Charanga Del Norte: Articles http://charangadelnorte.com/article07.

html

Articles Charanga related articles

Interview with Buena Vista Social Club Star Amadito Valdes

Betty’s Tea Rooms in Harrogate 9 May 2008 - Interview by Sue Miller July 2008

Sue Miller: Hola Amadito!

Amadito Valdes: Hola Sue! Encantado!
SM: Como esta? Esta bien?
AV: Muy bien, muy bien
SM: Bueno, quiero saber como es el publico
para la música cubana de Buena Vista aqui
en Inglaterra…
Translation: How do the English audiences respond to the Cuban music of Buena
Vista?

AV: Bueno, realmente, ha sido fabuloso…el exito que hemos tenido en

estos conciertos – y como siempre comento yo..Buena Vista Social Club
comparte dos patrias – Cuba e Inglaterra y es una prueba mas de que
despues de diez años de comensarse el proyecto hemos tenido el exito
que hemos cosechado en ese concierto.
Translation: Well the reception has been truly fabulous – the success we’ve had with
our concerts. I always say Buena Vista Social Club has two homes – Cuba and England –
its popularity has kept on growing over the last ten years.

SM: Cuando empezó en la musica en la Habana? A que edad?

Translation: When did you start your musical career in Havana? What age did you
start?

AV: Yo empecé haciendo (música) adolescente, un muchacho

praticamente…porque tocqué…porque mi padre fue un clarinetista y
saxofonista muy solicitado en Cuba.

1 of 6 22/07/2009 18:07
Charanga Del Norte: Articles http://charangadelnorte.com/article07.html

Translation: I started playing music as a teenager, when I was practically a boy

because my father was a much sought after clarinet and saxophone player in Cuba.

SM: Como se llamaba?

Translation: What was his name?

AV: Amadito, yo me llamo igual

Translation: Amadito the same as me

AV: el le fue uno de los primeros, los iniciadores de l’Orquesta Jazz

band en Cuba, en los años 30 junto con Mario Bauza1, Armando Romeu2,
Chico O’ Farrill3 etc entonces yo me crecí en ese ambiente no….
Translation: He was one of the founders of the Jazz bands in Cuba in the 1930s along
with Mario Bauza, Armando Romeu, Chico O’ Farrill etc so I grew up in this musical
environment.

SM: En que grupos empezó usted en la Habana?

Translation: Which bands did you start out in?

AV: Bueno antes de reponderle esa pregunta el dejo de comentarte que

en el campo de la percusión yo comencé con Walfredo de los Reyes4,
padre, hoy en dia, uno de los percusionistas mas importante de los
ultimos sesenta años en Latin América, fue mi primer profesor.
Translation: Well before answering this question I need to tell you that I started out
with Walfredo de los Reyes (the elder), who today remains one of the most important
percussionists of the last sixty years in Latin America - he was my first teacher.

SM: Despues de estudiar ha tocado con muchos grupos de Big Band o….?
Translation: After your studies did you play in Big Bands or…?

AV: He hecho trabajo con grupos pequeños, grupos de ocasión,

Orquestas Big Band tambien..trabajé durante unos años con una de las
Orquestas de la Radio y la Televisión Cubana…
Translation: I worked with small groups, function bands and Big Bands as well…for
several years I played with one of the Big Bands for Cuban radio and television.

AV: ..y durante mas que 27 años con el grupo que accompañaba al
‘Cuarteto de Aida’5
Translation: and for more than 27 years I played in the band that accompanied the
quartet ‘Las de Aida’.

SM: ‘Las de Aida’ ha cantado con la Orquesta Aragón tambien no?

Translation: The singers Las de Aida sang with Orquesta Aragón as well didn’t they?

2 of 6 22/07/2009 18:07
Charanga Del Norte: Articles http://charangadelnorte.com/article07.html

AV: Con Orquesta Aragón? Si. Claro..el tema Aja Bibi6

Translation: With Orquesta Aragón? Yes with the song ‘Aja Bibi’

SM: Ademas de Buena Vista Social Club que proyectos musicales ahora
hace?
Translation: In addition to Buena Vista Social Club what other musical projects do you
do?

AV: Si bueno, yo acabo mi proyecto personal que es mi Orquesta, mi

grupo, mis clases magistrales, y le hago promoción al timbal Meinl,
modelo ‘Amadito Valdes’.
Translation: Well I have my own project which is my own band, my own group
(Amadito y su grupo), I also give Master Classes and promote the Amadito Valdes
make of Meinl timbales.

SM: Que es la formación de su grupo?

Translation: What’s your band’s line-up?

AV: Bueno es un grupo pequeño – tiene la seccion de la basse y piano

bajo el seccion de ritmo, dos vientos - dos saxofon que doble con….hace
de clarinetista y de flautista tambien y un trompetista, una cantante
(Idania mi hija) y un violinista que canta tambien.
Translation: Well it’s a small group made up of piano, bass, rhythm section, two sax
players who double on clarinet and flute, a trumpet player, a singer, Idania my
daughter, and a violinist who sings as well.

AV: y estamos promocionando…..hacemos mejor dicho, el repertorio del

disco ‘Bajando Gervasio’..mi primer disco personal que fue nominado un
Grammy en el año 2003.
Translation: We’re showcasing repertoire from my first solo album ‘Bajando Gervasio’
which was nominated for a Grammy in 2003.

SM Que es Gervasio? Tr: What’s Gervasio?

AV: Gervasio es una calle Habanera… ‘Bajando Gervasio’ es un disco que
muestra el papel multi-personal, si se quiere, del timbal en la música
cubana…y entonces con distinctos timbres resume..recorre algunos de
los genros mas importantes de la música cubana.
Translation: ‘Gervasio’ is a street in Havana and the recording showcases the multi-
faceted role of the timbales in Cuban music – it demonstrates the different sounds of
some of the most important styles in the history of Cuban Music.

SM: Puede hablar un poquito mas sobre los timbales porque no es un

instrumento bien conocido en Inglaterra.

3 of 6 22/07/2009 18:07
Charanga Del Norte: Articles http://charangadelnorte.com/article07.html

Translation: Can you tell us a bit more about the timbales, as this instrument is not
that well known in the UK.

AV: Bueno, el timbal e(s) un instrumento que viene, deriva del timpani,
de la música sínfonica.
Translation: Well the timbales developed from the orchestral Timpani drums.

AV: y en el principio era dos cajas, dos snare drum de la batteria

convencional, de ‘drums’, con un atril de madera y posteriamente fue
revolucionando y se convertio en lo que hoy en dia es un instrumento
con otras caracteristicas en su construcción – mas grande con atril de
metal.
Translation: At first they were made out of two boxes, two snare drums from the
traditional drumkit but with a wooden stand and they later developed into the
instrument of today which is bigger with a metal stand.

…..

AV ..y este instrumento figura en la Danza, la Contradanza, en los

Danzones, por supuesto en el Chachachá tambien.
Translation: and this instrument (the timbales) was featured in the Danza,
Contradanza and Danzon styles and of course in the Chachachá too.

AV: y despues pasó en el formato del Son por la via de Arsenio

Rodriguez7…Arsenio Rodriguez es el quien introduce ya en los años 50…y
el timbal pasa integrar tel formato del Son y del Jazz Band – porque
(antes) es el instrumento solamente de la Orquesta Típica8 y de la
Charanga9.
Translation: and later the timbales were added to the Son line-up by Arsenio
Rodriguez…Arsenio Rodriguez was the one who introduced the timbales to this
line-up in the 1950s…the timbales were added to the Son and Jazz bands whereas
previously they were used solely in the Orquesta Tipica and Charanga bands.

AV: y realmente este instrumento salio al gran publico, a la gran escena,

como digo yo, via Tito Puente, el rey del timbal.
Translation: and this instrument truly took on world attention through the playing of
Tito Puente, the King of the Timbales.

AV: Fue el que dio la popularidad que goza hoy en dia ese instrumento
que inclusive ya no solo esta confinando a la música Latina sino que esta
en el Rock y el Pop.
Translation: He popularised the timbales and thats the reason why the timbales are
popular today and are used not only in Latin music but also in Rock and Pop music as
well.

SM: Quiere hacer otras giras en Inglaterra despues de Buena Vista?

4 of 6 22/07/2009 18:07
Charanga Del Norte: Articles http://charangadelnorte.com/article07.html

Translation: Have you any other Touring projects coming up?

AV Esperamos..tenemos ciertas propuestas de venir con el grupo mio

aca en Inglaterra y esperamos que el publico nos reciba con el mismo
cariño que ha recibido el Buena Vista Social Club.
Translation: We hope to..we have some interest in touring my own group in England
and we hope it would be as warmly received as Buena Vista Social Club.

SM: Quiere tocar timbal en mi Charanga del Norte algunas veces?

Translation: Would you come and play timbales with my group Charanga del Norte
sometime?

AV: Encantadissimo trabajar con la Charanga del Norte!

Translation: I’d love to play with Charanga del Norte!

SM: Eso seria un sueño!

That would be a dream come true! Amadito thank you very much…..Muchas
Gracias!

AV: Gracias a ti!

©Sue Miller, Leeds, 13 May 2008
1 Mario Bauza was a trumpeter and arranger who made his name with Machito and his Afro-Cubans in 1940s New
York

2 Armando Romeu was a bandleader, composer, sax and flute player born in 1911- he played in the jazz bands of
the 30s and 40s, performing for 25 years in the famous Tropicana night club

3 Chico O’ Farrill was a trumpeter born in Havana in 1921 who played and arranged for Jazz bands in Havana
before finally moving to the US, making a name for himself as an arranger in New York

4 Walfredo de los Reyes was a founder of the famous band ‘Casino de la Playa.’

5 El Cuarteto de Aida was made up of 4 female singers including BVSC star Omara Portuondo

6 Aja Bibi is on the CD Orquesta Aragón ‘Los ineditos en vivo’ CD9201

7 Arsenio Rodiguez, the famous blind tres player born in 1911, he introduced congas, timbales and trumpets into
the Son line-up (known as a Son Conjunto line-up) and his music later influenced Eddie Palmieri’s Salsa bands in
New York

8 An Orquesta Típica comprised cornets, trombones, clarinets, violins, guiro, timbales and ophicleide

9 The Charanga Orquesta consists of violins, flute, timbales, guiro, bass, piano, congas and singers (added later)
and occasionally cello

5 of 6 22/07/2009 18:07
Charanga Del Norte: Articles http://charangadelnorte.com/article07.html

6 of 6 22/07/2009 18:07