Changüí - The Sound of Guantánamo (3 CDs and book) FIVE STARS

timberamayor

timberamayor

Son Montuno
The package arrived last night and is exquisite! It's worth buying for the packaging and book alone!

I haven't had time yet to read the book or listen through all 3 CDs. I'm on CD 2 still. The nice thing is that it has at least 10 different groups and they come from different areas of the province. So it's not just the usual 2-3 bands. There are a few other genres as well at least one nengón and something that I don't recognize, but it's too bouncy to be regular changüí.
@DJ Yuca I think it may be contrapachanga ;)

The book is 120 pages and has an intro by Arturo O'Farrill, an article by José Cuenca Sosa among other things. A lot of the background info might not be new to aficionados, but still nice to have. It also has sections about the different bands. It includes the lyrics with English translations (cuerpos only). And just tons of gorgeous pictures. I will continue this weekend listening and reading. I am more excited about thjis than I've been about anything in a while. I'm going to do a review at Timba.com and I'll try to get in touch with Gianluca Tramontana about maybe doing an interview with him.

It's not cheap at about 50 USD but IMO well worth it for the book. One can also buy it just as mp3 with no book for about 18 USD.

Various Artists - Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo / Various - Amazon.com Music

Various Artists - Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo / Various - Amazon.com Music
www.amazon.com
 
I’ve had this for about 4 months now. It’s a great collection, and I especially like the female lead changui group. Check their Bandcamp site for flac files, rather than buying mp3s. It’s a great addition to my changui collection.
 
Richie Blondet said:
Hi.
What does Arturo O'Farrill convey in his intro?
Click to expand...
Hi Richie,
Here are some excerpts from the 6 paragraphs he wrote. I could post the whole text but maybe that's copyright violation?
"Imagine you could take life and physically handle it as if you were holding a painting or a kitchen towel."

"Imagine that you can also take this tangible reality and having handled it, smoothing out the rough patches, washing, painting or doing what you want with it, you could share it with anyone (or everyone) that you choose to."

"In Cuba, such is music. It is the very essence of Cuban life and the ability to partake of it fully with those around you is the most natural aspect of living".

"Nowhere is this more so than in the Guantanamo Province, home of the mighty changüí played with instruments of regal stature. If music is the fabric of life in the rest of Cuba then changüí is existence itself."

"Gianluca Tramonta discovered that the essence of life can be reduced (or enlarged) to the simple practice of playing the tres, plucking the marimbula, hitting the bongo, or scratching the guayo."

"We are lucky that Gianluca has invited us on what I think is one of the most comprehensive collections of traditional changüí that exist."
 
timberamayor said:
Hi Richie,
Here are some excerpts from the 6 paragraphs he wrote. I could post the whole text but maybe that's copyright violation?
"Imagine you could take life and physically handle it as if you were holding a painting or a kitchen towel."

"Imagine that you can also take this tangible reality and having handled it, smoothing out the rough patches, washing, painting or doing what you want with it, you could share it with anyone (or everyone) that you choose to."

"In Cuba, such is music. It is the very essence of Cuban life and the ability to partake of it fully with those around you is the most natural aspect of living".

"Nowhere is this more so than in the Guantanamo Province, home of the mighty changüí played with instruments of regal stature. If music is the fabric of life in the rest of Cuba then changüí is existence itself."

"Gianluca Tramonta discovered that the essence of life can be reduced (or enlarged) to the simple practice of playing the tres, plucking the marimbula, hitting the bongo, or scratching the guayo."

"We are lucky that Gianluca has invited us on what I think is one of the most comprehensive collections of traditional changüí that exist."
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
timberamayor said:
The package arrived last night and is exquisite! It's worth buying for the packaging and book alone!

I haven't had time yet to read the book or listen through all 3 CDs. I'm on CD 2 still. The nice thing is that it has at least 10 different groups and they come from different areas of the province. So it's not just the usual 2-3 bands. There are a few other genres as well at least one nengón and something that I don't recognize, but it's too bouncy to be regular changüí.
@DJ Yuca I think it may be contrapachanga ;)

The book is 120 pages and has an intro by Arturo O'Farrill, an article by José Cuenca Sosa among other things. A lot of the background info might not be new to aficionados, but still nice to have. It also has sections about the different bands. It includes the lyrics with English translations (cuerpos only). And just tons of gorgeous pictures. I will continue this weekend listening and reading. I am more excited about thjis than I've been about anything in a while. I'm going to do a review at Timba.com and I'll try to get in touch with Gianluca Tramontana about maybe doing an interview with him.

It's not cheap at about 50 USD but IMO well worth it for the book. One can also buy it just as mp3 with no book for about 18 USD.

Various Artists - Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo / Various - Amazon.com Music

Various Artists - Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo / Various - Amazon.com Music
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
Hook a brother up dawg.
 
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