LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Cuban pianoplayers
Ole -- 11/16/2006, 06:17:23 -- #31224
It has been a long time since I posted anything here, but now I am back. :)

I am going to Cuba  with my conservatory class. I was thinking about having some lessons with some Cuban piano players. Do you know of any good players there, first of all in Havanna?

jwv76 -- 11/16/2006, 12:31:59 -- #31224
If I were to go to Cuba I would be more interested in finding a good conga player to get a lesson from. The Cuban pianist is playing the same chords and scales that an American jazz piano player would, what makes Cuban music so powerful is the complex rhythmic structures.

I would imagine just going to Cuba would be a memorable music lesson. From what I understand they have a completely different cultural view of music than we do in the US, here we divide people into two categories, musicians and non-musicians, whereas in Cuba there is just music, and when it happens people participate, either by playing on a drum, strumming a guitar, singing improvised lyrics, or dancing. I think that it is because music is more of a participatory pastime than an event meant only for observation that that country produces so many strong players, if everyone in a culture gets at least somewhat of an informal music education, then those who rise to the top are going to be that much more of a standout.

johnmarkpainter -- 11/17/2006, 22:29:45 -- #31224
Ole,

I assume you have probably heard the "Buena Vista Social Club" record?  That guy has a really interesting feel (pretty aggressive).

Check out "Pueblo Nuevo" and "Buena Vista Social Club" in particular.
I would try to WATCH some players while you are there.  Sitting in with a Band would be even better.

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