When you think of Cuban music, what comes to mind? Perhaps the slow, emotional son and danzon music represented by the Buena Vista Social Club; or the fiery singing from Celia Cruz; or the energetic mambos of Perez Prado; or, if you happen to be the type that digs a little deeper, the Afro-Cuban rumba tradition featuring thick, dense rhythms and percussion. Many aspects of the Cuban musical experience have permeated throughout the world, and embedded themselves into so many other musical traditions. The music and history of Cuba is essential to how we understand what American music is: the distinct melding of European and African music and cultures. But within Cuba, there is a huge diversity of styles and histories.
One such style is played at Carnaval, in Santiago, the second largest city in Cuba, every February. The style of music, Conga Santiaguera, is different from the Conga that is played in Havana during the same festival. It is characterized by the extremely large drum section, featuring brake drums (a brake drum is a refurbished metal piece of machinery taken from the engine of a car) that are hit with metal beaters, and a loud and piercing double reed instrument, the Corneta China, which is an adaptation of the Chinese Suona. This music, which holds legendary status in Cuba as one of the country’s most unique events (and, with its multicultural history, is extremely Cuban), is barely, if ever, heard outside of Santiago. However, a new group is bringing these sounds to New York City.
Bloco la Conga was formed last year by Nick Herman. Herman learned and studied music in Santiago with Conga de los Hoyos, which is considered the oldest and most famous group, and has been teaching and organizing a new group in New York. Herman explained that one of the reasons the music isn’t really heard outside of Santiago is that most of the musicians who left Cuba for New York City were from Havana or Matanzas, keeping the music a tightly kept secret. He knows of one short-lived group that played some parades in Miami a few years ago, and there is rumored to be a group performing this music in Belgium. Regardless of this music making occasional and sporadic appearances outside of Cuba, Bloco la Conga is making a concerted effort to perform the music regularly and authentically.
Herman has been hosting weekly classes and rehearsals to teach more musicians the style. Bloco’s first performance was at the Village Halloween Parade last October, and they’re performing again this month at The Shrine World Music Venue (2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd.) in Harlem on February 16 at 8pm.
While it’s a little cold to be doing a street parade in winter, Bloco La Conga will be bringing festive intensity, as well as costumes and energy, into this small gem of a venue. For more information on the band, visit www.laconga.us.
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