Wesleyan University TOURIST SONGS: CULTURAL TOURISM, THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB, AND CUBAN SON By David A. Garlitz Faculty Advisor: Eric Charry A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Wesleyan University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Middletown, Connecticut April 2005 For my mom. Table of Contents: Acknowledgments………………………………………………………..…………i Introduction………………………………………………………………………....1 Fieldwork…………………………………………….………………………7 Written Sources………………………………………………………….…11 Oral Sources………………………………………….……………………..12 Tradition and Authenticity…………………………………..……………13 Terms related to Cuban son……………………………………...………..14 Related Genres…………………………………………………..………….19 Jazz Terminology………………………………………………….……….21 The Empresa System…………………………………………….………....21 Chapter 1: Cuban Son and Cultural Tourism……………………….…………23 Tourism in Cuba Since the 1980’s…………………………………….…..23 Tourism Studies in Ethnomusicology: A brief summary………….…...28 Cultural Tourism and Commoditization in Cuban Son…………..……31 The Empresa System………………………………………….……………36 Hotel and club managers…………………………………………….……43 Tourists…………………………………………………………...…………47 Musicians’ Perspectives: Regional Identity and Competition…………54 Amateur Musicians: Estrellas de Son and Innova……………………...58 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….62 Chapter 2: The Buena Vista Social Club Phenomenon……………………….67 The Story of the Buena Vista Social Club………………………………..67 Cuban Music in the International Market: Context………………….....69 The Son Revival in Cuba…………………………………………………..72 The Secrets of Success: Cuban Music as World Music……………...….75 The Politics of Nostalgia………………………………………..…………82 The BVSC vs. Música Bailable………………………………………..…..85 Regional Identity in BVSC…………………………………………...……90 Conclusions…………………………………………………….…..……….92 Chapter 3: Genre Issues in Cuban Son…………………………………………94 Dominant Theories of Cuban Music……………………………………..95 The Importance of Genre in Practice…………………………………....101 Genre and Subgenre……………………………………………………...103 Blackness in Son: Issues of Class and Race……………………….……109 A Word About Salsa……………………………………………………...115 What is Cuban salsa?..................................................................................119 Conclusion…………………………………………………………….…..122 Chapter 4: Stylistic Analysis…………………………………………..………..124 The Golden Age: Classic Havana Son……………………………….…127 The Classic Septeto Sound…………………………………….…………128 The Son Montuno of Arsenio Rodríguez………………………………133 Contemporary Son………………………………………………….…….135 Influences of Guaguancó………………………………………………...136 Timba Influences…………………………………………………………138 Analyses of Contemporary Son Groups: Havana…………………….140 Santiago de Cuba………………………………………………………....154 Conclusion………………………………………………………..………168 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………..…….170 Style and Tradition……………………………………………….………170 Economic and Social Changes………………………………………..….173 The Importance of Regional Identity………………………….………..175 Internal and External Audiences……………………………..…………178 Tourist Songs: The Importance of Style…………………………..…….181 Future research………………………………………………………..…..182 Appendix A: Musical Examples……………....………………………………..184 Appendix B: Photos……………………………………………………………...222 Sources…………………………………………………………………...………..230 Interviews Conducted by the Author……………………….……..…...230 Field Recordings………………………………………………..…………231 Written Sources……………………………………………………..…….231 Commercial Music and Video Recordings……………………….……243 Musical Examples: In Chapter 3: 1. The “mambo rhythm.” (García 2003: 169)……………………………….108 In Chapter 4: 1. José "El Chino" Incharte ("Aquella Boca," Sexteto Habanero 1927). CD Track #1……………………………………………………………….185 2. Introduction to “A la Cuata Co y Co” (Sexteto Boloña 1926). CD Track #2……………………………………………………………….186 3. a. Introduction to “Suavecito” (Septeto Nacional 1930). CD Track #3……………………………………………………………….187 b. Introduction to “Caballeros, Silencio" (Sexteto Habanero 1927). CD Track #4……………………………………………………………….187 c. Introduction to “Vitico” (Isaac Oviedo 1998). CD Track #5….........187 4. Bass patterns…………………………………………………………........188 5. “Alza Los Pies, Congo” (vocal melody), Sexteto Habanero 1928. CD Track #6…………......………………………………………………...188 6. Bongó martillo pattern and bell pattern………………………………...188 7. Standard 2-bar piano patterns…………………………………………...189 8. Son clave and Guaguancó clave……………………………………........189 9. Composite melody in guaguancó……………………………………….189 10. a. Guaguancó diana (“Mi Arere,” Los Muñequitos de Matanzas 1988). CD Track #7……………………………………………………………….190 b. Son guaguancó diana (“La Gente del Bronx,” Arsenio Rodríguez 1951). CD Track #8……………..……………………………191 11. Timba piano pattern (“La Bola,” Manolín, El Médico de La Salsa 1996). CD Track #9…………………………………………192 12. Bass and vocal unison lines (“La Expresiva,” NG La Banda 1990). CD Track #10…………………………………………..………………….193 13. Bomba break (“No Se Puede Tapar El Sol,” NG La Banda 1990). CD Track # 11…………………………………………………..…………194 14. Félix Godón’s solo on “El Traguito” (excerpt). CD Track #12 (2:44-2:56)……………………………………………………...…………...195 15. Bomba break in “El Traguito” (Félix Godón). CD Track #12 (4:28-4:52)………………………………………………………………196 16. Bomba break in “Harina de Maíz” (Cuarteto Rumí). CD Track #13 (2:22-2:42)………………………………………..………..197 17. Ilián Torres’ guajeo in Dm. CD Track #14……………………………...198 18. Introduction to “Se Quema Pueblo Nuevo” (Septeto Machín). CD Track #15…………………………………………………………..….199 19. Son guaguancó diana in “Ven, ven, ven” (Septeto Machín) CD Track #16 (0:30-0:50)…………………………………………...…….200 20. Mambo in “Me Quedé Con Juana” (Son Soneros). CD Track #17……………………………………………………………...201 21. Trumpet riffs in “Saca La Mano, Antonio” (Son Soneros). CD Track #18 (0:34-43, 0:52-61)…………………………………….……202 22. Bridge in “Saca La Mano, Antonio” (Son Soneros). CD Track #18 (1:01-1:33)……………………………...………………….203 23. a. Mozambique percussion patterns. Mozambique example “Mozambique” (Pedro “Pello el Afrokán” Izquierdo ca. 1963) CD Track #19……………………………………………………………...206 b. Mozambique quote in “Saca la Mano Antonio” (Son Soneros). CD Track #18 (3:25-4:04)………………………………….……………...207 24. Scat-style soneo in “Ahora Te Pido, Sonero” (Son Soneros). CD Track #20………………………………………………………………………….208 25. Bomba break in “Lágrimas Negras” (Son Diamante). CD Track #21……………………………………………………………...209 26. Choral “mambo” in “El Que Siembra Su Maíz (Perlas del Son). CD Track #22. (3:34-4:01)………………………………………….……..210 27. Introduction to “Sabor a Caney” (Perlas del Son). CD Track #23…...........................................................................................212 28. Rubén Blades quote in “El Que Siembra Su Maíz” (Perlas del Son). CD Track #22 (2:23-3:23). An excerpt from the original Rubén Blades song is found on CD Track #24 (“Pedro Navaja,” 1978, Fania Records 537)………………………………………………………..213 29. Daniel Cos’ guajeo in Am. CD Track #25 (5:06-5:22)……………….…213 30. Introduction to “Si No Te Vea” (Moneda Nacional). CD Track #26 (0:00-0:24)………………………………………………………….……….214 31. Son guaguancó diana in “Si No Te Vea” (Moneda Nacional). CD Track #26 (1:02-1:09)……………………………………………………………..216 32. Introduction to “La Raya Rumbero” (Moneda Nacional). CD Track #27 (0:17-0:26)……………………………………………………………..217 33. Classic-style vocals in “La Raya Rumbero” (Moneda Nacional). CD Track #27 (0:52-1:06)………………………….……………………...218 34. Introduction to “Aquella Boca” (Cañambú). CD Track #28……….....219 35. Montuno in “¿Que está Pasando?” (Cañambú) CD Track #29 (montuno starts at 1:15 and continues to the end)…...……………..…219 36. Manuel Alemán’s bongó cañambú solo (Cañambú). CD Track #30...............................................................................................220