Afro Cuban Folkloric Music of the Santeria/Lucumi Religion, on DVD and CD
Kabiosile presents live recordings of the Afro Cuban folkloric music of Santeria (also known as Lucumi or la Regla de Ocha), Cuba’s most dynamic African spiritual tradition.
Learn to play the bata drums with El Lenguaje del Tambor : Bata Rhythms from Matanzas, Cuba.
Bata drumming is the foundation of the music of Santeria. This comprehensive 2 disc DVD package offers more than 5 hours of bata drumming demonstrations, tutorials, and interviews on how to play the rhythms of the Oro Seco in the Santeria Lucumi tradition. In Spanish with English subtitles. Comprehensive transcriptions are also available.
The film features Master of Afro Cuban Percussion Daniel Alfonso Herrera, the most sought after percussion instructor in Matanzas, Cuba. His clean, disciplined technique and clear, detailed explanations of the intricacies of Matanzas style bata drumming are invaluable for both the novice and experienced drummer.
La Fuerza del Tambor is a live recording of the power of the drums to call the Orishas.
This DVD documents the Afro Cuban folkloric ritual music of the Santeria religion as played in Matanzas, Cuba, the region considered to be la fuente (the source) of the Afro Cuban religions in Cuba.
Eight selections from authentic public drumming celebrations illustrate Afro Cuban folkloric music as it is played in the religious (vs. tourist) environment.
In addition to the traditional Lucumi bata drums, the DVD also includes rare footage of the unique Lucumi Bembe Macagua drums and an unusual segment of Palo Mayombe songs accompanied by Aña.
The 90-minute DVD includes:
- Interviews with Alfredo Calvo, Elder of the Egwado branch of Santeria
- Drumming demonstrations of the Palo toques and the Bembe Macagua drums
- Lyric subtitles are included for all the songs.
- Interviews are in Spanish with English subtitles.
Vamos al Tambor is a live recording of presentations to the sacred bata drums of the Santeria religion.
The DVD is 90 minutes long and includes two separate presentations, both of which were filmed live in Matanzas, the cradle of Afro Cuban music and the Santeria religious traditions.
“Three Changos” gives you an intimate view of the presentation of three Iyawos (new initiates of the Santeria religion) to the sacred bata drums and the community.
The presentation is done Matanzas-style and includes a complete oru cantado (cycle of songs) to all the Orishas.
The segment culminates in a powerful call to the Orisha Chango to witness the crowning and presentation of the new kings.
“Aña” shares the relatively rare presentation of newly consecrated bata drums (Aña, pronounced an-yá) and drummers (Omo Aña) to the drums that gave them birth and to the community.
Bata y Bembe de Matanzas features a complete cycle of songs for the Orishas of the Santeria religion.
The CD offers the essence of the music of Santeria, as it includes a complete oru cantado (sung cycle of songs) for all the Orishas, as sung and played during a presentation to the sacred drums in Matanzas, Cuba.
In most cases, several songs are sung for each Orisha.
The cycle culminates in a powerful rendition of a classic song for the warrior Orisha Chango.
The CD also includes two tracks of the sacred Lucumi Bembe Macagua drums, a unique set of drums only heard in Matanzas, played together with the bata drums and then alone.