Los Muñequitos de Matanzas - Biography
By Robert Leaver
In the annals of Afro-Cuban folklore and in particular its most celebrated form of musical expression, the rumba, one group stands as the most vaunted and enduring- Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. Rumba developed in the docks of Havana and Matanzas, Cuba beginning in the 19th century as dockworkers, mostly of African ancestry, passed the time using boxes (cajón) like drums to accompany them as they created songs. Over time the conga drums, clave (sticks), catá (a wooden block hollowed with a slit and played with sticks), and the maruga (an iron shaker) became the standard instrumentation and the guaguancó, columbia, and yambú developed as the three basic song forms. The rhythms derive from the African Diaspora that brought slaves from West and Central Africa to the Caribbean. Although closely related to the sacred music of religious cults such as Santería, rumba was a secular expression used to entertain diverse audiences at neighborhood parties and local gatherings.
In the ‘50s rumba became more common and respected in Cuba in part because of its exotic appeal to tourists who flocked to the island from the American mainland. One such group that arose from a loose group of friends and extended family called themselves Conjunto Guaguanco Matancero. Under the direction of Florencio Calle they began performing at the La Marina bar in Matanzas in 1952. In the midst of a rumba fad the record label Puchito recorded a single of the group. Their song, “Los Muñequitos” (The little doll) became a minor hit and people began calling the group Los Muñequitos (from where) de Matanzas.
Their eponymous single and half a dozen other songs of theirs were gathered together under the name Conjunto Guaguanco Matancero along with a side of songs by Papin Y Sus Rumberos on an LP entitled Guaguancó (Antilla 565) which was released in the U.S.A. in the ‘50s. This became a Cuban classic and served as a textbook to many aspiring drummers and percussionists and was reissued on CD in 1993. Another companion LP featuring the same two groups, one on Side A the other Side B, Guaguancó – Vol. 2 (Antilla 595) compiles singles from the ‘50s and was also released on CD in 1993. With their reputation established they continued to perform and record singles. They also included songs drawn from sacred African traditions such as Santería and Abacuá in their repertoire. A collection of 17 tracks recorded in Havana between 1956 and 1963 was released on CD as Guaguancó Matancero (2004 Tumbao Cuban Classics).
With the advent of the Cuban Revolution and the isolation that followed the group did not record again until 1970 and those five tracks can be found on the Folklore Matancero CD collection (1994 Qbadisc). The only other recording they did in the ‘70s was a self-titled LP released in Cuba (1977 Areito). Most of the tracks from that release can be found on Rumba Caliente 88/77 CD (1992 Qbadisc) along with some tracks recorded in 1988 in Santiago de Cuba. In 1989 they incorporated members of the dance troupe Los Folklóricos de Matanzas into the group for their first excursion outside of Cuba and began to offer workshops to aficionados of Afro-Cuban folklore. On that historic tour to Europe they recorded a CD in London (which was unfortunately soaked in too much reverb) entitled Cantar Maravilloso (1990 Globestyle).
In 1992 they received permission to travel to the United States as part of a cultural exchange policy. They played to enthusiastic audiences in New York City and San Francisco, where they packed Mission High School’s auditorium and were treated like royalty. By this time the group boasted three generations of musicians and dancers, many from the same families. Musicians and folklorists drew great inspiration from them at the many workshops and clinics they gave. They also began their relationship with Qbadisc records in New York City that gave American audiences access to their music and allowed them to make more recordings. The ensemble expanded to as many as 16 members as they returned to the U.S. on tours in 1996, 1998 and 2001.
Congo Yambumba (1994 Qbadisc) is a re-release of a session from Santiago de Cuba in 1983 that had previously only been available on LP (Siboney) from Cuba. Arguably their finest recording it showcases the awesome talent of quinto conga drum player Jesús Alfonso who wrote the title cut and whose picture graces the CD cover. The song boasts in its chorus “yo soy el terror,” which is like saying “I’m bad,” a claim these musicians live up to. The song so inspired legendary Salsa pianist Eddie Palmieri that he did an extended cover version on The Truth (1987 Fania), which itself became popular.
Their excellent recording from 1995, Vacunao (Qbadisc), takes its title from the traditional flirtatious rumba dance featuring a man and woman which reaches its climax with a hip thrust from the male dancer. The album features “Abakua Makonica” sung in the Efik language and draws from the all-male Abacuá secret societies in Cuba that trace their ancestry to the Calabar region of West Africa. The boastful “Vale Todo” became a popular guaguancó rumba that they re-recorded in a tour-de-force production with flautist Orlando “Maraca” Valle and his band on Sonando (1998 Ahinama). Although rumba itself is generally a secular form of music Los Muñequitos always incorporated elements of Santería and begin their shows with a salutation to the Orishas, the Afro-Cuban deities. In 1996 they released Ito Iban Echu: Sacred Yoruba Music of Cuba (Qbadisc) in which they play the sacred two headed batá drums of Santería. The album includes seco, or dry, instrumental renditions that are perfectly suited for students of Afro-Cuban tradition.
Renowned for their live performances they finally made a recording that captures their energy- Los Muñequitos de Matanzas Live in New York (1998 Qbadisc). The songs stretch out longer in live performance and they reprise their most known rumbas, “Los Muñequitos” and “Congo Yambumba,” while “Fundamento Dilanga” clocks in at over 17 minutes. Celebrating their 50th anniversary, albeit without any of the group’s original members, they invited a host of guests to appear on 50 Aniversario (2003 Pimienta/Universal Latino). Most recently they released the impressive Tambor de Fuego (2007 Bis), their most impressive Cuban production to date. As the title intimates they play like their drums are on fire as they maintain their deep Afro-Cuban traditions and continue to update their living legacy.
