by jorge » Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:41 am
Tamboricua, thanks for posting this.
Excellent work, Nolan. I just skimmed parts of your thesis, read chapter 6, and looked at the pictures. Excellent job and a very interesting original contribution to the literature on Afrocuban religion and music. I look forward to reading the rest, and to getting the CD and DVD. Congratulations on finishing your masters’ thesis, although it looks more like a PhD dissertation to me! I hope you plan to continue for your doctorate.
The first time I saw a cajon was in La Habana in 1985. I had the opportunity to play a short rumba de cajones in the street with Pancho Quinto and some of his group, after a Sabado de la rumba. At that time, although I had been playing rumba for about 12 years, I had never played or even seen a cajon and didn’t know what part to play. They handed me a cajon, and when they saw I had no idea what to play they all laughed at me, but then showed me the same tres dos part I was used to playing in the Central Park rumbas. They showed me a bunch of other parts too, probably guarapachangueo, but I was too dumb to learn more than one part in the 10 minutes or so that we had. Pancho sent a couple of his guys out to watch for police. Apparently it was illegal to play cajones in the street like that, but you could count on Pancho Quinto to buck the system.
I have emailed you also, and want to get copies of the CD and DVD. Thanks for your great contribution.
Jorge