Re: Recordings That Cross The Clave
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:44 pm
Carlos Aldama, who is in his mid 70's and originally from Havana, won't let you play crossed for a second.
On a toque de santo in Parraga, La Habana, I witnessed that Armando "El Zurdo" stopped the tambor as a young akpwón had crossed the clave in a song sequence.
On the other hand, we can hear how somebody like Jerry Gonzalez (who surely knows how to place a Guaguancó over the clave) played the segunda in unison with the clave alongside Manny Oquendo in the Conjunto Libre. He is also one of the congueros who decides to play the large tumba in a Guaracha on the 2-side of the clave. The conga groove in the Celia Cruz / Johnny Pacheco recording of "Quimbara" (played by a Johnny Rodriguez)* is the most tasteful Guaguancó interpretation I have heard, and it's in unison with the 3-side of the clave.
I remember we played a cover version of a Salsa number that had a heavy accent on "2" on the 3-side of the clave. I cringed at first, but somehow I had to concede that the accent had its musical (and emotional) function in this particular place.
I find that these instances prove more clave consideration than a handful of Cuban arrangements made by people who look upon the clave as a dogma that must be discarded. (This, too, forms part of clave history!)
You have to know what to play in a given situation, and why. Clave: yes, absolutely; the question is only: How do we deal with it? That's my point of view.
Thomas
* Was this Johnny Rodriguez Jr. "Dandy" or maybe the senior?