con sellos independientes 0 con sellos de la manga.Nos parece evidente que la expresion de bomba en todasu riqueza y variacion en el presente es la culminacion deuna produecion independiente por grupos musicales quecarecen de recursos economicos y de medios de distribu-cion. A la misma vez el resurgimiento de la bomba enafios recientes es atado al reconocimiento de sus rakesboricuas y del rescate del barril de bomba como vehiculode identidad. Los dos son inseparables. Todo esto tieneconsecuencias en el mercado - las mas profunda es parael bailador y consecuentemente para las ventas. La rev-olucion de Cortijo se siente en multiples campos. En estesentido Cortijo limito su expresion ritmica para responder

alas necesidades del bailador y por ende, 10hizo mas

accesible. Tenemos mucha mas tela para cortar para nive-lar el conocimiento que existe para bailar la bomba de hoyy 10que pasaba como baile de bomba en 10stiempos deCortijo. De hecho, la expresion amplia que goza la bombade hoy se presta mas a los campos de Jazz y Latin Jazz sinos dejamos medir exito 0 aceptacion solo por la vara deventas y dominacion de mercados - un proposito queapropiadamente es cuestionable. Pero si nos permitimosen hacer estas conexiones llegamos de nuevo - como uncirculo - a la vision de RafaelCortijo y su expresion en suMaquina de Tiempo. De nuevo una mirada al porvenir.Un experimento singular. Un genio sin igual.

Cortijo & His Time Machine, Re-issue by Musical Procuctions

C}iiiro y 'Maraca, 'Vo[ 9, :No. 4 Page 10

Exiting Cortijo's Time Machine: BombaRecordings Go Back In Time

Juan Cartagena

Rafael Cortijo's pathbreaking recordingCortijo & His Time Machine in 1974 on CocoRecords represents a watershed event in a careerthat spans the breadth of a renewed popularity ofbomba and plena rhythms that he helped instill.Headlined by Ismael Rivera, Cortijo y Su Combowere the ambassadors of Puerto Rico's drum musicthroughout the Caribbean, Latin America andbeyond. Rafael Cortijo did indeed lead a revolutionthat brought Puerto Rico face to face with its black-ness and with a resurgent acceptance of itsautochthonous drum rhythms. His experimentalrecording, Cortijo & His Time Machine, was receivedwith critical acclaim on many levels, not the least ofwhich emanate from his integration of differentinstruments, orchestrations and arrangements intofast paced rhythms that represented centuries oftradition on the island. In fact, Cortijo was takinghistorical drum rhythms to new places in a newtime.

This begs the question: to what extent hasthe commercial recording industry created a spacefor the continuation of bomba recordings that fol-low Cortijo's experimental model? The answer, inpart, lies somewhere else: it lies in a renewedrecording outpu t that appears to both expand uponthe selective Coritjo repertoire of bomba sica andexpand towards more authentic bomba instrumen-tation in the recording studio. Bomba recordingssince Cortijo & His Time Machine have effectivelygone back in time. Unable to consistently matchthe buying power that Rafael Cortijo represented inthe 1950s and 1960s bomba today is nonetheless,much more fully expressive than the Cortijo era inthe commercial recording market and in manyways much closer to its roots.

CORTIJO & HIS TIME MACHINEThere was little doubt that Rafael Cortijo

intended to make his mark on an experimentalensemble when he put together his new bandCortijo y Su Maquina del Tiempo. The principalarrangers for the group were two young PuertoRican musicians who met each other in theConservatory ofMusic in Puerto Rico: Pepe Castilloand Edgardo Miranda. Miranda noted that the stu-dio date was totally "an experimental concept" as

they fused Miranda's electric guitar not thePuerto Rican cuatro that Miranda is also known for- Castillo's electric piano - not the accordion hewas known for at the time nor the cuatro he regu-1arly plays today - along with congas, bongo, tim-bales and a full range of minor percussion like theBrazilian cii.ica, for example. Traditional elementsstill remain and are a major part of the recordingproject. For example the songs themselves, like thenow-classic Camaval and La Verdad (later re-recorded to great success by Lucecita as Le Lo Lm)evidence traditional lines that reflect both coastaland monte elements in Puerto Rico. Other featureson the album do likewise: the female voice on cho-rus (a staple of Cortijo's previous sound), the riffsCortijo took on conga and the jibaro motif through-out.

Experimentation and incorporation of van-guard elements of music of the 1970s is the key tounderstanding the recording. According to PepeCastillo, Rafael Cortijo was looking to establishsomething new after the break up of his Cortijo ySu Bonche that relied on the arrangements ofJorgeMillet. The encounter between Castillo and Cortijoin Santurce was preceded by an earlier encounterwhen Castillo arranged a commercial for theWKDMradio and Cortijo laid down the timbalestrack. Cortijo asked Castillo about a new begin-ning. "I told him, Rafa, I have 3 new arrangementsbut the music is not salsa or anything like that. It'sinternational music. Something very Puerto Ricanbut also very radical and I don't know if you'regoing to get into it," he elaborated as he describedthe keyboards he would use, the electric guitar, theAmerican drum set, trombones and saxophones.Cortijo was interested. Separately, EdgardoMiranda was more cautious after reading Pepe'scharts: "You must be crazy. Cortijo will not likethis and you know where he's going to tell you to gowith these charts." At the first session RafaelCortijowas impressed by the arrangement for Bailay Goza. "This could work. Let's start dealing withit," said Cortijo. The result was two straightmonths of rehearsals, five days a week from 2 to 5in the afternoon at a club located at Bus Stop 15 inSanturce. The rehearsals became an event in theirown right, attracting the likes of Johnny Pacheco,Roberto Roena, Charlie Palmieri and many musi-cians from both sides of the ocean.

"Rafa, this is 30 years ahead of its time.You're screwed. No one will understand this," wasthe assessment of Roberto Roena - the man wholearned bong6 from the master drummer, Rafael

qiiiro y :Maraca, VoL 9, 'No. 4 Page 11

Critical acclaim for the exploratory recordingTime Machine was cemented with the assessmentofBritish born, music critic, John Storm Roberts, afrequent contributor to The Village Voice and theauthor ofThe Latin Tinge. In his book Roberts wasunabashed in his view ofwhat he called "one of the

Cortijo & His Time Machine is a compilation most avant-guarde salsa albums ever produced"of seven numbers, which include one plena and and added: "Maquina del Tiempo was one of thetwo bombas, one bolero, and an amalgamation of most brilliant Latin-jazz fusions ever recorded with-guarachas, aguinaldos from in the salsa tradition."Puerto Rico's jibaro repertoire r---------:-----------, Others have referred to it asand hybrid rhythms denoted "complex . . . ahead of itsdulce. It was recorded in multi- time" "interesting" and aple sessions in 1974 in Puerto "definite must" in any collec-Rico and NewYork. tion. Even its cover art by ElyThe two bombas are infused Besalel has been lauded forwith Edgardo Miranda's electric its surrealist bent.guitar and occasionally by PepeCastillo on electric piano. Baila But there was a majory Goza is denoted bomba dulce - disconnect between immedi-a quicker form of bomba sica - ate public reception to Laand incorporates a standard Maquina del Tiempo, and thesica drum break (done with critical acclaim that cameconga and drum set) that leads afterwards. The first gig forinto a dexterous Cortijo solo on Cortijo's new ensemble was inconga. The guitar and the horn New York City at Teatrosolos clearly mark this number Puerto Rico. Billed as Juntosmore along the lines of latin jazz Otra Vez (Together Again) thethan any typical Cortijo bomba. promoters hawked an incred-This vibe is also reflected in ible lineup of former Cortijo yGonzalo Sifre's drum set solo - Su Combo all stars: El Granperhaps the first time a drum L..- ---"L...---'- __ ..:....;......a.....3..:.---'O";""";"----' Combo, Ismael Rivera y Sus

d d f Photo courtesy of Pepe Castillo C hi b R b Rset was recor e on top 0 a ac im os, 0 erto oena ybomba composition. Baila y Goza employs the New Su Apollo Sound, and Cortijo y Su Maquina delYork based horn section of Lou Soloff, Mario Tiempo. Allthe groups preceded Rafael CortijowhoRivera, Ronny Cuber and Mark Lawrence. The see- was then booed on stage by a dancing public thatond bomba De Coco y Anis has lead vocals by Fe yelled out its dissatisfaction: "Boo, Cortijo" "That'sCortijo and leans heavily on the electric guitar of not music" "Give us Maquinolandera. We wantMiranda along with his wah-wah pedal and a Suelta el Chivo de la Campana. Giveus Perico." Onpanoply of minor percussion that was rarely heard the same tour they played the Jefferson Theaterlaid upon any bomba foundation. Percussionist downtown where the people of the Villageand SoHoGonzalo "Gonchi" Sifrewas the impetus behind the would mix with musicians like Tito Puente, Eddierange of minor percussion that was used in these Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco. "Itsessions. The drum set and congas again work in was a different scene with many more of the illus-unison on breaks that are outside the bomba trious musicians that were known in NewYork atrepetoire while Cortijo rounds out the quicker sica the time... And we were a big hit there, surpris-rhythm with other shadings. The horn section is ingly."from Puerto Rico and is crisp, reflecting their longergestation as a working band for Cortijo, andincludes Andres Torres, Orlando Pabellon, HectorSantos and Richard Keene. Miranda does animpressive guitar solo. Percussionist Chigui

Cortijo. La Maquina del Tiempo is "one of mybiggest headaches" notes Castillo, who also recog-nizes it as one of his biggest accomplishments."But when I think back on Roena's comments theywere really on the money because it was exactly 30years later that this recording finally started to getthe attention we had hoped for on the internation-al scene."

Sanchez, singer Jose Nogueras and bassist LuisVelezcomplement the studio session.

Despite its acclaim Cortijo & His TimeMachine barely made a ripple in sales within thesuper charged Salsa and Latin recording marketthat was beginning to blossom See R. 12

qiiiro y :Maraca, 'VoL 9, No. 4 Page 12

in the early and mid 70s. A full exploration of the and marketing of the album - one that would havecontributing factors that led to this incongruence is benefited from targeted marketing approaches inoutside the scope of this article, but it is worth jazz festivals for example or abroad in Europe. Hementioning two viewpoints that will inform any also observes that this was Puerto Rico in the earlysuch assessment. Cesar Miguel Rendon places 70s, not Cubans in the 80s with Irakere who tookmost of the blame on the Fania label's dominating on jazz as rebellious and creative expression.role in all things Latin in the New York music Finally, he recognizes that Rafael Cortijo was ascene. To him the "Fania empire" effectivelysuffo- visionary, an open minded genius along the ordercated alternative Latin music expression resulting of Miles Davis, but that he was also more comfort-in complete indifference by club promoters, radio able in his element unlike other congueros of hisstations and record stores. Rafael Cortijo was time: "What happened with this recording was thateffectively an outsider in this regard whose only it was too complicated for its time and for thevalue was nostalgic. In this regard it is telling that resources that it needed. What we wanted toone year after the release accomplish wasn't reallyof Cortijo & His Time r-------- -----------------, achieved. But it was theMachine Cortijo went back best we could do withto record Juntos Otra Vez what we had. Theseon Coco Records with shortcomings had to doIsmael Rivera, Rafael with not only what weIthier, Roberto Roena, Kiko expected about its sue-Velez, Sammy Ayala and cess but also its produc-the entire Cortijo y Su tion and its budget.Combo crew. Rendon's When we were mixing thetake on these happenings tape the engineer made ais summarized in his book mistake and the tape wasEI Libro de la Salsa: allover the floor, dam-"[Even with the support aged. It had to be cut.that Cortijo received from There was a panic butTite Curet and the reliance luckily it was saved.he had on recording dates Listen closely and you '11with Victor Paz and his hear how the rhythmsniece, Fe Cortijo] the mas- skip at times. .. Theter couldn't ride the new public reaction to thewave of salsa. [His music was odd, as if theyrecords] were permanently couldn't understand it -forgotten and the radio even some of the musi-failed to promote them cians like Hector Santoswhile the new dilettantes . said: 'Wait, what is this?'remained absorbed by Remember this is a periodwhatever edicts were in time long before

Edgardo Miranda Photo Courtesy of Los Pleneros de la 21issued by the Fania Irakere in Cuba - andempire. In this fashion a recording as interesting those people had a different mind set, while theas La Maquina del Tiempo (where Cortijo . . . Puerto Ricans in the island and here too, were in aattempted a progressive focus for bomba) was triv- different place. It wasn't easy. Now if we hadialized by the dismissive nature of promoters and looked to market this in jazz festivals and inexperts who, not without some bragging, jointly Europe then it would have been more successful.filled the scene." It just wasn't the right time for that; there wasn't

much of movement for that at that time. EvenCortijowasn't into that scene like someone like RayBarretto or Mongo Santamaria. He preferred tostay in his element. So we kept playing danceclubs like the Corso and Barney Googles until hewent back to a salsa format. So this was basicallylike a project."

This market view of the events of the heydayof salsa recordings complements the views ofEdgardo Miranda as he recalled the lack of sup-port, the failure to appreciate creative Puerto Ricanmusical expression and the nature ofRafael Cortijohimself. Miranda recalls a lack of productionresources that hindered the recording, distribution

qiiiro y :Maraca, 'Vo[ 9, 'No. 4 Page 13

Pepe Castillo is convinced that everythingwould have turned out differently if the productwas marketed in the way that musicians intended:"We created this with an eye on the internationalmarket. Our vision was to present Puerto Ricanfolkloric music, dressed up, so to speak, for theinternational market. I'm referring to musicianslike Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Ray Barrettoand their Latin Jazz - which is what we call it todaybut not how we described it then." Instead, themarketing strategies tried to place the recording inthe salsa market and the cuchifrito circuit. In 1974Castillo witnessed Kako (Francisco Bastar) deliver-ing the album Time Machine to Papin of LosPapines at La Casa de las Americas in New YorkCity and then, the story goes, the recordingreached Chucho Valdes who was about to launchIrakere in 1976. "This record had the influence tochange everything in the new wave of LatinAmerican and Caribbean music," says Pepe Castilloas he recognizes that Irakere was given the oppor-tunities to play in Europe and in the internationalmarket.

In many ways Cortijo's foray into experimen-tal bomba, imbued with the jazz stylings of whatsome today now call bomba jazz or Latin jazz,marked a new epoch in his amazing career.Unfortunately it was short lived as he shortly mor-phed his Maquina del Tiempo ensemble into anoth-er group that played more of what salsa audienceswanted to hear. In some ways Rafael Cortijo mayhave also seen this coming as well. Castilloremembers how Cortijo linked dancers andrhythms when they worked on the album: "Thepace is too fast in these rhythms, too fast fordancers. The dancer shouldn't have to respond tothe music, the music has to respond to thedancer."

Thirty years later, Roberto Roena's predic-tion came to pass. A label out of Miami, MusicalProductions, acquired the rights to the recordingand, in Castillo's opinion, finallymarketed the proj-ect the way it was originally intended. Sales arebrisk in the United States, Europe, Canada, LatinAmerica and Puerto Rico and the piece hasacquired the status of a collector's item. "Iget greatfeedback all the time on it. And it's opened upmany doors," says Pepe Castillo who's only lamentnow is that Rafael Cortijo isn't alive to appreciatehow successful the album is today.

BOMBA'S RESURGENCE IN RECORDING STUDIOS POST

CORTIJO & HIS TIME MACHINECortijo's experimentation was still depend-

ent on his own view of what was marketable atleast from the perspective ofmore authentic, tradi-tional drumming instrumentation. By using con-gas, bongo and timbales on Cortijo & His TimeMachine he followed what worked for him before.The difference was deliberate. Frank Figueroa'sobservation is more consistent with Cortijo's mostfamous Combo than with the latter day Maquina deTiempo, but it speaks to his choice nonetheless:"Cortijo always said there were two ways to playbomba and plena. The most authentic one waswith panderos, timbas or barriles, cuas and a coro.. . The other way of playing bomba and plena is thestylized, modernized interpretations by hotel bandssuch as Rafael Munoz, Pepito Torres, and CesarConcepci6n. Cortijo had to make a slight compro-mise. It was necessary to expand the instrumenta-tion of the typical plenero group to give it the newcombo sound. He was unyielding, however, whenit came to retaining the slum caserio flavor of hismusic" (Figueroa 1998). Actually, sound, and itsprojection in the recording studio, was the mainreason Cortijo shied away from using panderos inhis recordings - the inability of sound engineers tocapture the depth of Puerto Rico's drums at thattime framed Cortijo's choices. The fact that Cortijocould still retain autochthonous drumming in thebomba traditions of Puerto Rico despite usingCuban influenced conga drums is also noted byEdgardo Miranda: "Sure, he played on moderninstruments but with a Puerto Rican flavor. AndPuerto Rican riffs, too. Cortijo had our swing onthe congas."

The rest of the decade of the 70s and into themid 80s flattened whatever interest Cortijo couldgenerate in Puerto Rican bomba. But that wassoon followedby a resurgence and re-acquisition ofbomba in Puerto Rico and in the Puerto Rican dias-pora. The question remained whether bombarecordings would follow the critically acclaimedCortijo experimental model in Cortijo & His TimeMachine, or veer into other directions.

The extent to which bomba can reflect anyresurgence or reacceptance within the broaderPuerto Rican nation can be found in a review ofpublicly available music releases in recent years.Part of this inquiry into a bomba renaissancerequires differentiation between the expressions ofbomba in the last twenty years or so to those ofpre-vious eras. In many ways the differences are clear:recordings of bomba music inthis era are more likely to present See p. 14

qiiiro y :Maraca, 'VoL 9, :No. 4 Page 14

a full range of bomba rhythms from sica to yuba toseis corrido to guernbe and everything in between.Equally important, bomba drumming is presentedtoday with authentic drumming ensembles in stu-dio recordings. Authentic bomba instrumentationis one that replaces the Cuban influenced conga infavor of bomba drums, or barrilles de bomba.

is due in large part to the production efforts of therespected musician William Cepeda who is thethread behind both recordings. Finally, in 2006the voice and lead vocals of Don Rafael Cepeda areavailable once again in a modified reissue of theclassic 1974 recording under the name ModestoCepeda y Los Patriarcas de la Bomba which

includes yuba, paule, cuembe, sicaDespite its rich rhythmic com- and holandes. The recording

plexity, longevity and historical sig- includes the original bombas record-nificance, there are very few commer- ed in 1974 plus two additional ones.cially available recordings that are Recordings of bombas havedevoted exclusively to bomba songs appeared in other albums with someand bomba rhythms. This includes frequency and in particular since thethe entire era that starts with the 1990s thus mirroring the resurgencewildly popular recordings of Cortijo y of bomba. Two independent distin-Su Combo in the 1950s and 60s guishing features of the recordingsthrough the present. Nearly all of the listed here portend a long-lastingfew examples that meet these criteria future for bomba music: first, thewere recorded since the late 1980s use of sieses de bomba that gobut start appropriately with Cortijo y beyond sica as it was popularized bySu Combo and their late 1950s LP Rafael Cortijo and second, thoughBombas Para Bailar. This album fea- . not mutually exclusive, is the use oftures nine bombas, all in sica (one a traditional bomba instrumentalperformed by Celia Cruz) and one .•.••..•••••F.I ensemble in the recording studio.plena, El Bomb6n de Elena erroneous- The former characteristic under-ly described as a bomba on the jacket scores the broader appreciationcover. The tunes here are classics today for the different forms ofwith the full Cortijo sound and the bomba that we have from Puertolead vocals of Ismael Rivera. The Rico. The latter creates a badge ofrecordings after this Cortijo era devot- :==~======~=:;;;;:authenticity in its own right anded exclusively to bomba include the supports the creation of a largerseminal Rafael Cepeda recording in market for the barriles de bomba1974 El Patriarca de la Bombas a rare from Puerto Rican drum-makers.LP that includes Cepeda's narratives With these criteria in mind we canover bomba cuembe, holandes, list another groundbreaking ensem-paulee and sica. In 1996 after his ble that has made a major contribu-death, El Roble Mayor was released. tion to the appreciation of bomba,Six years later Ballet Folkl6rico Paracurnbe. Its important 1987Hermanos Ayala released their first recording Paracumbe presents eight-recording commemorating their 40th een numbers, all but two of whichanniversary, La Bomba de Loiza. are bombas from various regions ofEach of these projects consists exclu- the island, especially the southernsively of bomba rhythms that faithfully represent coastal towns, and include guembe, ler6, belen,the Santurce and Loiza bomba traditions respec- holande, seis corrido, corve, and one that is reflec-tively. El Roble Mayor contains songs representing tive of the bomba practiced in the area of Toa. Atler6, yuba, cunya, cuembe, balance and sica the time this recording was released Paracumberhythms while La Bomba de Loiza presents songs effectivelyestablshed itself as an early forerunnerin seis corrido and corve rhythms. The full region- in presenting bomba recordings in multiple bombaal variations in bomba are now further refined in formats. Ten years later Paracumbe released theirthe recording studio with last years release of second recording Puerto Rico Tiene Tamb6 (reissuedCandela, La Bomba de Mayag11ez by FelixAlduen y as Tamb6) heavily blessed with bomba rhythms likeLos Tambores de Felix Alduen presenting bomba ler6, guembe, and belen. And in 2004 Paracumberhythms in cuembe, holandes and yuba. Both the repackaged this recording, added a few children'sLoiza and Mayaguez representation in this regard lullabies and added one bomba cunya and distrib-

qiiiro y :Maraca, 'Vo[ 9, :No.4 Page 15

uted it as Tamb6 Sabroso. accompanying the 2001 Banco Popular film specialAdditional studio recordings led by musical Raices by the same name, offers thirteen bombas in

directors within the family of Don Rafael Cepeda various styles like sica, cuembe, yuba, guembe,have also made important contributions to the doc- gracima, seis corrido, corve, holande and belen byumentation of bomba in this regard by presenting artists like Los Cepeda, Los Ayala, Paracumbe,a majority of songs in a bomba format. The most Bombazo de Puerto Rico, William Cepeda, Losimportant, and certainly the most prolific artist in Pleneros de la 21, Felix Alduen y Sus Tambores,this regard is Modesto Cepeda. In addition to Olga Tanon, Jose Feliciano, Andy Montanez, FeModesto Cepeda y Los Patriarcas de la Bomba, dis- Cortijo, Ismael Rivera, hijo, Michael Stuart andcussed above, he has released five other albums: Marc Anthony. From Ponce in 2003 anotherEncuentro de Bomba y Plena Al Acetato (1992) fea- recording to offer a majority of bomba tunes isturing sica and paule rhythms; Raices de Bomba y Puerto Rico by Ballet FolcloricoBaramaya de PoncePlena (1995) with bomba sica, yuba, and gracima; where seven of the ten songs offered are bombasLegado de Bomba y Plena (1997) presenting bomba from the Southern tradition. Loiza's bomba tradi-sica, melao, yuba and holarides ; tions are clearly present in the inde-Antologia (2000)with bomba sica and CiiR" 'H~nff"''' 'f:«J,;'ICdU.

L,,5:pendent recor~ing issued in 200~ .by

melao; and De la Bomba al Bolero ~V~~:aw*"ana ~a an Orlando, Flonda's Ballet Folklonco(2004) with bomba gracima, yuba, _.n.::.~:~~~:~~:':l~~~~~~;0:~~~:}~:f~:·;:::·r_._._de Bomba y Plena Lanzo calledholarides and melaza. In 1999 ~.----. 0. c •••.• A n.••••.__ • -....... I Nuestras Raices which provides aWilliam Cepeda and his Grupo Afro majority of songs in bomba formatBoricua assembled musicians from that straddle gracima and seis corri-the bomba traditions of Santurce, do formats.Ponce and Loiza to release the first In the world of jazz recordingsmajor recording of bomba loiceiia, a number of forays have been madeBombazo. This album includes to incorporate authentic bombabomba seis corrido, corbe and drumming ensembles and to incor-rhythms not traditionally associated porate bomba rhythms beyond sica.with Loiza like yuba, Iero, yuba cua- The leader in this regard is Williamtiao, and sica. And recently in 2002 I Cepeda whose acclaimed recordingsthe late Luis "Chichito" Cepeda was My Roots and Beyond (1998) andthe musical director on a recording Expandiendo Raices, Branching Outproject for his ensemble Cepeda (2000) with his group Williamcalled Dancing the Drum: Bailando el Cepeda and AfroRican Jazz mergeTamb6 where bomba holandes, cuem- bomba sica, yuba, cuembe,be, yuba, sica and balance are fea- holandes, and yuba cuatiao, some-tured. times in different meters to jazz

Outside of the Cepeda family charts. Mr. Cepeda has consistentlyother recordings with substantial used traditional bomba drums in hisnumbers of bombas include the excel- recordings and the sound is unmis-lent inaugural album by Los takably progressive. Another incred-Hermanos Emmanuelli Nater, Bomba y Plena En ible jazz talent from Puerto Rico is David SanchezVivo (2000), a recording led by Jose, Jorge and who has incorporated barriles de bomba in twoVictor Emmanuelli that includes bomba sica, yuba, recordings, Obsesi6n (1998) and Melaza (2000)danue, calinda, holande, seis corrido and belen. with success. Raul Berrios deserves mention forAnother album that features an even number of his efforts to incorporate traditional bomba drum-plenas and bombas, all in sica, is Asi Bailaba ming ensembles in various projects including thePuerto Rico: Al son de la Bomba y la Plena (2001) group Kokobale and its Clave Tres, Vol. 3 recordingwith bombas by Cortijo y Su Combo, Myrta Silva, in 1999. Bomba rhythms beyond the popularLa Playa Sextet, Chivirico Davila, Ismael Quintana Cortijo style continue to gain favor among notableand Orquesta La Unica. Rafael Cortijo has a num- jazz musicians, and allow space to go beyond plenaber of albums with significant bomba representa- as in the case of Papo Vazquez. His new group,tion in addition to Bombas para Bailar. These Pirates & Troubadours, has incorporated authenticinclude Ritmos y Cantos Callejeros by Cortijo y plena drumming into his jazz recordings. But hisKako y Sus Tambores that offers an even number bomba presentations up to now were in the Cortijoof plenas and bombas, all in sica. The album instrumentation mold - congas and

See p. 16

(}airo y :Maraca, 'VoL 9, :No. 4 q>age 16

percussion, such as in his 1992 release Breakoutrelying on the talents of the outstanding percus-sionist, Milton Cardona and employing sicarhythms. Recently with the inclusion of RobertoCepeda, he has incorporated authentic bombadrums and expanded bomba rhythms in his livejazz sets in NewYork City and in his 2004 Camavalin San Juan which includes bomba yuba andholandes,

The table presented on pages 7 through 9above, summarize the remainder of recordingswhere bomba is either played with traditionalbomba percussion instruments and/ or wherebomba rhythms are presented above and beyondthe sica rhythm that Rafael Cortijo made so popu-lar.

CONCLUSION

This essay seeks to make the point thatbomba today is much more fully expressive than inthe Cortijo era both in the commercial recordingmarket and in live presentations, and in manyways much closer to its roots. At the same time, ithas yet to reach the commercial success of itscounterpart, plena whether measured in sales,where recordings by Plena Libre can reach sales ofmore than a hundred thousand units, or in marketshare, where bomba's dominant position duringthe Cortijo era has not been matched.

Many factors contribute to this phenomenonstarting with changes in the recording industry.Major labels still control the large share of distri-bution markets, radio time and promotion for liveperformances especially in the Latin music scene.But independent labels and independent recordproduction provide more of an outlet today thanever before. The more expressive forms of tradi-tional bomba are being produced independently byfledging groups that have little access to capitaland distribution strategies. Another factor lies inthe fact that the renaissance of bomba today islinked to the rediscovery of its Puerto Rican rootsas reflected in the rediscovery of other seises debomba and the recapture of its traditional drums.The two appear linked inseparably. Resurgence inthis manner has a price, however. While bomba inrecording studios today is more expressive than inthe Cortijo era, it is also less accessible to the danc-ing public and the market share they represent.Full bomba expressiveness in terms of various seis-es de bomba especially is possibly less suited forcommercialized dance markets and more suited foreclectic forms of musical expression such as Latinjazz -- at least if one limits success to market share

or total sales. Under such a limited viewpointCortijo's formulation in Cortijo & His Time Machinecomes full circle and points to the future onceagam.

SOURCES I REFERENCIAS: INTERVIEwsIENTREVISTAS: EDGAR DO MIRANDA

(19 AUG. 2005); LESTER NURSE (3 SEPT. 2005); PEPE CASTILLO ( JAN.

2006). CARTAGENA, JUAN. 1999, "CORTIJO'S REVOLUTION," GUIRO Y

MARACA, VOL. 3, #3; 2004, "WHEN BOMBA BECOMES THE NATIONAL MUSIC

OF THE PUERTO RICAN NATION. . . " CENTRO JOURNAL, CENTRO DE

ESTUDIOS PUERTORRIQUENOS, HUNTER COLLEGE, VOL. XVI, #1, SPRING

2004. FIGUEROA, FRANK M. 1998. "RAFAEL CORTIJO VERDEJO, " LATIN

BEAT MAGAZINE. OCTOBER 1998. ROBERTS, JOHN STORM. 1979, THE

LATIN TINGE. TIVOLI: ORIGINAL MUSIC. RONDON, CESAR MIGUEL.

UNDATED. EL LIBRO DE LA SALSA. YGLESIAS, PABLO. 2005. COCINANDO:

50 YEARS OF LATIN ALBUM COVER ART. PRINCETON: PRINCETON

ARCHITECTURAL PRESS.

Los Arreglistas / The Arrangers:Pepe Castillo & Edgardo Miranda

ByJuan Cartagena

Pepe Castillo: Resilient.That's PepeCastilloa multi-facetedmusicianwho adapts his musicality to changingcircumstances. Childhood illness and a New YorkCitycar accidentcreated opportunities, not threats, to expandupon an already wide array of instruments for PepeCastillo. He plays accordion,guitar, keyboards, percus-sion, and cuatro. But a walk through the streets ofManhattan revealed one more. With a cane in one handCastillo removes a small case out of his bag and beginsjazz melodies on his harmonica. Simplyamazing.

Pepe was born in Ponce to JoseLuisCastilloandMaria Diaz. His musical influences were formed notonly by the music of the island but by the travels of anAmericanmerchantmarine from Bostonthat married hisaunt and would fill the Castillohome with classical,jazzand blues recordings. Rock music made its way toPepe's consciousnessand he becamepart of a precursorto Puerto Rico'srock scenein the form of the band calledThe Joking Birds. At the Conservatory of Music ofPuerto Rico Pepe turned his attention to musicalarrangements and it became his passion. He studiedmusical instruction and was mentored outside of theConservatoryby RobertoGonzalez from Isabela and byKitoVelezfrom Guanica.

Castillo's collaboration with Cortijo continuedafter Time Machine arranging the hit El Bochinche on theChampions album, for example. His attempts to continuein the mode of Time Machine were unsuccessful.Instead he created the group Estampa Criolla and cut a

Edgardo Miranda: It startedwith Sombras Nada Mas, played onenote at a time. His father FranciscoMiranda from Cayey played guitarand cuatro occasionally and kept anold cuatro in the closet. His motherAna Marrero was from Ciales.Edgardo Miranda became known Ed d M· dgar 0 Iran afor his musical skills as a teenagerand sought out for parrandas. His r-------------side work on the grounds crew ofHiram Bithorn stadium causedeven baseball players to seek himout for parrandas, includingRoberto Clemente. In school heswitched from pre-med to music His work with Pepeafter taking a music reading class, Castillo also continued on var-excelling in it and then being ious levels and he recalls ahooked by his teacher, a pianist of memorable set he performedsome fame called Irma Isern de with Pepe's Estampa CriollaVallecillo. Outside of school his at the Philadelphia Folkinfluences on the electric guitar Festival decades ago.were Wes Montgomery (jazz), Jimi "Because we had experienceHendrix (rock) and Albert King in this fusion of jazz and(blues). At the Conservatory the '-- ----J bomba and plena rhythms I1 .. h b th took one of Monk's classicse ectric guItar was t e rage ut e Pepe Castillo Photo Courtesy of Pepe Castillo

cuatro was rarely present even at the (Straight, No Chaser) and weConservatory - it was for the old played it in plena. Pepe wastimers in the mountains back then, now you find it on the accordion, Donald Nicks on base I was on the cua-everywhere, he notes. All of his influences on the cuatro tro. That set -- and our tribute to Monk -- was highlight-come from the mountains and the old guard of cuatro ed by the media in its reviews of this major music festi-players the rest of it is sell-taught. At the Conservatory val. The path was already there. Now there are peoplehe excelled on electric guitar and playing all types of saying that bomba or plena with jazz is like somethingavant guarde stylings based on his own concepts of new, something just invented. But it goes way back."

(}iiiro y :Maraca, VoL 9, :No. 4few albums like Estampa Criolla, Bananaland and thewonderful El Jolope along with contributing songs toPutumayo compilations years later. Estampa Criollabecame a mainstay for Puerto Rican musicians in ElBarrio and led to collaborations between Castillo andexcellent percussionists like Marcial Reyes, Tito Cepedaand JoseRivera. And El [olope is really a gem of a record-ing that showcases Yomo Toro in ways never donebefore. Throughout it all Castillo continues to blendplena or bomba rhythms into all of his projects. A fix-ture during Puerto Rican Christmas celebrations, PepeCastillo creates memorable images, in both film and reallife: singing Complain, Complain on a stoop; performinga one-man show with cuatro in hand in the corner of anyrestaurant in El Barrio; singing LaParranda to a bomba sica during theholidays. And now we add jam-ming the harmonica a la TootsTheilman on the streets of the West50s.

Page 17bomba, plena and salsa. But everyone else was segre-gated: rock on one side, salsa to the other and jazz some-where else.

After his collaboration with Cortijo he ended upstaying in New York and jamming both instruments foryears to come. Straddling both came easy for him andhis skills became well known. His electric guitarprowess can be seen on the Tito Puente Live in MontrealDVDwhere he gets extended solo time in the small LatinJazz ensemble that the King put together. His perform-ance is intense providing lines for exploration for theother musicians on stage with him like Hilton Ruiz,Mario Rivera and Jerry Gonzalez. His work with Tito

Puente continued and culmi-nated in his work on theaward-winning TP album OnBroadway. In the New Yorkbomba and plena scene he isbest known for his long termcollaboration with LosPleneros de la 21where he is amainstay the country's fore-most bomba and plena ensem-ble. He has participated ineach one of LP21's recordingsand provided countless hoursof joy and pride among audi-

_101..I...;:...:..' ences worldwide.Photo Courtesy of Los Pleneros de a 21 Overcoming some recent

medical setbacks, Edgardo isback composing and arrang-ing a number of songs that heplans to unveil. His inspira-

u......'r'..••••• tion is now the cuatro again.

qiiiro y :Jriaraca, 'VoL 9, No. 4

VIAJE A CHICAGO:

LA ODISEA DE GRABAR

BOMBA Y PLENA CON GRUPO YUBA

CHICAGO BOUND: GRUPO YUBA &THE ODYSSEY OF RECORDING

BOMBA & PLENAJUAN CARTAGENA

There is an element of familiarity, a scent of home, afeel of warmth in the home of Eli Samuel and MyrnaRodriguez in Chicago. With dozens of Puerto Ricanbomberos and pleneros that have visited in 15 years, the wel-come mat is worn but still inviting. Eli and Myrna have beenhosting visitors to Chicago for a long time; virtually everybomba and plena group that has stopped in Chicago startingwith Los Pleneros de la 23 Abajo has visited their modesthome full of music, hand made vejigante masks, good food, andgood time. Theirs is also a home to the activists in Chicagothat solidified the musical expressions of Puerto Rico's drummusic in the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center of the City'sBoricua community. And within their home they have nur-tured Grupo Yuba, Chicago'S first full bomba and plenaensemble.

Their daughter, Mirely Rodriguez, co-director ofGrupo Yuba (featured in G&::M Vol. 2, #4, 1998), took usthrough a chapter and verse re-telling of how the ensembleachieved one of its goals and one of her dreams, the recordingof Chicago Sabe a Bomba y Plena con Grupo Yuba, an inde-pendent recording that marks a milestone in Chicago: theCity's first recording of bomba and plena music. Shedescribed a process of hard work, research, studio overruns,accomplishment and perspective that resulted in the finalrecording released in 2005. Throughout it all, this author wastreated to delicious food, great conversation and the familiari-ty that comes with all of our collective bomba and plena fam-ilies. This is down home music and cultural expression andlots of it.

Since it's a project of Segundo Ruiz Belvis it has to beeducational explains Mirely. And she's right. The work thatculminated in finishing the master in 2004 grew to fruition ona Friday in March of 2005 with a CD release party in Rumba,a Latino restaurantlbar in Chicago'S Loop, a bombazo thatevening at Ruiz Belvis, followed by a four-hour panel roundtable discussion on bomba and its manifestations in the islandand the diaspora the very next morning at Ruiz Belvis.

To commemorate this event for our readers we setforth three snapshots of the odyssey towards the final CDrecording: first an informal discussion with Mirely, Eli andMyna recounting the process; then a few choice quotationsfrom a less-than-superb audio recording of the discussion atthe education forum in 2005 and finally a short review of theinaugural recording itself.

Page 18

Llegar a la casa de Eli Samuel y Myrna Rodriguez enChicago es llegar a la casa de unos primos lejanos, un lugar dondelos olores, la centralidad de la cocina boricua y el ambiente de bien-venida es alcanzable, reconocido. Son muchos los musicos quepasa-do por esas puertas - especialmente musicos de los generos debomba y de plena. Empezando con la primera llegada de LosPleneros de la 23 Abajo en Chicago hasta los participantes de laPrimera Conferencia de Investigacion de la Bomba afines de 2005,son muchos que han compartido en ese hogar en dbarrio boricua deChicago. Entre esas paredes se ha nutrido la labor del CentroCultural Ruiz Bdvis y dd grupo de bomba y plena de Chicago,Grupo Yuba.

Ya son aproximadamente quince afios de trabajo paraGrupo Yuba en ese ambiente (vea G&M, Vol. 2, #4, 199B). Su co-directora, Mirdy Rodriguez, hija de Eli Samud y Myrna, nosembarco en un viaje largo e iluminante hacia d logro dd primer cididd grupo en 2005. Lograr la grabacion, un suefio realizado paraMirdy, es un acontecimiento significante para Chicago: su primeragrabacion de musica de bomba y de plena en esa ciudad.

Como Jue un proyecto dd Centro RuizBdvis, tenia que serun proyecto educativo, explica Mirdy entre platos de comida criol-la en la casa de sus padres. Tuvo razon. La inauguracion dd ciditenia ce/ebracion y e/ogios en un restaurante en d Loop de Chicago,piquetes y repiques en Ruiz Be/vis la misma noche, y una charlasobre las manifestaciones de bomba en la diaspora y en Puerto Ricode cuatro horas de duracion d proximo dia.

Tenemos un aprecio sincero en G&M para todos losbomberos y pleneros de Chicago. Con eso en mente presentamos tresvistas de esre logro en la ciudad de los vientos. El primero docu-menta una charla que tuvimos con Eli, Myrna y Mirdy donde plati-camos sobre d viaje de concepto hasta grabacion. El segundo esunos apuntes de la discusion sobre la bomba en d Centro RuiZBe/vis. Y terminamos con una resefia de la grabacion: ChicagoSabe a Bomba y Plena con Grupo Yuba

Interview of Grupo Yuba:Eli Samuel Rodriguez; Myrna Rodriguez; Mirely Rodriguez

Editor's Note / Nota Editorial: The interview is documentedbelow as it was spoken - in both English and Spanish inter-changeably. Presentamos laentrevista connuestroscolegasenChicagotaly como se hizo - entre Cervantesy Shakespearesin distincion.

K (Por que grabaron este cidi?Eli: Yo empece a escribir y mi mano derecha, Mirely cogi6 latarea de las voces y venimos acomodando las canciones unapar una. Ya que tenemos 15 anos la gente nos conoce y dijimosvamos hacer un cidi porque sea bueno 0 malo la gente nosreconoce por una de las dos. Empezamos nosotros como el

qiiiro y 'Jriaraca, 'Vot: 9, 'No. 4

grupo de Ruiz Belvis porque mi companera [Myrna] invito agrupos de plena y de bomba a Chicago y de alii salio la idea dehacer el grupo. De ahi palante vino esto que tenemos hoy.

K: tPero pensaron ustedes que era necesario hacer unagrabacion porque no habra representacion de Chicago?Eli: St un poco de eso. Porque hay muchos grupos de NuevaYork en las grabaciones, los de Puerto Rico tambien. Y diji-mos, "contra, es tiempo que hacemos algo" despues de IS anosde hacer esto.Myrna: Hay algo mas importante aqui. Esto viene de undesarrollo largo, de una historia de aprender y de un apren-dizaje; un desarrollo como artista, un desarrollo intelectual yun desarrollo de liderazgo. Es bien importante para losmuchachitos de nosotros porque ellos se criaron en esto. Misobrina ya esta con nosotros II anos llegando al grupo cuandotenia 7 anos y ahora tiene una voz increiblemente bella. Lasbailarinas casi todas empezaron a los 6 anos. Entonces estotiene una trayectoria de trabajo y desarrollo y no con el fin degrabar un CD, sino que es unresultado de una dedicacion deestos individuos de esta genteque han asombrado todo elmundo. Nadie crela que Eli ibaser un compositor de canciones.Eso se desarrolla con tiempo ydedicacion. Ahora da la casual-idad que el escribe las cancionesy dice vamos a tirarlas. Desdeam mi hija se desarrollo tambienen conocer todos los ritmos dela bomba. Me siento surna-mente orgullosa y no tan sola demi familia pero del hecho queotros grupos han nacido de esto ~----------------~porque empezo como un Grupo Yuba

proyectito. Las canciones sonbien ..Mirely: MelancolicasEli: Traen un mensajeMyrna: (Riendose) Sl traen un mensaje y es de la melancol1ade Eli Samuel estar en una ciudad tan lejos de Puerto Rico.

Page 19

Myrna: El ernpezo a tomar clases de cuatro en Ruiz Belvis,hjate como damos la vuelta. Tambien tenemos que mencionarque Felix Diaz fue el primer percusionista que junto con eldifunto, Chichito Cepeda, y con Jose Nuno, nos dieron losprimeros talleres de bomba en Chicago. Y fija que Felix estu-vo en Chicago sin nosotros saber y llega al estudio precisa-mente cuando empezamos a grabar. It's like fate. Como eldestino.

K: Cuentame de los cant antes principales.Mirely: The primary singers are Ivelisse Diaz, myself and onesong where Abigail [Rivera] and Dona Carmen [Garcia] joinin. The majority is by Ivy or me and Eli Samuel sings one of hissongs.

K: LQue fue Eli, te dieron permiso?Eli: (Riendose) Es que me empujaron.Mirely: It's just that some songs sound better with a malevoice. Ivy started as a dancer. She began with a group we

started calling Yubita and iteventually merged with Yuba.About 4 years ago she startedsinging.Myrna: Once in Evanston wehad a performance back whenwe were under the directionof Tito Rodriguez. Y da lacasualidad que la cant anteestaba enferma. Y como aellas siempre las oia cantandoIe digo a Tito que Ivelisse lapuede cantar. And he did it.And she came up and sangthat song "Yo 10 Quiero" and Iremember it like yesterday

Photo Courtesy of Grupo Yuba and everyone was surprisedshe knew the song and she

knew every word. And since then she calls it her song. DonaCarmen also sings with us. Y result a que ella era una de lasprimeras en Ruiz Belvis, y regresa pa coger clases de guitarra.Y alii se incorpora no se como, en Grupo Yuba, tocando mara-ca. Y trajo su hijo Anthony que toea percusi6n.

K: Hablame de la distribucion en el mercado.Mirely: It's an independent production. We produced it andwe're using it as a learning experience. Because it comes fromSegundo Ruiz Belvis it's all educational because everythingthat we do there always is. We did research on the studio andwe learned all the time. Now we're fundraising to get it dis-tributed. We'll use our website and every connection we haveon the Internet, the radio and everything. We have guest per-cussionists, like Felix Diaz from Puerto Rico and MarioDonate, Jr. as well. Felix is from Los Pleneros del Pueblo andfrom Punto y Aparte. We also have El Nino [Fabian Saldana],who plays cuatro.

K: So how do you feel about the project?Eli: Lo que mas me recuerdo es la vez que empezamos alas 6de la tarde y alas 6 de la manana todavia estabamos en el estu-dio. Y hacian anos que no veo el sol de la madrugada. Y cuan-do sali se quedo Ivelisse, Mirely y Lauren [Brooks] todavla alii.Fue una experiencia tremenda.Mirely: I'm excited. This is my baby. My project. I have thesame feelings my dad does. I'm really proud of the work we'vedone. We've come a long way. It's not just the fact that a CDcomes out. It marks our history. For the people who followedus from the moment we've started, they know there's a hugedifference between Grupo Yuba in 1990 - 1991 r----<'--:::~.....""

9uiro y 'Maraca, 'VoL 9, No. 4

and Grupo Yuba today.

Page 20

history. It is what we are. What yousee in our fiestas you don't even hearsalsa and stuff. It's all merengue andreggae. And I like reggae, it's ok. Ilove it. But there's so much more tous.

K: Was it easier or harder than youexpected? Or was it what you expect-ed?Mirely: I started my research into stu-dio time way back and then we reallyworked at this. We practiced every K: What does it mean for you, Mirely.day for 2 hours for a month. I wanted Not you representing all the youngus to be in the studio, in and out. If we people in Chicago. Just you.practiced that much we should be out Mirely: This is my passion. And it'squick. But it didn't work that way. been for a very long time. And I canWe ended up planning for 12 hours of get teary eyed about it. It's good. Andstudio time and we went over by I'm proud of my dad because the songsanother 10 to 12 hours. It can be frus- (,?gi,C<t90 Sa,Be a, [BomBa y ,pCena COlt SJt u po 'YttBa are his songs. It's hard to promote ourtrating but honestly when we mas- L..- ..J culture and to have people enjoy it astered it we were relieved. This was really stressful. much as we do. This is a good project. And we're not gonnaEli: La que cogio mucho tiempo fue que despues de hacer una make no money but that's all right. But I believe in the proj-cancion uno empieza a encontrar detallitos. Queriamos dejar ect and it's about recognition not just the money. This is whatsaber que en esto no somas profesionales en un estudio. Y we've worked towards for 15 years. If you listen to the lyrics,ahara somas como semi-pro. not just the music, you'll learn something. And I've doneMirely: My goal with the CD was to show that with Grupo workshops and my dad helps me with my drumming. But heYuba somas tranquilo. We want people to know that we knows that I always talk about our history, I always incorpo-know what we're doing. rate it. There's so much more to bomba and plena. Not justMyna: It's important to remember Nelly [Lebron Robles] and playing it but knowing why it was played. Why it was[Emanuel] Dufrasne because they were the mentors of Grupo danced. It's very spiritual.Yuba. Luckily they walked us through this process. Vinieronpara aqui una semana completa para trabajar can esto. Theycoached Mirely on what to do especially on the master. Theyhelped us with the copyright.Mirely: They lifted a lot of pressure off my shoulders becausethey gave me critiques and all but said that over all it was verynice. For them to say that meant a lot to me.Myrna: Y hicimos esto no solo para hacer un cidi pero paraservir como recurso. Y si otros aqui en el Midwest quierenhacerlo, a si tenemos que ir a New Jersey, a donde sea, que nosllamen. Y esperamos tener en Chicago un estudio para grabarnuestra musica. Esto puede ser un proyecto de nosotros. Algoque puede tambien ayudar con la cornposicion de estas can-ciones. Tal vez un recurs a que se puede usar en el pais entero.

K: Para ti, (que significa esta grabacion para Chicago?Myrna: Es un adelanto para nosotros. Es un pedazo de nues-tra cultura de Chicago.Eli: Para mi significa que en todas las partes del mundo se ayetanto negativo sabre Puerto Rico. Pero el Puerto Rico queconozco hace 20 arras atras es el que yo recuerdo y es el quetengo hecho aqui en cancion.

K: What does it mean for people your age? It's one thing foryour parents to feel that way but how does it relate to yourgeneration)Mirely: Honestly, it's the same for us. I tell all my friends thatwhat we're producing in bomba and in plena sounds so beau-tiful that they will enjoy it. They're going to like it. It is our

Bomba Celebrated &: Analyzed;

The CD release party for Grupo Yuba filled the fancydigs far from the normally wonderful places on Division Streetwith the sabor boricua of Chicago'S long-standing Puerto Ricancommunity. An attractive local news anchor, ZoraidaSambolin, guided the crowd through the program. Her smileprofessional, welcoming. Visitors from Puerto Rico and NewYork joined the well-dressed crowd in a lively and warmreception for the work of the Segundo Ruiz Belvis CulturalCenter. Once the live music took over, Grupo Yuba was in itselement. That element was circumscribed by the drums ofPuerto Rico. Real drums prominent among the adornmentsthat resembled drums. Felix Diaz straight from Puerto Ricodrove the bomba rhythms to familiar and new heights as hekept the pulse alive. The members of Grupo Yuba workedtheir magic as the proud couple, Eli and Mryna, displayedtheir joy and relief. Soon people gravitated to the CD display,next to a silent auction table, to pick up the new product. Thenight was young as the participants crowded into their vehi-cles to go up to the hood and jam in a more intimate settingbetween drums and percussion. Nellie Lebron Robles,Emanuel Dufrasne, Diaz, Mario Donate, jr., and others tooktheir turns alongside Mirely and Ivelisse and everyone wassatisfied.

qiiiro y :Maraca, VoL 9, :No. 4

The next morning was set aside for discussion andinformation sharing. It seemed somewhat impromptu; a dis-cussion that wasn't fully thought through. But the spontane-ity made sense since Grupo Yuba surely wanted to take advan-tage of the wealth of information that was present the nightbefore. The early start eased into a late beginning as the par-ticipants arrived: Mirely and Eli Samuel of Grupo Yuba; TitoRodriguez of AfriCaribe; Dufrasne and Lebron Robles ofParacumbe; Ruben Gerena of Nuestro Tambo; MelanieMaldonado of Nuestro Tambo and AfriCaribe; MervenMendez and Sijisfredo Aviles of Ruiz Belvis; Felix Diaz of LosPleneros de la 23 Abajo; Juan Cartagena of SegundaQuimbamba; Josinda Acosta of the Instituto de CulturaPuertorriquena; Nashma Carerra Massari a researcher new tothe scene; and several others. In any extended discussion onbomba the themes of spirituality and religion, authenticityand adulteration, common denominators and regional varia-tions always come into play and the four hours used inChicago's Ruiz Belvis Center was no different. But additionalexchanges made this discussion more revealing - academia,and its treatment of all things Puerto Rican, was prominentlydisplayed given the experiences of Dufasne, Lebron Robles,Acosta and more recently Carrera Massari. Nelly LebronRobles elaborated considerably on her experiences in acade-mia and her own journey from operatic training in singing tovocal arrangements for Paracumbe - all of it informative.Occasionally, someone like Felix Diaz would bring the discus-sion down to earth. Another theme, which was telling, was apointed discussion about Puerto Rican identity and theSpanish language: is the latter an indispensable element of theformer? Much was said and clarified in the back and forth asthe participants included first, second and third generationPuerto Ricans along with Puerto Ricans born and still livingon the island. No clear resolution was obtainable but civilityand respect were eventually proffered.

These points were prefaced by variations of a simpletheme: what is bomba to you? Set forth below are some theobservations that were shared.

Ellugar tenia toque de Nuevo Latino. Ubicado en la oril-la del Rio Chicago en el centro comercial de la ciudad, en vez de losnegocios sabrosos de la Division Street, ellugar estaba a punto depasar su prueba defuego: los repiques de los barriles de bomba enforma de Grupo Yuba. Cualquier incongruencia se disipaba al oirla voz de la reportera de television local, Zoraida Sambolin cuyasonrisa, atractiva y profesional daba la bienvenida con igual ternu-ra a los vecinos adinerados que a los visitantes del barrio boricua.El evento - celebrando la inauguracion del nuevo disco de GrupoYuba tambien conto con visitantes de Puerto Rico y de Nueva York.Todos ahi para celebrar la labor del Centro Cultural Ruiz Belvis enChicago. Cuando por fin los tambores de Puerto Rico empezaron asonar, Grupo Yuba se fajo en su elemento de tambores, bailey canto.Tambo res verdaderos entre tambores de adorno que cubrian el

Page 21

restaurante. Felix DiClZinvitado especial de Puerto Rico, repicabacon fuerza apropiada en 10 que los integrantes de Grupo Yubatoaron su hechizo con elpublico. De momentos se veia la sonrisa dela pareja Eli Samuel y Myrna - una sonrisa llena de un alivio yorgullo que viene despues de realizar un trabajo arduo. Despues del"set" corto elpublico se acercaba a la mesa donde las ventas del cidise arrimaban a la mesas de subasta - todo para recaudar fondospara el Centro RuizBelvis. La noche todavia joven, causa un exodohacia el barrio boricua para poder apreciar la bomba y la plena ver-dadera en un ambiente mas familiar. AlIi en el Centro pudimosapreciar mejor a Mirely e Ivelisse de Grupo Yuba juntas con NellieLebron Robles, Mario Donate, Jr., Emanual Dufrasne y Felix Diaz

La manana del proximo dia fue reservada para una char-lar sobre la bomba y sus manifestaciones al dos lado del charco.Parecia un poco espontaneo y desorganizado, pero tenia razon yaque el Centro RuiZ Belvis queria aprovecharse de las experienciascolectivas de las personas destacadas que vinieron la noche anteri-or. El comienzo temprano hizo su transicion al comienzo tarde en10 que llegaron las participantes: Mirely and Eli Samuel del GrupoYuba; Tito Rodriguez de AfriCaribe; Dufrasne y Lebron Robles deParacumbe; Ruben Gerena de Nuestro Tambo; MelanieMaldonado de Nuestro Tambo y de AfriCaribe; Merven MendezySijisfredo Aviles del Centro RuizBelvis; Felix Diazde Los Plenerosde la 23 Abajo; Juan Cartagena de Segunda ~uimbamba; JosindaAcosta del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena; Nashma CarerraMassari, investigadora recien envuelta en esre ambiente y variosotras. Cualquier discusion extendida sobre la bomba puertor-riquena, siempre llega a temas fundamentales, y la que se celebro enChicago en marzo del 2005 fue igual. Por cuatro horas los temascomo espiritualidad y religion en bomba; autenticidad y adul-teracion; marcos comunes y variaciones regionales llegaron altapete. Pero tambien hubo discusion sobre academia e investi-gacion en todo que tiene que ver con Puerto Rico - algo no inesper-ado dado laparticipacion de Dufasne, Lebron Robles, Acosta y masrecientemente, Carrera Massari. Nelly Lebron Robles elaborosobre sus experiencias en el mundo academico yen su trayectoria deadiestramiento en el opera hasta la labor que hace ahoro con susarreglos de voces en el grupo, Paracumbe. Felix Diaz de vez. encuando aterrizaba la charla con un comentario u otro. Y al finalhubo unos intercambios sobre el idioma y la cultura (les el idiomaun elemento indispensable en la cultura?) hechos mas fascinantestodavia con la presencia de puertorriquenos de primera, segunda ytercera generacion en la diaspora juntos con boricuas nacidos ytodavia viviendo en la isla. Preguntas sobraban. Muchas sin res-olucion. Y todos compartieron con gentileza y cordialidad.

A continuacion, resumimos algunos de los puntos quesalieron en la discusion sobre la bomba puertorriquena.

See p. 22

qiiiro y :Maraca, 'VoL 9, :No. 4

Felix Diaz: Bomba es un grito de desesperacion, que todavianos grita desde el pasado. Entiendo que la mayor parte del fol-clor tiene mucho que ver con la naturaliza. Aun con todo eldano que ha hecho los seres humanos en este mundo, hay cier-tas especies que no se extinguen. Y el folclor de PR es casiigual. Si la bomba es comunitaria pero tambien se parecemucho a la naturaliza. De que estamos en Chicago con genteque se criaron aqui y que sacamos el tiempo para hablar sobrela bomba es importante. Es importante mantener esa identi-dad, pero hay otros companeros que tambien guardan 10 deellos, quizas no como el mismo celo que nosotros, pero 10hacen y eso se tiene que respetar. Por eso dije que la bomba escomo un grito del pasado - y es un grito que no deja de gritara pesar de todo. Y la bomba va seguir porque estuve reciente-mente en Nueva York para el BomPlenazo y en Boston paracompartir alia y creanme, hay mucha conciencia entre el estu-diantado que viene ahora en terrninos de la necesidad depreservar algo que antes se daba por hecho. Y aun asi ha lle-gada al conocimiento muchos que no se la dado placas, 0

reconocimientos, 0 que no van aver sus nombres en los per-iodicos,o en las paredes del Instituto de Cultura, 0 en BellasArtes pero que los conocen en las comunidades. Y son estosgrupos sociales, de escala baja, de donde han vivido muchosque sus nombre no han llegado hasta nosotros. Conocemos aRafael Cepeda 0 a Canario, pero no sabemos quien fueChemba 0 tal vez un Tomasito Flores. Y ve que son gente queno estan debidamente idealizado en los libros 0 revistas peropor medio de estos luchadores anonimos aseguraron que nues-tra cultura viviera, adaptara y se sacudiera de todo que leechan encima. (Bomba isan outcry from our past, an outcry of desper-ation. Much of what Iunderstand to be folklore has a lot to do withnature. Even with the destruction of our natural resources at the hands ofhumans, many species still survive. Puerto Rican folklore is similar inthat regard. Sure, bomb a is a communal expression but it also resemblesnature. Just being here and taking the time to discuss these matters inChicago is important. It is important to maintain that which identifies us.Others do the same, perhaps not as jealously guarded as we do, but theystill do it and that commands respect. .. Our bomb a will survive becausethere is a consciousness about it among our youth that works to preservesomething that others took for granted. I've seen that in New York and inBoston. Even so there are many who have yet to receive their due; manypeople know Rafael Cepeda and Canario. But how many know of Chembaor of Tomas Flores - you wont see their names on plaques, or in newspa-pers or magazines or on the walls of the Institute for Puerto Rican Cultureor in the Theater of Fine Arts. And yet through the work of so manyanonymous faces we have our culture assured, alive and adaptable,e andable to ward off anything that gets in the way)

Emanuel Dufrasne: La bomba no es aislada de otras manifesta-ciones del pais. Hay cierta desconexion entre la tradicion y laejecucion de la bomba en parte par el bombardeo de losmedios de comunicacion masivas que afecta est as expresiones.Aqui en este pais definitivamente, pero tambien en PuertoRico. Se puede decir que como tradicion comunitaria, comosurgio la bomba en el principio, eso desaparecio en Puerto

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Rico. Existen musicos que cultivan bomba por muchos anos,pero la bomba es una tradicion originalmente comunitaria,parte de una experiencia vital y cotidiana que se veia dentro deuna cultura que tenia caracteristicas. Esa cultura ha sido afec-tado por los medios de comunicacion masivas, las idiosin-crasias de la personas que 10 llevan, y la enfermedad brutal ysevera que es el colonialismo. Todo esto afecta la bomba.(Bomba cannot be isolated from other similar manifestations in theisland. There is a certain disconnect between tradition and the waybomba is executed today, in part due to the effect that the means of masscommunication have on all of these expressions. You can definitely seethat in this country and in Puerto Rico as well. We can now say thatbomba as a communal expression, as it was in its beginnings, has now dis-appeared in Puerto Rico. Yes they are musicians who have nurturedbomba for many years, but bomba originally isa communal tradtion, partof vital and daily-lived experience that was part of a culture with defin-able characteristics. That culture has been compromised by mass media,the idiosyncrasies of the persons who kept it and that brutal and devas-tating illness that is colonialism. All of it affects bomba)

Josinda Acosta: No es Iacil para nuestra cultura ser reflejada enlos medios de comunicacion. Si eso fuera asi no estuvieramosla pelea que tenemos ahora para tener una ley que protejanuestra musica autoctona y folclorica. La terminologia nostiene comiendonos los rabos hasta llegar a cosas absurdas,pero todos estamos de acuerdo que si, hay que proteger nues-tra musica. Pero este debate en Puerto Rico no liegaria aMexico, a la Republica Dominicana, 0 en Haiti. Pero en PuertoRico en el siglo 21 por las razones del colonialismo, tenemosque pelear por una ley que nos protege la musica que tenemos.En Puerto Rico la historia nacional no se ha escrito parque losque pueden tienen su ideologia que resulta en diferentes ver-siones de la historia. Aqui en este pais, de 10 que yo veo se hacontribuido ciertos casos donde hay muchas expresiones queestan mas vivas aqui que ha veces en PR, porque en la islaseguimos pensando que 10 que se ve en los medios de comuni-cacion es nuestra cultura y eso es totalmente falso. Hasta ten-emos extranjeros dominando nuestros medios de comuni-cacion y hasta tenemos mas programacion mexicana queboricua en la isla. Y las emisoras radiales estan peleando parasobrevivir, y gracias aDios tenemos algunas que conocen laimportancia de la radio en este asunto. (It is difficult for our cul-ture to be reflected in mass media outlets. If it were, we wouldn't have thestruggle we have today in protecting our autochthonous music and folk-lore. The debate over terminology has us chasing our tails to absurdextremes but we all agree that our music needs protection. The debatewe're having in Puerto Rico would never be held in Mexico, the DominicanRepublic or in Haiti. But in this century given Puerto Rican colonialismwe have to battle to legalize protections for our music. Our nationalPuerto Rican history has yet to be written because those that can areblinded by ideology that creates different histories. In this country.frommy vantage point, there are numerous examples of how expressions arekept alive here more so than in Puerto Rico in part because we continue tobelieve that we see in mass media accurately reflects our culture. That'sfalse. We even have foreigners dominating our means of mass communi-

qiiiro y ::Maraca, %[ 9, 'No. 4

cations and even have more programs reflecting Mexico than Puerto Ricoin Puerto Rico. Our radio is trying to survive and we are grateful to havesome stations that recognize the value in radio in this regard at this time.)

Melanie Maldonado: Bomba is a movement. It is being drivenby a younger generation of practitioners who have a real needto identify with their ethnic and culture identity and manifestthat in a way that embraces who they are and validates theirurban experience. (Bomba es un movimiento donde la nueva gen-eraci6n la impulsa por su necesidad de establecer su identidad cultural ydemostrarla en maneras que reflejan quienes son y como la experienciaurbana es un aspecto valido en esa identidad.)

Tito Rodriguez: Bomba es un movimiento de pueblo, un movimientocultural que se hizo y se hace dentro de la supervivcncia cultural delpueblo. (Bomba is a people's movement, a cultural movement that iswascreated, and is still viable within the survival of the people.)

Ruben Gerena: Bomba is still being defined; it lives and growsnot only in Puerto Rico but for those of us involved in cultur-al work. It empowers people traditionally and it can bedefined by the impact it has on people everyday. (Bomba no seha definido completamente. Vive y se nurre no solo en Puerto Rico perotambien entre nosotros que hacemos trabajo cultural. Bomba cree capaci-dades tradicionales y sepuede definir por el impacto cotidiano que tiene enel pueblo.)

Juan Cartagena: Bomba es una forma de identificacion boricuay un simbolo de resistencias a los poderes de este pais que nosestan ahogando con unos criterios dominantes de que es 0 noes cultura 0 musica autentica. (Bomba is a vehicle for identity. Itsimbolizes resistance to the powers of this country that suffocate us withmonopoliZing criteria for what is, or what is not, culture or authenticmusic.)

Mirely Rodriguez: Bomba is definitely spiritual for me. Itdoesn't necessarily define me as a Puerto Rican woman, but itdoes take me back to Puerto Rico. My best memories are asso-ciated with bomba, it happened in 9S when Grupo Yuba wentto Puerto Rico to learn bomba. Bomba was what we all had incommon, no matter where we were born. (Bomba para mi nene unaspecto espiritual. No es que necesariamente me define como mujer puer-torriquena, pero si me !leva a Puerto Rico. Mis mejores memorias estanvinculadas con la bomba. Incluyen 10 que paso en el 95 cuando GrupoYuba fue a Puerto Rico para aprender bomba. Bomba fue el enlace comunsin importancia a donde nacimos.)

Dufrasne: Idioma es una parte grande de la nacionalidad y enlos Estados Unidos tambien. Segun Saud Bonilla, si pierdes elcastellano, pierdes la cultura, porque el idioma y la cultura soninseparables ... El ejemplo en Puerto Rico es el Taino. Aun conla etimologia de palabras tainas y las huellas que dejan en elidioma espanol, al perder el idioma taina se perdio la culturataina. . . Tu cambias el idioma, cambias la cultura - eso esinnegable. (Language is a major marker of nationality and this is true

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in the U.S. as we11.To cite Saud Bonilla, if you lose Spanish you lose yourculture because language and culture are inseparable. Tafnos in PuertoRico are an example. Even recognizinng the etymology of Taino words inPuerto Rico and the trail they have left on the Spanish language, once welost the Taino language we lost Tafno culture. It is undenialbe that if youchange the language you change the culture.)

Maldonado: To say that is to deny who we are ... Language isimportant, there's no denying that. But language is but oneaspect of our connection as a people. It is not the defining ele-ment of our culture. (Decir eso es negar quienes somos ... De que elidioma es importante, nadie 10 puede negar. Pero el idioma es solo unaspecto de nuestra conexi6n como pueblo. No es el elemento que definenuestra cultura.)

Nellie Lebron Robles: It was the reverse process for me. Igrew up in New York City and went to Puerto Rico at the ageof 12 and was ostracized in the schools of Puerto Rico. Myparents were responsible for my getting by because they usedthe newspapers to teach me Spanish. (Para mi el proccso fuereversado. Me crie en Nueva York y !legue a Puerto Rico a los 12 anosdonde fui condenada al ostracismo en las escuelas de la isla. Mis padreslograron que yo pude sobrevivir porque usaron los peri6dicos paraensenarme espanol.)

Gerena: La importancia que yo le doy a la bomba no es tantolos ritmos y los bailes, es el espanol - porque me ayuda apren-der ese idioma. (I value not so much for its rhythms and its dance, butfor its Spanish" because it helps me with Spanish.)

Jashma Carrera Massari: Yo entiendo y hablo espanol ... peroeso no me llevo a conocer mi cultura. Aprendi mas sobrePuerto Rico con personas aqui en este pais como Melanie,Mirely y Ruben. (I speak and understand Spanish ... but that alonedidn't get me to know my culture. Ilearned about Puerto Rico right here,in this country, with people like Melanie, Mirely and Ruben.)

Vejigante de Eli Samuel Rodriquez de Grupo YubaPhoto: Jason Montemayor

qiiiro y :Maraca, Vol 9, :No. 4

Chicago Sabe a Bomba y Plena Con Grupo YubaGRUPOYUBASegundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, www.ruizbelvis.org

Vocals. That's what you come away with first when you hear this recording. MirelyRodriguez and lvelisse Dfaz take on most of the lead vocals in this production of six bom-bas and two plenas. Mirely's work arranging the vocals is admirable and a great contribu-tion to the bomba produced in the diaspora. Ivelisse is a dynamo especially in live perform-

L...- --' ances. The bombas bring both southern and northern coasts together as Eli Samuel payshomage to the traditions of both regions. The vocal harmonies hit the right notes reflecting shades of Paracumbe's NellieLebr6n Robles and her work, along with Emanuel Dufrasne, with this wonderful group from Chicago. But make no mistakeabout this project it is clearly the work of Grupo Yuba and its composer, Eli Samuel and his daughter Mirely. There are afew standouts here including Ay Borinquen a plena that is graced by the cuatro work of EI Nino and pulsed by the requintoof Mario Donate, Jr. The bomba Acereco is Eli Samuel's simple combination of a few references to the production of sugaralong with Ismael Rivera's signature "acereco" that is simply beautiful. As is the bomba guemM, Yo Se, a tale of unrequit-ed love inspired by a scene in the Banco Popular video, Rafces. Tempranito is Eli Samuel's recollection of how the govern-ment sponsored public benefits agency PRERA worked to undo the respect that Puerto Ricans had held for the value ofwork. It speaks to an incident when a livid family member couldn't hire someone to paint a house because the workforcebecame enamored with PRERA and how all of it worked against the island's interests. As with all the songs composed byEli Samuel there is nostalgia and a tinge of sadness created by displacing a proud, industrious people and placing them somany miles from home. Luckily for us, we can re-live his memories to the backdrop of these beautiful harmonies and ourown Puerto Rican drums.

Also includes: EI Cuatro, La Plena y EI Coquf (Plena); Yo Me Voy Pa Puerto Rico (bomba quernbe): Tocame La Bomba(bomba sica); Oye Andres (bomba sica / seis corrido).

La Plena Regresa A Sus Raices ... PonceLOS PLENEROS DEL BARRIODel Barrio Productions, 787.843.3673

"Me alegro que nuestra rnusica esta lIegando a don de queremos, que es por todaspartes." De esta manera recibimos los saludos poncerios de Roberto Texeira y LosPleneros del Barrio. Aparte de un cassette y un 45 grabado en esos tiempos de antes laproducci6n La Plena Regresa a Sus Rafces ... Ponce, es la primera grabaci6n de estegrupo de plena que tiene 19 anos de vida en la Ciudad Senorial, EI cidi cuenta con ladirecci6n musical de Ruben Perez que contribuye en el cuatro puertorriquerio tarnbien.Selecciones del cancionero boricua montadas en plena son parte de este disco como es

En mi viejo San Juan y Piel canela. La bomba de Bobby Cap6, iEsos no son de aquf! resulta bien igual que la plena deAngel Luis Torruellas, EI polio. Pero dos otros nurneros son de mucho agrado en esta producci6n: la plena Puerto Ricode la autorla de Texeira - quien tarnbien la canta - tiene un swing y un sabor de Ponce excepcional y la versi6n en bombasica del bolero de Pedro Flores, Perdon, es una contribuci6n de primera para todos los amantes de la bomba.

"It's good to hear that our music is going where we always wanted it to go. Everywhere." So begins our talk withRoberto Texeira of Los Pleneros del Barrio as we fact check the details surrounding the release of their first CD, La PlenaRegresa a Sus Raices ... Ponce. Texeira has been parte of the plena scene in this the birthplace of plena, since child-hood and Los Pleneros del Barrio have a history of 19 years and growing. Plena versions of Puerto Rican standards (Enmi Viejo San Juan and Piel Canela) along with other well known songs in bomba sica (jEsos No Son de Aquf by Bobby)and in plena (EI Polio by Angel Luis Torruellas) are also presented. But two numbers stand out here: Puerto Rico - aplena written and sung by Roberto Texeira captures the plena scene in Ponce very well; and Perdon - a captivating bomb asica version of a famous bolero by one of Puerto Rico's greatest composers, Pedro Flores which is a notable contributionfor the archives.

Also includes: iEs que me pongo mala! (plena);and EI charlatan (plena)

CPage24

qiiiro y :Maraca, 'VoL 9, :No. 4 Page 25

LOS PLENEROSDE LA 11 Para Todos UstedesLOS PLENEROS DE LA 21Smithsonian Folkway Recordings, 800.410.9815, www.folkways.si.edu

Semillero. Abriendo caminos. Forjando senderos. Empezamos esta reseria en lamanera en que Los Pleneros de la 21termino este proyecto - con un yuba aguan-taito, tranquilo para servir como fundacion para el trombon gemido de PapoVazquez, las notas sutiles de Edgardo Miranda en la guitarra electrica, los zapatos

Para Todos Ustedes del bailador Roberto Cepeda, y la melodia vocal de su director, compositor y ahoraL..- ---l cantante, Juan Gutierrez. Calmando los fuegos encendidos por las selecciones

anteriores del disco, Semillero enmarca una culmlnacion exitosa de la nueva grabacion de Los Pleneros de la21, esta vez producido por Smithsonian Folkway Recordings como parte de su coleccion impresionante yampliade rnusica autoctona de todos los paises. Para Todos Ustedes sencillamente tiene algo para todos: EI guiromonte adentro de Roberto Cepeda en Isla Nena (seis/plena) y los repiques del ya veterano adolescente CamiloMclina-Gaetan en Echando Un Pie (bomba sica/son). Las voces hermosas de Herman Olivera y Miriam Felix(jtrernendo coro!) en Patria (plena) en contrapunto al rap callejero en plena de Jose Rivera en Chiviriquit6n - yJose se la comic. Tambores alternando entre seises de bomba sin fallo en Julia Luisa - un paraiso para tam-boreros - ofreciendo otra oportunidad para apreciar a su compositor y arreglista, Juan Gutierrez. La combinacionde Nellie Tanco cantando decimas con la confianza que viene con arios de cantar en frente de tambores nue-stros y el requinto y mensaje de Hector "Tito" Matos en la plena Isla Nena. Y el trornbon gordo del talentosornusico y arreglista Papo Vazquez en Carmelina (plena) es sabrosura garantizada.

Todo sirve bien para enmarcar 10 que debe ser el jit de la grabacion: Echando un Pie. En muchos senti-dos con Echando Un Pie podemos apreciar rotundamente la labor de Los Pleneros de la 21. Francisco Bastar,conocido como Kako, lanzo el tema junto a Rafael Cortijo como parte de una de las mayores grabaciones debomba y plena, Ritmos Callejeros. En ese disco el gran Chivirico Davila interpreto la composici6n del gran JustiBarreto.

En Nueva York este espiritu colectivo que define la bomba por aca lIego a tener vida de nuevo con la inau-guracion de Los Pleneros de la 21 mas de vente arios atras. Los rincones de la ciudad ya conocian a plenitudlos ritmos callejeros de Cortijo y Kako en una urbe tan grande y a la vez, tan pequeria. Digo esto porque LosPleneros de la 21 contaron con una senora que bailaba bomba con autoridad y un conocimiento que solo seencuentra en las venas. Esa senora fue Eugenia Ramos la madre de Kako.

AI montar Echando Un Pie como reconocimiento a Kako y a Eugenia, Los Pleneros de la 21hacen un homenaje precioso a nuestros queridos que estan mas alia. De aqui nos podemos imaginarcomo estaran gozando las cadencias de esta bomba hecha dulzura por la voz potente del cantanteSammy Tanco. EI arreglo de Edgardo Miranda llama a parejas de bailadores para la bomba, como entiempos pasados. EI nucleo excelente de Jose Lantigua en las teclas y Donald Nicks en el bajoestablece la melodia y Miranda Ie tira sombritas de jazz en 10 que lIega un coro bien afinado y losrepiques de Camilo Molina-Gaetan. Todo requetebien, La verdad es que Los Pleneros agarraron labatuta y la hicieron brillar con 10 sabroso que esta esta selecci6n.

Semillero (The Planter). Opening walkways. Forging pathways. Starting at endings. LosPleneros de la 21 ended this recording with a reserved, controlled bomba yuba creating the base forgroans and stylings of Papo Vazquez's trombone, the subtleties of Edgardo Miranda's fingering on elec-tric guitar, the tapping shoes of Roberto Cepeda and the vocalized melodies of the group's director, com-poser, and now singer, Juan Gutierrez. Semillero calms the flames created by the disc's previous selec-tions and marks the culmination of a successful product for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and itsever-expanding library of recordings from around the world. The recording, Para Todos Ustedes, hassomething for everyone: The veteran Roberto Cepeda's dexterity on guiro (Isla Nena) and the corre-sponding dexterity on bomba drum displayed by the young and now veteran Camilo Molina-Gaetan(Echando Un Pie); the excellent two-part harmonies of Herman Olivera and Miram Felix (patria) ascounterpoint to the street rap in plena by Jose Rivera (Chiviriquit6n); the seamless Continued, page 26

qiiiro y 'Maraca, 'VoL 9, Wo. 4

transitions from bomba qracirna to yuba to holandes that showcase the composing and arranging tal-ents of Juan Gutierrez (Julia Luisa); the confidence emanating from Nellie Tanco's vocals combined withthe message imparted by Hector "Tiio" Matos and his strikes on pandero to strike back at the Navybombing of Vieques in Isla Nena; and the 'bones brought to full force by Papo Vazquez in his arrange-ment of the plena Carmelina.

All of it serves as excellent backdrop for what should be the hit of the recording: Echando Un Pie- a tune that embodies much of what Los Pleneros de la 21 strive to achieve. First recorded by Kako(Francisco Bastar) and Rafael Cortijo in their seminal Lp, Ritmos Callejeros, the tune is composed bythe great Cuban Justi Barreto and sung by the famous Chivirico Davila.

In recognizing Kako and Eugenia by covering Echando Un Pie Los Pleneros de 21 also pay hom-age to all of the dearly departed. We can only imagine how they must be swayed by the cadence thataccompanies the masterful voice of lead singer, Sammy Tanco. Edgardo Miranda's arrangement callsout for couples dancing in bomba, like in older times. The excellent nucleus of Jose Lantiga (key-boards)1 and Donald Nicks (bass) lays down the melody while Miranda brings jazz shadings into play toset up the perfectly balanced chorus and the lead drumming of Camilo Molina-Gaetan. The truth is thatLos Pleneros de la 21 have taken the baton and shined it up big time - that's how good this song is pre-sented.

Also includes/Tembien incluye: Angelito (bomba qrecime/son); La Plena de Paquito Cerniera(plena); Madame Calalu (plenalguaracha); Campo (bomba yube/cunye); Habla Cuembe (bomb a cuem-be).

jCandela! La Bomba de MayaguezDON FELIX ALDUEN Y GRUPO LOS TAMBOREROS DE FELIX ALDUENCasabe Records, 787.982.5764

Bomba traditions are seriously endangered. Despite the rhythms stillplayed today, or melodies recorded, or dance sequences committed to memory,the fact is that many of our elder voices in bomba have been neglected for solong. Add to that the general devaluation of all things African over so manyyears on the island and you realize that there are layers and layers of informa-tion, songs, nuances in bomba that have yet to surface. We have clearly lostmore than we'll be able to find.

The release of jCandela! La Bomba de MayagOez points to some of these themes. Don Felix Aluden didnot get due recognition until much later in life. Before his death in 2003 he was wont to say "quiero morir conlas botas puestas" (I want to die with my boots on). And he surely did. But it was a journey with some fortuitousinterventions along the way. In the Sabalos barrio of MayagOez where he was born bomba was practiced not asperformance art but as communal expression. The same was true of other barrios in MayagOez like Buenavistaand EI Seco. Bomba was an exclusive enclave of select individuals as Pedro "Unico" Noguet (a major talent inhis own right) recalls of his childhood in the city. When strangers would wander near, bomba was stopped inmid-beat. "Don Felix would say 'Bomba is not meant to played in all places, nor is it meant to played with every-one.'" The trajectory from that perspective to his animated, content and welcoming photos on jCandela! LaBomba de MayagOez is a testament to the resurgence that bomba enjoys today among many Puerto Ricans. Itis also the product of a number of interactions between Don Felix and a handful of current generation bomberoswho are thirsty for knowledge and guidance on the ways of bomba. Jose Emmanuelli was a critical player inconvincing Don Felix to share his insights and to make his art accessible as part of a series of Continued next page

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tours on the island called Bombazo de Puerto Rico. It started with an introduction to Emmanuelli by another oneof our remaining elder voices on the bomba scene, Dona Isabel Albizu from Ponce, and soon enough Alduenwas on stage with Bombazo de Puerto Rico to the delight of many. Afterwards he re-organized his closest drum-mers, Lucas Buye and Juan Nadal, to form Los Tambores de Felix Alduen - now led by his grandson, Jose Millanin Mayaquez. The entre was set through Emmanuelli's intervention to perform as part of the incredible array ofbomberos and pleneros that participated in the Banco Popular film special Raices. The film cemented the visionthat many of us still hold of Don Felix Alduen: Kangol hat, clear eyes, steady voice, incredible drums and driv-ing bomba from Mayaquez.

Luckily for Puerto Rico, the journey continued. William Cepeda began his collaborations with Don Felixand it resulted in another tour, this time of cities in the U.S. as well, as William Cepeda produced engagementswith Grupo AfroBoricua in a number of venues. In short time the word spread that this pillar of bomba from thewest coast of the island was sharing songs, melodies and interpretation about a wealth of information that onlyfew had known before. After the passing of Don Rafael Cepeda, "it was important for many of the bomberos inPuerto Rico to have another elder statesman present, if not another 'patriarch.' [Aluden took on that role] andwas willing to embrace the sprawling (and sometimes bickering) bomba family, to share with us, teach us, per-form with and for us," notes Hal Barton, another major player in Bombazo de Puerto Rico and the research cen-ter, CICRE.

William Cepeda's efforts in this regard are simply unparalled. The collection of talent that accompaniesDon Felix Aluden in the recording studio is a testament to his stature in this field. Cepeda provides arrange-ments and plays percussion while a sizeable and well balanced chorus accompanies the lead vocals of DonFelix. The drumming, however, is the standout here. It is masterfully executed, recorded and mixed. The com-bination of drummers Victor Emmanuelli, Juan Nadal and Hector Calderon never ceases to amaze. Now withthe release of iCandela! La Bomba de Mayagilez we add another important chapter to Cepeda's contributionsto the development and documentation of bomba traditions and regional variations that began with his produc-tion of Bombazo by his Grupo AfroBoricua in 1999 and La Bomba de Loiza by Ballet Folklorico Los HermanosAyala in 2002.

Joining a select group of recordings devoted exclusively to Puerto Rico's bomba, iCandela! La Bombade Mayagilez is a treasure. Ten selections are presented in bomba cuembe, holandes and yuba six of whichwere composed by Alduen. His Me Le Da Memoria is probably the best known to most fans because it wasinjected briefly into the Raices video. Tocame La Bomba in cuembe has become well known through the effortsof many bomberos who have taken seriously the contributions of Mayaquez to the genre. Adios Que Me Voy(holandes) can easily become the standard end-piece of any bomba set, it's simply that good. But Maria Mariamay be better regarded among bomberos in Mayaquez and for good reason - its recording here is the jewelamong jewels. Aluden sounds more animated and moved, the primo drumming is unrivaled and the chorus ishauntingly captivating.

iCandela! La Bomba de Mayagilez is quite simply required listening for all bomba aficionados.

Also includes: Lendi« (yuba); Ola De La Mar (cuembe); Corabe (yuba); Agua Con Azucar (cuernbe):Libene/Obli Mable (holandes); Dale Ger6nima (cuernbe).

(Editor's Note: for more info on Felix Alduen see "Rakes: The Film Special by Banco Popular" G&M, Vol.5, # 4 (including the essay "Viaje a las Rakes" by Edgardo Rodriguez Julia); and "Un Belen Para Tite Curet,Un Belen Para Felix Alduen, Un Belen Para Marcial Reyes" G&M, Vol. 8, #s 1&2)

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GRUPOS DE BOMBA Y PLENAI..Tienes un grupo de Bomba y Plena? Dejanos saber para incluirlosen esta secci6n. EI unico criterio es que cada grupo tiene la capaci-dad y la disponibilidad de hacer presentaciones musicales de bombay I 0 plena, en vivo. Ya saben que estamos disponibles a anadirgrupos tan pronto ustedes nos lIaman. Aqui estan, en ordenalfabetico. If you know of a Bomba and Plena group let us know.We'll include them in our next issue.

AfriCaribe, Tito Rodriquez, Chicago, IL, 773.879.2123,www.africaribe.netAlma Moyo, NYC, Alex LaSalle, 646.489.1203Amigos de la Plena, NYC, Jose Rivera, 646.824.3891Areito Borincano, San Diego, CA, Edwin Monclova, 619.253.0480,www.areitoborincano.comBallet Folclorico de Bomba y Plena Lanzo, Orlando, FL, MiguelLanz6, 407.855.0732Ballet Folklorico Boriken, San Antonio, TX, Olga Custodio,210.878.7821, Boriken98@aol.comBallet Folklorico de Celia Ayala, Boston, MA, Celia Ayala,617.541.3540Ballet Folktorico Hermanos Ayala, Loiza, PR, Marcos Ayala,787.758.2222Bambalue Ballet Folklorico, Ponce, PR, Isabel Albizu Davila,787.844.8579Bembeteo, Chicago,IL, Ram6n L6pez 787.318.1569, AngelFuentes,312.498.8350BombaBoricua, NYC, Nyree Feliciano, 212.533.6466Los Bomberos de Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY, Hal Barton,718.488.1163Bomplenea, San Juan, PR, Gary Vera, 787.792.3552Borinbomba, Milwaukee, WI, Luis Diaz, 414.744.6828, www.diaz-music.comBorinPlena, Miami, FL, Pablo Rivera, 305.635.1174Capa Prieto, NYC, Pedro Angel Noguet, 646.270.7215Modesto Cepeda y Cimiento Puertorriqueno, Santurce, PR,Modesto Cepeda, 787.728.1096Estampa Criolla, NYC, Pepe Castillo, 212.581.5784Folklorico Bohio (F.L.E.C.H.A.S.), New Haven, CT, Menen Osorio,203.562.4488Golpe de Plena, Santurce, PR, Harry Sebastian, 787.728.4283Grupo AfroBoricua, Brooklyn, NY, William Cepeda, 718.421.2115Grupo Cohitre D'EI Yunque, San Juan, PR, Miguel Angel Carrillo,787.473.1409, nangobe@hotmail.comGrupo Viento de Bomba y Plena, Camden, NJ, Jose Catala856.963.4994, ELGRUPOVIENTO@aol.comGrupo Yuba, Chicago, IL, Eli Samuel Rodriguez, 773.235.3988Guateque, Ballet Folklorico de Puerto Rico, Corozal, PR, JoaquinNieves Calderon, 787.859.8601Guayacanes de San Anton, Ponce, PR, Carlos Velez Franceschi,787.843.0082Los Hermanos Cepeda, Carolina, PR, Jesus Cepeda,787.757.1672Los lnstantaneos de la Plena del Rincon Criollo, Bronx, NY,Norma Cruz, 300 E. 151st Street, #3, Bronx, NY, 10451Nuestro Tambo, Chicago, IL, Ruben Gerena, 773.818.2266Orgullo Taino, Queens, NY, Gladys Rodriguez, 718.521.0051Paracurnbe, San Juan, PR, Emanuel Dufrasne, 787.769.2464,www.paracumbe.comParranderos de Loiza y Su Bomba Show, Loiza, PR, JorgeMartinez, 787.256.4725Philareyto, Philadelphia, PA, Katsi Miranda-Lozada, 215.533.0873Plena Dulce, Newark, NJ, Lillian Garcia, 973.645.2690Plena Dulzura, Bayam6n, PR, Anibal de Gracia, 787.306.2616,www.plenadulzura.comPlena Libre, San Juan, PR, Gary Nunez, clo Valerie Cox,787.763.4729, www.plenalibre.comPlenaluna, Bronx, NY, Julio Col6n, 718.328.9231

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Plenason, Manati, PR, Benjamin Jimenez, 787.960.2884, OrlandoMarrero, 787.225.1278, jtbenjie@coqui.netPlenealo, Aibonito, PR, Ivan Rivera, 787.735.3322Los Pleneros de la 21, NYC, Juan Gutierrez, 212.427.5221,www.losplenerosdela21.orgLos Pleneros de la 24, San Francisco, CA, Hector Lugo,510.594.4335Los Pleneros del Barrio, Ponce, PR, Roberto Texeira,787.635.4384Los Pleneros del Batey, Philadelphia, PA, Joaquin Rivera,215.456.3014, ext. 42Los Pleneros del Coco, Worcester, MA, Miguel Almestica,508.792.5417Los Pleneros de la Salud, Springfield, MA, Luis Melendez,413.584.8125Los Pleneros del Severo, Carolina, PR, Carlos Pizarro Falu,787.809.3604, PlenerosdeSevero@yahoo.comLos Pleneros del Quinto Sono, NYC, Enrique Diaz, 212.260.5879Proyecto La Plena, Minneapolis, MN, Ricardo Gomez,612.722.5204Plenyson, Orlando, FL, Jose "Tito" Diaz, 407.812.9942,Plenyson@msn.comPuerto Rican Folkloric Dance, Austin, TX, Ana Maria Maynard,512.251.8122, www.prfdance.orgRaices Boricuas, Paterson, NJ, Ada Diaz, 973.279.2390Raices de Borinquen, Philadelphia, PA, Rachel Rojas,215.432.3927Raices de Borinquen, Washington, DC, Nydia Ocasio,admin@raicesdeborinquen.orgRaices Grupo de EI Arco Iris Centro de Arte, St. Paul, MN, JarizRodriguez, 651.292.8719Los Relarnpaqos de la Plena, San Juan, PR, Gerardo Ferrao,787.767.1454Sandumplena, San German, PR, Francisco Barbosa, 787.941.0364Segunda Quimbamba, Jersey City, NJ, Juan Cartagena,201.420.6332Son del Batey, San Juan, PR, Omar (Pipo) Sanchez Torres,www.sondelbatey.comSon de Plena, Trenton, NJ, Luis Ortiz, 609.584.1644Taller de Bomba y Plena, Ponce, PR, Pedro Barriera Colon,787.259.0293Los Tambores de Felix Alduen, Jose Milan Alduen, 787.265.0251TamBoricua, Atlanta, GA, Benjamin Torres, 678.313.0104,www.TamBoricua.comTambueno, Philadelphia, PA, Alberto Pagan, 215.427.1219Truco y Zaperoko, _ PR, Edwin Feliciano, 787.888.0398,www.zaperoko.comJuan Usera y La Tribu, NYC, Juan Usera, 212.927.7082,latribu@earthlink.netViento de Agua, San Juan, PR, Hector "Tito" Matos, 787.948.4053,viento_de_agua@hotmail.comYerbabuena, NYC, Tato Torres, 347.584.8915, www.yerbabuena.bizYoruba 2, Warwick, RI, Lydia Perez, 401.737.0751Zon del Barrio, NYC, Aurora Flores, 212.410.2999

GUiro y Maraca is dedicated to the promotion of Bomba &Plena music from Puerto Rico. It is issued four times per yearand is published by the Segunda Quimbamba FolkloricCenter, Inc., 279 Second Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, Tel.201.420.6332.Email: quimbambero@hotmail.com. Subscription is $15 peryear. GUiro y Maraca se dedica a la promocion de la musicade la bomba y de la plena de Puerto Rico. Se publica cuatroveces al siio por el Centro Folclorico Segunda Quimbamba.La eubscripcion es $15 por eiio.

Juan Cartagena, Editor, Writer, Design & Layout