KidCuba wrote:
People that are not familiar with the cultural aspect of rumba need to be taught that it is not a drum circle, it is structured interplay between percussion, singers, and dancers. They need to be taught there is a definite pecking order and you should respect your elders and those who play better. If I have the opportunity to play a few moments during a rumba and I see someone better than me - I offer them the drum. If I get on clave, or coro - I am happy, because I am still helping making it happen.
bongosnotbombs wrote:
These statements I take some contention with, while I agree they are true, they do not have to be universal. There are lots of players that are better than I am, however I have learnt to play and play well. If it's my turn, I'm going to play, even if Sandy Perez is in the room, which has happened. Everyone that can hold it down deserves a turn at the drum, and to me pecking orders are maintained by those with insecure egos. I have never seen Carlos Aldama, Jesus Diaz or Sandy ever enforce any sort of pecking order, they enjoy hearing others play and will play with anybody that can hold their own.
However, I will give my drum to anyone that asks for it, there is always another chance to play and no one has to ask me twice.
There are some that insist on playing when they can't hold it down. If I'm playing, I usually just get up and walk away from the poor player, usually the other players do as well, the the poor player ends up all alone, a powerful hint. If I'm not playing, I may simply and respectfully ask for a turn at the drum. Or everyone sings aqui entres and it's time for rotation.
And I agree, if you don't sing coro then I don't feel you are really a rumbero at all.
11am wrote: Some people cannot play in time, and they absolutely, positively believe that they can but they can't. Some people will take the time to tell you, (or in a Rumba, call you out), but most people won't, they'll just avoid playing with you. Practice is a long road sometimes.
rhythmrhyme wrote:AMEN!
That's what I thought, it's certainly my experience playing with African's as well. Life's short, why stress - be happy brother! that's the vib I'd always get.
I think the aggression is a north American thing, perhaps even east coast from what I've read.
pavloconga wrote:I'm a bit late coming to this conversation as I haven't checked in for a while.
Anyway, just thought I'd relate my experiences of participating in rumbas in Cuba. I studied under Sandalio 'Macho' Crespo Calderon (RIP) and most of the time we played in the casa of Mario 'Chavalonga' Dreke (RIP) in el Barrio de Atare. Chava was kind enough and gracious enough to invite me to his humble home and to allow me to study there over a period of several months with Macho.
For that reason, apart from my studies on the drum with Macho there were many impromptu rumbas (usually columbias or guaguancos) that started up any time of day or night simply because of the amount of people that would drop by and visit Chava. I felt honoured just to be in their company, much less to actually play with them.
Anyway, I did get to play a lot in those situations and sometimes I screwed up, or somebody else did. But guess what? Nobody made a big deal about it. No one got angry. If something wasn't played right it was pointed out or you were told, and you might swap to something you could play correctly or you would sit it out. Sometimes even the Cubans wouldn't get it right.
I never experienced any bad vibes between people while playing in a rumba situation, quite the opposite in fact.
I don’t know how it is in other parts of Cuba but that ’s how it was en la casa de Chava. Just my experience.
Quinto Governor II wrote:.
I would guess that most of the the stern or harsh discipline spoken of takes place during practice sessions and not during the actual rumba. The rumba is a party and who wants to that type of vibe at a party? Your experience seems to support this.
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