Guiro y Maraca Volume 1 No. 1 Winter 1997 A PUBLICATION OF THE SEGUNDA QUIMBAMBA FOLKLORIC CENTER Esta History Publication LA Inauguramos con esta publicacidn PUERTORRIQUENA la primera edici6n de Guiro y Juan Cartagena Maraca dedicada a la bomba y la "Cuando Puerto Rico de Puerto Rico y otras formas musicales de nuestro folklor. Entre comprenda el valor de su la internacionalizaci6n de la salsa y folklor, luchara con mucha la fiebre dominante del merengue en fuerza para defender su Puerto Rico bomba y plena ha honor." resucitado en Borinquen igual que Don Rafael Cepeda en la area metropolitana. Guiro y Maraca to ofrece historia, noticias T oday's bomba is being kept Roberto Cepeda dancing bomba on top de espectaculos en New Jersey, of Bomba Drum. SOS's NYC 10/96 Nueva York y Pennsylvania, alive by a very small group of canciones y poesia, y resetias de los dedicated musicians in the Island Spanish language. Among the most mejores CD's en el mercado. and in the States and its peak important of these forms are the Dien'halo! commercially was definitely during bomba, the plena and the baquini. the era of Cortijo y su Combo with The bomba, which some writers Ismael Rivera. With the occasional have associated with the Cuban This recording of bomba rhythms by conga and with the more major salsa artists in recent years generalized Antillean bamboula, is Newsletter is our (Sonora Poncena, Descarga practiced in Puerto Rico's coastal Boricua, Gilberto Santa Rosa) and lowlands. This dance is premier issue of Guiro y Maraca latin jazz artists (Papo Va'zquez, characterized by the use of drums which is dedicated to the Jerry Gonzalez, David Sdnchez) this as accompanying instruments, by preservation of bomba and plena of unique and indigenous Puerto Rican responsorial singing, and by Puerto Rico and our other forms of rhythm has survived. It's past, individuals or couples musical expression that compose however, must always be revisited: spontaneously dancing within a our rich Puerto Rican folklore. We African Derived Genres. African circle of participants. Song-texts offer you historical notes, news of influences have been strong, may be improvised by a leader and upcoming musical events in Jersey, particularly in the coastal regions, repeated by the chorus of New York, and Pennsylvania, Several Puerto Rican participants, or they may consist of poetry and song, (see Bomba Beat), customs clearly display indebted- traditional texts in which leader and reviews of the best CD's ness to African antecedents, and chorus sing alternating available today. Welcome! although they have by no means stanzas remained unaffected by contact Many other names of dances with Spanish music and the associated with the bomba and presumably of African origin have been noted: BamulK belert, candungo, candungue,' 2 Guiro y Maraca cucalambe, cuembe` (quembe), Junto con Jesus Cepeda, Roberto cuny< curiquinqui, gracimtf, Bomba beat Cepeda, Mario Cepeda y Luis guateque, holandis, kalindt4 lent, (Chichito) Cepeda, este CD, aun mariand‘ mariangola, sic6 and I magine; you ran from the con su brevedad, es uno de las yubte (New Groves Dictionary of Music conquistador soldiers, on an island mejores grabaciones de la bomba & Musician) taken by the takers. Your African, puertorriquena. Cada instrumento Y donde naci6 la bomba your son will be free, your grandson se oye claramente. puertorriquena? Aunque la plena will be culture, left living on the Todos los numeros son bombas goza de una acceptaci6n popular en land that is now. A soft spoken desde la introduci6n, narrada con cuanto a su pueblo natal, Ponce, warrior, who named all that is, has cache por Harry Diaz, hasta las para la bomba las cosas se given you shelter. The route slated palabras historicas al final de Don complican. Hay unos que dicen que by Arawak, has brought ox and Rafael citadas anteriormente. Este surgio de Loiza Aldea y otros que tobacco on the horse that was not servidor tuvo el placer de conocer a marcan su inauguraci6n en his. The heart gave in to the los Hermanos Cepeda el alio pasado Mayaguez. Lo que es claro segun mountains, behind the haze of the en unos talleres de bomba bajo el Jesiis Cepeda, hijo de Don Rafael fire, are borrowed ingredients that programa "Dos Alas." Por medio Cepeda el patriarca de la bomba y la blend together with a rhythm. The de esa experiencia educativa y sin plena, es que naci6 en las costas de mixture is of a Bomba beat. The igual llegue a comprar este CD la isla. Y en Mayaguez la bomba living is respecting this begining - maravilloso. puertorriquefra tuvo su mayor adding to the stories that start acceptaci6n cuando llego por independently Puerto Rican. El Roble Mayor es una primera vez en los salones de baile presentaci6n unica de la bomba de la alta sociedad. La bomba tiene In Bomba - a dance depicts the puertorriquena que cubre unos freedom of expression, with feet - cuantos seises de bomba. El que se raices no solo en Mayaguez pero beneath the rhythm of the drum. tambi‘n en Ponce, Guayama, crio al son de Cortijo y Maelo Arroyo, Loiza, Fajardo, Cataiio, y Like words, formed together conocerirapidamente lo que si es la imnensidad de la bomba San Juan o lo que se conoce hoy dia in a poem como Santurce y anteriormente puertorriqueria ya que la gran como San Mateo de Canrejos. the feet will tell the story.. mayoria de las bombas de estos era the Drum Yells! en forma de Sick. Hasta algunas de Today's bomba is played by many sus canciones mas populares como Puerto Ricans as it was over 100 "Las Ingratitudes" fueron years ago. Two or more drums, convertidas de Yubk a Sid. originally made of barrels and goat REVIEWS: skin, are used. The larger drum is Con este CD llegamos a conocer el the buleador and the smaller drum Juan Cartagena ritmo lento del Ler6("Ler6, Yubd is known as the subidor or primo. la Marile") y su transformaci6n al El Roble Mayor, RAFAEL A maraca is also played usually by Yuba'. Iambi& tenemos Cunyd, the lead singer. Finally, the rhythm CEPEDAacompaiiado por el Cuembe(, Balanc6y el popular Sicl. Grupo Folklorico Experimental is kept constant by the cuas: two sticks played either on the side of "Bomba Le Le" de los Hermanos the buleador or on block of wood Cepeda, Balele Records, 1996 or se ment of bamboo 0 Patiota, folklorista, compositor, cantante y monumento historico, Don Rafael Cepeda es el patriarca de la bomba y plena de Puerto Rico. Su legado incluye "El Bombon de Elena," "A La Verdegue," "Rompiru," "Candela," y "Habla Cuembe" entre muchas otras. Esta grabaci6n es una de serie de Nellie Tanco bailando ante los grabaciones que el maestro, Don Hermanos Cepeda en SOBs 1996 Rafael Cepeda Atiles, hizo con sus hijos en el ultimo alio de su vida. 3 Guiro y Maraca Ap6stol de la patria, Lider de la Since those times, the group vanguardia, Y la revoluci6n." In expanded to include other family Estos seises de bomba se Sirena Morena by Angel Luis members, Juan and Nanette's son, diferencian por su metrica de Torruellas Los Pleneros take the Mateo, plays in the group, and .are composici6n que por lo tanto plena one step further by combining family to Jose Cartagena, who significa pasos diferentes para los it with a Columbiana. married Lisa in 1996, who plays the bailadores. Para el fanatic° de la This results in a hypnotic groove maraca and sings. Rafael Torres, bomba El Roble Mayor es un that is both funky and traditional. A cousin to Juan, sings and plays tesoro. Esperamos que los favorite of mine is San Tomas by pandereta, is the brother of Hermanos Cepeda que ahora son la Don Rafael Cepeda. Edwardo Torres who also sings and vanguardia del legado de Don dances. Rafael's wife Monica, I first heard it over ten years ago Rafael Cepeda continuan another dancer, joined to play the when Nellie Tanco and Los compartiendo estas grabaciones cua since 1993. Miriam Felix Pleneros kicked it in a Puerto Rican historicas con el mundo entero. directs the vocals as singer and life festival in Bethlehem, PA. It has Canciones: Cunyi De La long friend to the family. Drums stayed with me ever since and now Peronia; Elusum; No Le De En El are played by men and women alike. with the words included in the CD Suelo; Feliciano Dore; Ler6; it will be played over and over Yubila Marilie; Los Paleros; again. Roberta Singer's liner notes festis Manuel. are informative and her group, City Lore, deserves credit for its role in Los PLENEROS supporting Los Pleneros for many DE LA2 1 years. Other titles on the CD include Plena de San Ant6n; Tan, Si Yo Pudiera Andar/Andari'n; El Testigo; Camelia; Viejo Malec6n; and the title cut, Somos Boricuas

SEGUNDA QUIMBAMBA from L. to R: Edwardo, Rafael, Lisa & Joey, front: Nanette, Mateo & Juan, Miriam, Monica. Somos Boricuas, LOS Segunda PLENEROS DE LA 21, Quimbamba The Annual Christmas concert at Henry St./Rounder Records Downtown Jersey City's Saint Corp. 1996 Puro Familia Boniface Church, has witnessed the change from all plena to bomba y Bomba and Plena fans have been Rafael Torres plena. This church audience could waiting a long time for a full length see that Juan Cartagena's approach CD from the masters known as Los a Quimbamba de Jersey City, to replicating the verses of bomba Pleneros de la 21. Their previous L and Plena, were a bit different from release was six years earlier in a formally known as Los Pleneros de the Christmas music they were all joint effort with Melodia la Segunda, started playing plena familiar with, the mountain on Shanachie Records. This CD is with a handful of members in the "Paranda," with croaking vocals rich and satisfying and well worth mid 80's. Juan Cartagena's musical and that were different than the wait. The include a great talents and post Christmas itch was the African roots of Puerto Rico's number dedicated to Don Pedro satisfied by a visit to neighboring coastal music Albizu Campos and written by the cooking, as well as a hunger for band's leader, Juan Gutierrez where family culture which was rich in the the coro sings out "Don Pedro, . Along with his wife, Nanette Hernandez, they

played plena from house to house . 4 Guiro y Maraca vAiramas—iadaizaanssaceeitride.1 Para gozar con "Los Pleneros de la Segund attracted people from the corners ALBERTO MINER° en el que sus asisentes tam- pler.a. En rm. Lita pop Para este doming° 17 de bien padre goon de coonda ideal pare go. todm of Jersey Avenue and Montgomery diciembre, en la Igleaia de y refreas, se Ben. inientbros del nticieo San Bcnifacio (StBontiate re a calm a aanadees deice. liar .11 deyn de 111411C Street. Whenever we paused, They Church) -al 262 de First Ptenems de In Segunda a los que venter una Street. en Jersey City. El recital de los int:gran- teal prediteecton pc Grupos de se anuncia a retisasidti de ts del conjurto iErigsdo par bombs y plena puert quickly yelled for us to continue, un especial concierto =vi- Juan Cartagena. este psevis- entities- corniencen a de:1o. to pate las 3 PM. bran ems teluviila6es we then delivered a breeze of Er. el mismo. el Wadco ldl ex-juez Canagena - el me jor cipinru nainck Bomba y Plena hist.° de Nueva Yak y de que a sus labores proles:, La entrada a la rea Nueva Jimmy. padre aoseder teaks como abogada wane citin de este event° so I culture that cut through the August quenacer musical de Los su orotund° amor par la jado en ta soma de S5. Manes de la Segunda. ratbica autdelona pamnorti- mayor informacion s haze. Tienes un grupo de Bomba En erect°. durante el quells-. ofseceri junto a los este presentacion de transcurso de este autendeo cido integre:nes de su con- Pleneros de to Segue& festival musical. a extender- dom. un recital de bombe y mar ri y Plena? D6janos saber sect la 130 alas 6 PM-y (25I) 792.2504. This was the first time we traveled para incluirlos en nuestra through this city in this way. On a prOxima edici6n. If you News article announcing our concert. El float, dressed in white, the women diario/ 17 Dec 1995 NYC know about another bomba in ruffles, ribbons, and turbans that The reactions to our African concealed their hair. Each bump on and plena group let us rhythms was immediate and warm the road reminded me of how each know and we'll include by the audience that packed the one of us walked along this street them in our next issue. small Church hall. With criollo from a different prospective, yet Los Pleneros de la 21, NYC, cooking as our only pay, Segunda common to this place that is home. 212 427-5221 Quimbamba played the original I recognized friends, family and songs of a proud heritage. All you acquaintances, waving to our music Herencia Negra, Bronx, NY have to say is "Que Viva!" and the as we squeezed past their cramped c/o Miguel Sierra, 718 549- response will always be the same.0 space, we kept playing past the 9832 barriers beyond the parade zone, Plena Dulce, Newark, NJ, never stopping until we finally c/o Lillian Garcia 201 645- parked two blocks away.0 2690 Los Pleneros del BateY, Philadelphia, PA c/o Joaquin Rivera, 4839 Duffield St. Phila. PA 19124 Music fit for 3 kings Segunda Quimbamba, Jersey City, NJ 201 798-0252 Segunda Quimbamba featured in The Jersey Journal 1/7/97 at P.S. 37 school 3 Kings Day Photo: M. Graff View from our float, at the 1996 J.C. Puerto Rican Day Parade. Guiro y Maraca is a publication of the Segundo Quimbamba Folkloric Center, Desfilando 279 Second Street, Jersey City, N.J. 07302. Rafael Torres Espactaculos/ (201) 798-0252; Fax: (201) 420-6332. Juan Cartagena, Editor Second to the great Puerto Rican Upcoming Articles by Rafael Torres, Juan Cartagena Parade of New York City, Jersey City replicated the feeling of a Performances: Photos/Poetry: Rafael Torres (unless otherwise noted) proud day, chanting, and showing SEGUNDA QUIMBAMBA: Feb the true colors of Puerto Rico that For information about the bomba and 27th at Jersey City's Hard Grove Plena group Segunda Quimbamba ran from uptown to downtown. At Cafe across from Grove St. contact Juan at the number listed above or the foot of the hill, a viewing stand PATH station. E-mail him at signaled an end to this juancartagena(ajcompuserve.com demonstration as Segunda LOS PLENEROS DE LA 21: Quimbamba rolled through, Mar 6 Waldorf Astoria, NYC; Mar 11 Carnegie Hall, NYC; PLEASE RECYCLE OR GIVE TO playing the music of Bomba y SOMEONE ELSE - THANKS. Plena. Mar 13 El Museo del Barrio, NYC; Mar 21 Univ. of Michigan, El reciclaje es importante -- A pleasant day of rhythms and tunes Detroit; Apr 6 Appalshop, aprovechate. Gracias like "Marizabel," "El Bombon de Whitesburg, KY; Apr 26 NJ Elena," and "El Zoologico" Performing Arts Center, Newark