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Does anyone know of any good documentaries that broadly introduce the world of afro-cuban drumming and music? What I want to do is one evening sit down with my friends and watch a film to show them why I like conga drumming and the culture that is part of it.

In addition to that, a broad introductory movie about popular latin music and percussion in popular band context would also be good.

Any suggestions?

Well there is "ROOTS OF RHYTHM" with HARRY BELAFONTE... a musical journey from Spain and Africa to Cuba with history as well...it was released in the late 80's...I was also one of many consultants for this...i show to all my students. I think u can find it at Descarga.com Johnny Conga

Sworn to the drum. About Francisco Aguabella.

http://www.lesblank.com/more/drum.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKBrtRm3Is8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZBSi0t7qas&NR=1

Thanks for suggestions! I' ll look into those. Roots of rhythm looks like a good candidate.
Any more?

Buena Vista Social Club, Calle 54, In the House of Axe (documentary on Brazilian Candomble), and though its not a documentary and I know there were some issues that folks had with it, that movie "El Cantante" with J-Lo and Marc Anthony was really good. Awesome music regardless of the factual errors made.

Another that comes to mind is Ivan Acosta's, Como se Forma una Rumba.

Hope this helps,

Jorge Ginorio

... that movie "El Cantante" with J-Lo and Marc Anthony was really good. Awesome music regardless of the factual errors made.

In the genre of "biographical entertainment", there's also a film about Beny More out (if you can find it). I don't know the title, though. Relatively new. It's nice to watch, and artistically much better than the (in)famous "Mambo Kings" with Tito Puente and Celia Cruz.

TA

Yeah, Sworn to the Drum is an excellent documentary focusing on the life and music of Francisco Aguabella, with lots of footage from the 70s, shots of Katherine Dunham, and of Julito Collazo and others playing in performances in the US. Routes of Rhythm, narrated by Harry Belafonte, has some great clips of rumba in Cuba, including 2 columbias from Matanzas. One is by Los Munequitos doing El Tocororo with El Goyo (Diaz), Jesus Alfonso, and Titi Espinosa playing a killer quinto, and with Diosdado and Barbarito Ramos (about 10 years old) dancing. The other one is by Columbia del Puerto. Other scenes of rumba in the street include one with Pupy Insua dancing columbia. Thomas, is the film you are talking about the one called “El Benny”? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFzG6ZCgTl4 I haven’t seen it yet, but have heard good things about it.

Probably the best documentary I have seen of Afrocuban drumming and culture is called “Quien Baila Aqui: La Rumba sin Lentejuelas” (sequins). It is an independent documentary, shot in Cuba and released in 1989, directed by Elio Ruiz. It features the original Yoruba Andabo, with Calixto Callaba, Pancho Quinto, Chori, Chan, Miguel Chappotin (father and son), Malanga el Rumbero, and a couple of others. The interviews of Miguel Chappotin (father) and Malanga el Rumbero (Rolando Rodriguez Oliva) are true documentations of oral history, and the interviews on the street of people’s opinions of Abakua are extremely illuminating. There are some great clips of rumba de cajones in a house in La Habana, a palo ceremony, and Pancho Quinto making a bata drum. The film is a real inside view of the rumba the way it really is in Cuba. Chori plays some of the best quinto cajon I have ever heard, con sabor y cadencia perfecta. Some of the songs in this film have been put on CD as Yoruba Andabo: Cajones Bullangueros.

I like this film even better than the other documentary Elio Ruiz directed, En el Pais de los Orichas, which also features Yoruba Andabo, but is government sponsored and is more commercialized. Quien Baila Aqui was done as an underground documentary, without government support, and wound up winning national film awards in Cuba and Puerto Rico in 1990. It is a real insider’s view documentary. It was only released on VHS tape, but Elio Ruiz is now living in NYC and he may be able to make copies available on DVD. He may already have an English subtitled version available. I don’t know the price, but you can email him directly at elberdf@gmail.com

Thomas, is the film you are talking about the one called “El Benny”?

Exactly. The Youtube clip is an excerpt that I recognized. I saw the film on TV in Havana last year: without a doubt the best place to watch something like that!

TA

Any idea where the El Benny DVD might be available to purchase?

http://www.earthcds.com/caribbean/cuba/index.shtml - Earth CDs carries DVDs on Cuba - scroll down the page I linked.

Mike, I looked at all the DVDs listed in the EarthCDs website, but did not find El Benny. Did you see it there recently, or are you just suggesting the website in general because it sells AfroCuban DVDs?

here it is on a canadian site for US$28.20:

http://www.cubalavida.com/EN_produits.a ... 14&CatID=5

Here's a Documentary on Benny More from http://www.descarga.com

http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/21388.20?B3qXhiRT;;52

I found a DVD at a yard sale a couple months back entitled "Musica Cabana" featuring Pio Leyva and directed by German Kral that I've watched a few times. I can't testify as to factual correctness, but the music and the people involved make it a fantastic movie in my opinion!