Son Venezuela makes Joplin sizzle
Anyone in the audience not moving to the rhythms of Son Venezuela left to go back to the graveyard. The other souls at Taylor Auditorium, who were there to launch the Institute of International Studies’ Cuba Semester last night, were in sync. The more timid sat and tapped their feet while others followed the lead of professors John Couper of Pittsburg State and Gwen Murdock of Missouri Southern. They got up and danced, swinging their hips to the Latin beat.
Isn’t the music great? remarked Renee Cebula, wife, of MSSU Prof. Larry Cebula. She and her husband had been on the alumni association’s 2002 trip to Cuba. It was New Year’s Eve when she remembered joining an impromptu line of dancers at their hotel in Havana, and afterwards becoming part of the Cuban celebrants who were dancing in the streets.
Son is the predominant musical force in Cuban song and dance, and the most influential element in popular Latin dance music. The instrumental ensembles that play sones combine plucked strings (generally including a guitar), and a percussion section consisting of bongos, tumbadoras (conga drums), claves (made predominately of hardwood, the strikers and claves produce clicking sounds), maracas, and guiro (notched hollowed out gourd played with a stick). The clave serves as the central rhythm with the percussive bongo, maracas and guiro adding a touch of rhythmic improvisation.
Son Venezuela has become a popular Kansas City dance band. They’ve produced a CD entitled “…don’t stop now! which features their hit songs, Buscando Guayaba and Don’t Stop Me. For more information about the 9-member group, click here.
Can you hear me, Joplin? Yes, was the resounding reply from the MSSU audience. The Latin rhythms of Son Venezuela launched MSSU's Cuba Semester.
For a glimpse at some of the performers and the audience, click on the thumbnails below.
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