The Clave Chronicles

We're remembering Willie Colón, the pioneering Nuyorican trombonist who was a key figure in the rise of Fania Records and New York-based salsa. Marisol Negrón, author of Made in NuYoRico: Fania Records, Latin Music, and Salsa’s Nuyorican Meanings , joins Rebecca to discuss Colón's contributions, collaborations with Hector Lavoe, and his complex legacy as an artist whose politics were see...

Ethnomusicologist Ben Lapidus joins Rebecca again to discuss the life and legacy of Cuban pianist Lilí Martínez Griñan, a Guantanamero who joined Arsenio Rodriguez's band in the 1940s and quickly became his right-hand man in terms of composition and arranging. Lapidus is the editor of a new anthology in Spanish, El hombre y su música: Lilí Martínez Griñán . Songs played: Tumba Palo Cucuyé, Ar...

Ethnomusicologist Robin Moore joins Rebecca to discuss the subject of his forthcoming book, Violín: Mediating Musical Style and Devotional Practice in 21st-Century Cuba . As music used to accompany ceremonies for the ancestors and orishas, violines have been growing in recent decades in Cuba, and are an example of an increasingly hybrid musical approach to worship in Cuba.  Songs played (all by Or...

The most beloved Cuban musician of all time was born on this day 100 years ago: Celia Cruz. We're honoring her with a brand new episode featuring Delia Poey, a professor at Florida State University who has written extensively about Celia's Career.  Songs played: Quimbara Field recording of Afrocuba de Matanzas' version of Quimbara Chango Ta' Vení Que Le Den Candela Usted Abusó...

Columbia University professor and trombonist Chris Washburne joins Rebecca to pay tribute to "el rumbero del piano," Eddie Palmieri, one of Latin music's most significant pioneers. His music straddled salsa, Latin jazz, and other genres, and he was known for his innovative experimentation in form and harmony. Songs played: Azúcar El día que me quieras Broken home & If (We had pe...

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

Kevin Moore is back to help us pay tribute to one of timba's brightest stars, Paulito FG (EPD), who died tragically on March 1. Songs played: El humo o la vida, Dan Den feat. Paulito FG Y ahora que, Percussion and vocal track for Entre Dos Amigos No te lo creas,  Laura (demo track)  El punto Send us Fan Mail Support the show You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a mo...

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

Send us Fan Mail Support the show You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps! If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com Intro and outro music: "Beng...

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

Part 2 of Rebecca's conversation with Cuban music historian Rosa Marquetti. The second edition of her book Celia en Cuba (1925-1962) was recently published in Spanish, and will be translated into English next year. Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W8qgbzs7DHwP2JlTl3FDZfbCc2aLSFovv2SVxZSw3Xc/edit?usp=sharing Son...

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

Ethnomusicologist Edwin Porras joins Rebecca to speak about Chinese musical influences in Cuba, which date back to the mid-19th century. The double-reeded suona was adopted by Santiago conga groups around 1915, becoming an unmistakable musical signifier for conga santiaguera. **Fun fact: Cuba was the first destination for Chinese laborers in the Americas, before even the U.S.** Songs played: Examp...

Eva Silot Bravo joins Rebecca again to talk about her recently published book, Cuban Fusion: The Transnational Cuban Alternative Music Scene , which focuses on Cuban musicians who have migrated to New York, Madrid, and other major cities since the 1990s. They have created new transnational musical scenes, with some traveling back and forth between Cuba and abroad, fusing jazz, Afro-Cuban folkloric...

This week The Clave Chronicles is sharing an episode of Cuban Serenade , a podcast exploring the history of Cuban music in Canada that's hosted by Freddy Monasterio and Karen Dubinsky. This episode focuses on the genius of Cuban-Canadian pianist/composer/arranger Hilario Durán.  Follow Cuban Serenade on your favorite podcast platform! Send us Fan Mail Support the show You can support this ind...

Freddy Monasterio, a Cuban-born researcher, educator and arts administrator based in Toronto, joins Rebecca to talk about the Cuban musical diaspora in Canada. He also co-hosts a podcast on the topic called Cuban Serenade . Songs played: La Reina del Norte, OKAN Cry Me a River, Hilario Duran and his Latin Jazz Big Band La Ceiba de Mayuya, Luis Deniz Group Rebirth, Dee Hernandez Send us Fan Mail Su...

Anthropologist and prolific scholar  Umi Vaughan , author of Rebel Dance, Renegade Stance: Timba Music and Black Identity , joins Rebecca to speak about his 25 years of research on timba and how the genre has changed in the past three decades. Vaughan has been conducting research in Brazil more recently, and will soon be publishing a book on the repression of Afro-Brazilian religious practice and...

Legendary Afro-Cuban hip hop group Krudxs Cubensi (Odaymar Cuesta and Oli Prendes) join Rebecca to speak about their career and the particular challenges they've faced as artists who are Afro-Cuban, queer, non-binary, and immigrants. Their latest album, They/Them Les Elles , features collaborations with Greg Landau and many other Bay Area-based musicians. Songs played: Mi cuerpo es mío You ar...

Percussionist and educator David Peñalosa, author of the book The Clave Matrix , joins Rebecca for an in-depth discussion on the concept of clave, delving into its origins, variations and the way it works in various Afro-Cuban genres. If you've ever wondered what 3-2 or 2-3 clave means or what the difference is between "son clave," "rumba clave" and 6/8 clave, this episode...

Back by popular demand, Mike Levine joins Rebecca again to speak about the latest happenings in Cuban reparto, including a recent controversy related to the genre's popularity in Peru.   Check out the new Buzzsprout option below to send Rebecca a message about the episode! Songs played: Reparto, DJ Yus, Wampi, Nesty, Wow Popy, Un Titico, JP El Chamaco Por Ustedes (Pornosotros), Wampi Toma que...

Scholar and singer Hannah Burgé Luviano joins Rebecca to discuss the career of the "King of Mambo," Dámaso Perez Prado. Unable to achieve much acclaim in Cuba because of his unique compositional style, Pérez Prado struck gold after relocating to Mexico in the 1940s. Songs played: México Lindo Mi Gallo Mambo Politécnico Pianola Send us Fan Mail Support the show You can support this indepe...

Musicologist Marysol Quevedo joins Rebecca to speak about Cuban art music composers of the mid-20th century, such as Harold Gramatges, Juan Blanco and Argeliers Leon. As she details in her recent book, although their works largely relied on classical music structures and forms, they brought in elements of Cuban popular and folkloric music.  Pieces played: Tres preludios a modo de toccata, Harold G...

Cuban dancer, musician, and educator Roberto Borrell speaks with Rebecca about his incredibly versatile career, spanning popular and folkloric styles. He talks about growing up hearing the legendary bands of the 1950s like Orquesta Aragón and Chappottín y Sus Estrellas, and attending the Black social clubs that were eliminated in the early years of the Revolution. Songs played: Linda cubana, Orque...

Punk cubano emerged during the Special Period crisis, giving young disaffected Cubans an outlet to express their angst and rage, often toward the Cuban government. Carmen Torre Pérez joins Rebecca to speak about the counter-cultural genre and its DIY ethics. Songs played:  Jodidos y perdidos, Rotura Eres tú, Eskoria Azul, Akupunktura Esta no es mi puta guerra, Eztafilokoko Ruido en el sistema, Pól...

(Rerun of nueva trova episode, first aired in July 2023) Nueva trova is one of the few Cuban genres that is for listening and reflecting instead of dancing - it's sung poetry, much like other Latin American singer-songwriter genres, namely nueva canción. Rebecca has an in-depth conversation with independent scholar and former Cuban diplomat Eva Silot Bravo about the major figures of nueva tro...