Dominicana shocked by the visit of Septeto Habanero
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- Arts and Culture
- Music
- 10 / 01 / 2006
By Pedro Rioseco
Most likely in any other country, except for Dominican Republic, octogenarian Septeto Habanero had made people take dance shoes and dresses out of an old trunk to dance to the tune of immortal Son genre.
This is possible only because in the Dominican Republic son is still cast side-by-side most popular local rhythms; meringue and bachata and of course they are all danced in the Palacio del Son available all the year round since half a century ago.
Admired and why not, beloved by thousand Dominicans who affectionately keep classic son players' discography plaque and other memorabilia of the Septeto Habanero now in its second house on occasion of celebrating its 86th founding anniversary in Havana.
Despite a week-long of delay due to the sudden illness of one of the bands members and of only two releases scheduled to take place at the Casa del Son Dominicano and the Club Nacional de Soneros, the impact caused by the arrival of the Cuban band is enormous.
The first presentation in the Centro León de Santiago de los Caballeros served well to encourage local people to enjoy wearing old days' fashionable clothes; caps, hats and polished two-colour shoes.
La Fiesta Salon located in the capital citys Hotel Jaragua made great show of lights and decoration and hosted dancers that crowded the dancing rooms and terraces all night long.
"The Septet musicians, mainly the trumpeter played in the traditional style not at all the modern sequenced music as some said based on the cleanness and freshness of the musical instrumentation" as a recognized Dominican musician commented.
" Nothing more valid to honour the Son rhythm that smells of alcohol and common people dressed up in their Sundays white shoes. Nothing more worthy", said the chronicler that wrote about the visitors.
Theres an amazing a century-old story laying behind the Septeto Habanero beginning in 1919, the same year when Benny Moré was born in his " Santa Isabel de Las Lajas querida", which tells about their early founding days after being disbanded first from Cuarteto Oriental and later the Sexteto Habanero.
Until now the octogenarian group of founders and descendants has recorded some 85 long-playing discs and animated various films and documentaries.
Among the groups hits are "Mamá Inés", "Tres Lindas Cubanas", "Cómo está Miguel", "Elena la cumbanchera", "Papá Montero" and "A la loma de Belén" seen as classic ones of the internationally recognized Cuban music.
Source: CubaSi
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