Toques for Yemaya

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Toques for Yemaya

Postby KentWindress » Wed Jun 06, 2012 5:52 am

Hi. I'm new to the forum. First I want to say hello to everybody! I live in Australia so the chance to talk about bata is pretty limited. I've gone to Cuba 3 times to learn percussion, and started to learn a little bit about bata, until last time all I wanted to learn was batá! Last trip I was initiated omo aña to the drums aña bi ara, who's oluo is Pedro of Atarés. But because I have never been able to spend extended time there I wouldn't say I'm an expert by any stretch. There's probably half a dozen people who play bata at any decent level in Australia (if that!) and none of them live in my city.

I'm also doing a research master's at the moment. I'm looking at batá drumming on YouTube and what's going on there. I'd like to get some discussions going about that at some stage too.

I'm playing some batá with a couple of guys in Brisbane, and we're looking at accompanying some of the Cuban dance classes going on here. So we have to learn some of the toques for Yemaya and Chango (the hardest!) to accompany the dancers, because they'll always want to dance those orisha. But my question is can someone tell me the names of the toques that are played for Yemaya? I'm thinking specifically about the oru seco and the tratado played on the CFN album with Lazaro Ros and Zenaida Armenteros singing. I know for the seco aro is in there. And for the tratado it's got yakota, aro, and I think dada. I'm hoping someone can help me out here. I can get through about half the oru seco on all 3 drums, and the okonkolo through pretty much all of it. But the iya and itotele are hard work! Anyway, I hope someone can help me out. Thanks,

Kent
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby Thomas Altmann » Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:58 am

Hi Kent,

Congratulations for your juramento!

The oru seco sequence that is mostly played in Havana is Alaro - Taniboya - Omolode/Chikini. Alaro (by some people hispanicized as "el aro") is in itself divided in two sections: the Yakotá-type slow section and Alaro proper, with a few conversatons at the end. Taniboya starts where the okónkolo changes and the itótele enú is silent at first; then there are some more conversations. Omolode starts where it's getting slower in the end. Chikini is the second section of Omolode, named by the song going with it. (You can hear that on the CFN recording.) After Chikini, they often come back to a short and fast Alaro "coda".

The CFN recording has Yakotá, Sokutaniwó, Omolode/Chikini, Alaro, and the toque Dada played for Orichaoko in between, because these two orisha have a tratado together, also mythologically. They are not always combined, but it can be done.

Regards,

Thomas
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby burke » Wed Jun 06, 2012 2:26 pm

I know nothing about bata - but its kind of freaky this:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-spiro/ ... 56476.html

Just arrived in my hotmail along with an add for congamasterclass new offerings

My be of interest?

Cheers

Darrell
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby KentWindress » Sat Jun 09, 2012 1:16 am

Thanks Thomas. That answer is a great help. And that new Spiro book looks cool. Might have to put it on the wish list. Wow, you guys are quick! Many thanks.

Kent
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby Thomas Altmann » Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:11 pm

You're welcome, Kent.

I wonder how many transcriptions of the Havana-style oru seco are out in the market now, 4? 5? Do I need all of them? There must be a demand ...

Thomas
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby KentWindress » Mon Jun 11, 2012 1:05 pm

Thomas Altmann wrote:I wonder how many transcriptions of the Havana-style oru seco are out in the market now, 4? 5? Do I need all of them? There must be a demand ...

Thomas


I know what you mean. Like I mentioned, I'm also researching batá drumming for my master's. One of the things that really interests me is the differences in performance styles. So having as many versions of the same toques is really good for me from an analytical perspective. Of course, for performance this can create headaches when you have to choose one. It's hard enough having to choose from different versions my teacher's in Cuba have shown me. They're all very similar, but at the same time unique. One person's wrong is another person's right. My favourite teacher in Cuba, Dreisser Durruthy, was so great because he showed me a bunch of different ways that people do it, as well as the way he does it. I hope with patience, practice and respect I can find my own voice on the batá. Then I'll publish my own book!

Kent
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby Thomas Altmann » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:19 pm

Hi Kent,

you're completely right, and I don't have that much to comment. I too, have studied a few different styles, different ways to compose the oru, and a few different versions of a couple of toques. I think, with the time I have given up the idea to be ready for each and any personal style of a breed of new (and nevertheless great) drummers that could actually be my sons. There are some videos out on YouTube that still make me feel like a beginner who knows close to nothing. I'm afraid that after all, it's just the business of those who are active in the batá circuit full-time, and I'll always be back there on the okónkolo, if at all.

It's almost like learning Spanish before going to Cuba with the illusion that you would understand what they are saying.

But maybe I'm just not as talented as others ...

Thomas
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby vxla » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:05 pm

Check out "Batá Drumming: The Instruments, the Rhythms, and the People Who Play Them" {1} by Don Skoog and Alejandro Carvajal. There is an enormous amount of research into the culture of Cuba, where batá came from, etc., in the book, and it would behoove you to study the material (even if only for reference). They also break down the Orun Seco in it's entirety.

Personally, I just picked up "El Lenguaje del Tambor" {2} to study Matanzas-style batá. It's definitely a quality educational piece!

{1} http://www.contemporarymusicproject.com/bata.html
{2} http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/alfonsosummers
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby nick » Wed Sep 12, 2012 6:33 pm

Hey Kent,
I know someone may have already posted spiro's book on here, and that is definitely a good resource, but if you're willing to shell out a little money, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND congamasterclass.com.
To my knowledge, spiro has the entire oro seco up there, although obviously that only scratches the surface. It is a well taught, thorough, and excellent set of videos. Short of getting an actual teacher in the flesh, it's probably your best option. Know this post was written quite some time ago but hopefully this will still be of some help.
Ache asere
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Re: Toques for Yemaya

Postby KentWindress » Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:13 am

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the info. I haven't checked it out yet, but I have heard good things. At the moment I'm doing alright working with the recordings I've got, and some transcriptions and lessons I've had. It's just the names for some of the toques that I'm not too sure about. When I start working with the oru cantado more I will probably be looking for all the help I can get, but this seems to be the area that is most lacking in written resources anyway. I know the Coburg/Davalos books have these, but they seem to be out of print. It's a fun journey though, and I'm enjoying it immensely.

Thanks for the reply,

Kent
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