Grupo Clave y Guaguanco

British interest in Cuban music is now at an all time high. However there remain some precious musical secrets which Cuba has yet to share with us. Changui de Guantanamo and Clave y Guaguancó are masters of two forms of Cuban music which are currently little known outside of Cuba but which are fundamental on the island.

Clave y Guaguancó play rumba, the Cuban music with the strongest African influence. Pounding box drums interplay with the higher pitched bata drums to underpin swooping call and response vocals. In Cuba the drum is everything and rumba is the rhythm that makes the country move. Right now rumba is undergoing an international funky revival with underground rumba clubs springing up from New York to London.

Clave y Guaguancó formed in the Havana docks more than forty years ago and in the beginning pounded out their rhythms on old fish boxes. Now they are acknowledged global masters of the new rumbadelica scene and their new album Noche de la Rumba (Tumi085) is taking the form in new directions with its use of flamenco influences.

Changui de Guantanamo share a similar musical landmark status. The Changui sound emerged in the East of Cuba at the turn of the century. It was the first contemporary music to merge the Spanish guitar sound with African rhythm and pre-dates son to which it is closely musically related. The percussive tres guitar interacts with a fragmented percussion and voices to develop themes in four line verses. Dancing is integral to changui and is demonstrated by Changui de Guantanamo's own dancers whose slides, hip movements and small steps follow closely the line of the tres and the bongos.

Changui de Guantanamo have been performing the Changui repertoire for most of the century and are still based in Guantanamo. On this tour they feature octogenarian vocalist Cambron who had retired from the band but found the offer of introducing Changui to Britain irresistible.

The appearances in the UK by Clave y Guaguancó and Changui de Guantanamo have been organised by ¡Como No! and made possible by support from the Arts Council of England's International Initiatives Fund and Visiting Arts.

Changui de Guantanamo

Saturday 29 May 12.00 noon North Shields. Window on The World Festival. Admission Free.

Saturday 29 May 7.30 pm Birmingham. MAC Arena, Midland Arts Centre. £8 (£6 unwaged) 0121 440 3838

London: ¡Cuba Presente! at Barbican Centre.

Sunday 30 May 6pm Freestage 10pm
         The Pit, Admission £5              0171 638 8891

Monday 31 May 4.15pm Freestage

Wednesday 2 June 8pm Hay on Wye Festival of Literature, Carlton Marquee
Admission £8.50 01497 821299 or tickets@litfest.co.uk (with Clave y Guaguancó)

Clave y Guaguancó

Monday 31 May 7.30pm London. ¡Cuba - Presente! at Barbican Centre - Collaborative Project with Manu Dibango.    Admission £8.50-£17.50 0171 638 8891

Wednesday 2 June 8pm Hay on Wye Festival of Literature, Carlton Marquee.   Admission £8.50 01497 821299 or tickets@litfest.co.uk    (with Changui de Guantanamo)

Thursday 3 June 8pm Glasgow Americana Festival, Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs. Admission £10 (£8 unwaged) 0141 287 5511

Friday 4 June Bristol. Kuumba, Hepburn Road. Admission 0117 924 5486

See also UK Workshops June 15th to 19th.

Following their first ever performance in the UK. at the Barbican Centres’ ‘Cuba Presente’ festival two of the members of the legendary Cuban rumba group Conjunto Clave y Guaguanco will be teaching a one week intensive course in Manchester organised by La Timbala Music and Dance.

Five days of classes concentrating on the rhythms and songs of contemporary Cuban Rumba. Starting with some of the traditional Afro Cuban forms which have influenced the creation and development of this compelling music, such as Abakua, Congo and Lukumi, we will arrive at the most modern and up-to-date styles of rumba being played today, such as Guarapachangeo and the fusion styles of Conjunto Clave y Guaguanco. The week will culminate in a ‘Rumbon’ (performance/party) featuring pieces performed by the workshop group and the tutors (June 19th).

Arturo Martinez Cabrerra is one of the most in demand vocalists in Havana today, both in ‘fiestas de santos’, and at the weekly rumba performances by Clave y Guaguanco. His effervescent presence on stage and his great skill at endless streams of improvisations make him one of the truly great Cuban rumberos working today.

La Timbala Music and Dance organise an annual program of workshops, performances and carnival events.For further details of this course or our other events or to book a place please contact us at -