The work gangs of slaves brought from Africa consisted of members different ethnic groups, peoples and cultures. Thus, Yorubas, Mandingas, Carabalís,

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3 This musical group was formed in response to the creative determination of Rodolfo Chacón, its director and artistic producer, and a group of outstanding artists. It features the various facets of the rumba and of the music that we Cubans inherited from our Congo, Mandinga, Carabalí, Yoruba and other African ancestors. Important exponents of these kinds of music joined together to raise their drum beats and songs in tribute to those who preceded them, enriching this music with their constant dedication in their daily work and, in many cases, with their own creations. This project is a modest contribution to maintaining the rumba spark -which was, at times, on the point of going out- and a heartfelt tribute to Tío Tom, Evaristo Aparicio(el pícaro), Eulogio (el amaliano) Checa, Calixto Callaba, Pancho Quinto, Malanga, Virulilla, Saldiguera and many other timberos. Rumberos de Cuba has appeared in many of the best places dedicated to popular music in the Cuban capital, as well as in those that specialize in Afro-Cuban music and the rumba, always receiving the plaudits of both the public and the specialized press. In the summer of 2002, the group went to Europe - specifically, to Nantes, France- where its members enrolled for a month-long musical project that combined hit-hop and French songs with the rhythms and songs of Afro-Cuban origin and the rumba. The results of this experiment were highly acclaimed by the public and by the specialized media, which described them as a musical explosion. The group returned to France in September of that same year, to the Bulls and Salsa Festival that is held in Dax -this time with guests Tata Güines and Changuito, backed up by Julito Padrón on the trumpet, Cotó on the tres and Felipe Cabrera on the bass. In 2003, Rumberos de Cuba cut its first album (Donde andabas tú, Acerekó), with which it won the Cubadisco prize for folk music in That same year, it made Rumbón Tropical, a DVD for Bomgaloo Productions, a US company. In 2007, it launched its second album (Habana de mi corazón), for which it was nominated for the Cubadisco prize for folk music. In February 2008, the Rumberos appeared in the Carnival in Panama, where they delighted audiences and were congratulated by Gilberto Santa Rosa, Rubén Blades, Roberto Roena and other outstanding artists.

4 El espectáculo

5 The work gangs of slaves brought from Africa consisted of members different ethnic groups, peoples and cultures. Thus, Yorubas, Mandingas, Carabalís, Bantus, Congos and members of other tribes lived and worked together in the sugar mills' slave quarters and on the sugarcane plantations. The Yorubas and Carabalís made the greatest contributions to the rumba and, later, to Cuban popular music. Rumberos de Cuba presents this show in tribute to all of those men and women who, in an act of cultural resistance, survived and preserved the drum beats, songs and dances which they brought with them and kept alive throughout the three centuries during which the inhuman trade in human beings lasted. Now, to preserve the culture that we have inherited, we present our work -correctly called Afro-Cuban music.

7 Yoruba Gods and Goddesses ELEGGUA: This warrior orisha is lord of the roads and crossroads. In recognition of his merit, he is the first of the Yoruba gods and goddesses to eat and to be paid reverence, by the express mandate of Olordumare (God). He corresponds to the child of Atocha in the Catholic list of saints. He behaves childishly, for he is mischievous. Our destiny is in his hands, so he must be kept happy. His number is 3; his representative colors are red and black; he is venerated on June 13 in Cuba; and he uses a garabato (pitchfork) of hard wood. His necklace is made of alternating red and black beads. OYÁ : This goddess, who is a former mistress of Shangó's, lives in cemeteries. She is the goddess of lightning, the weapon she used when helping to fight against her lover's enemies. Her number is 9, and nine colors represent her. She links death with the eggua (spirits). She is much-feared and -respected (it isn't a good idea to provoke her ire, because she can be implacable). She corresponds to St. Theresa; her day in Cuba is February 2; and her necklace usually has mottled light maroon beads with small light spots. In her right hand, she carries an iruke -the tail of a horse or black cow- with which she wards off Ikú (death). YEMAYÁ : This goddess is a seer, goddess of the seas and the patron saint of sailors. She is Oshún's older sister and a venerated daughter of Olokun's. She corresponds to Our Lady of Regla. Her representative color is dark blue; her number is 7; and her necklace is made with 7 blue beads followed by 7 milky ones. She is venerated on September 7 in Cuba. OSHÚ N: This goddess is the younger sister of Yemayá and is goddess of the rivers, queen of fecundity. A cajoler and seductress, she embodies feminine wiles in the arts of love. She corresponds to Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Cuba's patron saint. Her representative color is yellow, and her number is 5, which means that all gifts to her should be made in multiples of that number. She is venerated on September 12 in Cuba, and her necklace is made of yellow and amber beads. The helper of Orumila, the god of prophecy, she is usually a good seer. She always carries a fan in her right hand. SHANGÓ : This warrior orisha is a dancer and who sometimes goes in for licentiousness. He has slept with nearly all of the Yoruba goddesses, but Oshún is his favorite. He represents masculine vitality and virility and fights with Oggún over Oshún. The lord of lightning and king of drums, he is also the lord of palms, poplars and other leafy trees. His color is red, and red and white beads alternate in his necklace. His weapons are the axe and the sword; his number is 4; his day in Cuba is December 4; and he corresponds to the Catholic St. Barbara. OGGÚ N: This warrior orisha is the god of metals and reigns in the woods together with Osaín. He is the lord of all surgical instruments and weapons. A blacksmith by trade, he is portrayed as a rough, violent man who can be very aggressive when in his cups. Only Oshún, with her honey and seductive skills, can always get him to come out of the woods when he has gone there to do damage. He corresponds to St. Roque; his number is 6; and his necklace is dark green and black. His day in Cuba is June 29, and his favorite weapon is the machete

8 Abakúa This is a Carabalí secret society, from Nigeria and Cameroon. It was brought to Cuba through the port of Regla in 1836, and it took first root there, later spreading to the cities of Matanzas and Cárdenas. At first, it was divided in two tribes, or powers: Efí and Efó. The Efís were the lords of music, and the Efós, the lords of esoteric powers. An agreement led them to exchange these attributes, so the Efís obtained esoteric powers and the Efós, music. The íremes, or little devils (representing ancestral spirits), have various funtions within this society, but one of the main ones is to purify initiates. Their dances are varied, too, though always preceded by a man (the Moruá) who serves as guide. All of these dances have one common characteristic, however: the dancers move their waists to ring the bells that are hanging there. This society is only for men, and it has traditionally been very secret about its worship. Slipper Dance This is a popular dance associated with the eastern conga. The dancers use wooden slippers to obtain different sounds and a rich polyrhythm that sometimes serves to establish a dialogue with the audience and with the percussion instruments. Conga This dance has very popular roots. It is mainly associated with street dances and Carnival parades, in which the percussion plays a key role. There are two main congas: the one in eastern Cuba and the one in Havana, which also pertains to nearly all the western part of the country. The conga is one of the most legitimate musical expressions to have come from Cuban neighborhoods. Rumba This is a popular manifestation expressing the Cuban essence. It had its origins in the ports and slums of the western cities in Cuba (Havana, Matanzas and Cárdenas). In it, three main rhythms are combined: the yambú, the guaguancó and the columbia -each of which requires a different form of dancing. Yambú: this is a slow, lilting rhythm that is best for older people to dance to. In it, the male dancer doesn't hold his partner tightly in a symbolic possession of her. Guaguancó: this rhythm is a slightly faster than the yambú. In it, the soloist and chorus alternate. It is a dance for couples in which the male dancer always pretends to possess the woman, and she uses evasive movements to thwart him. Columbia: this is the fastest rhythm of the three components of the rumba. It is danced exclusively by men -especially young men- and each demonstrates his agility, imagination and improvisation. It is a dance in which the singers and dancers compete against each other in street rumbas.

10 Dionisio Paul Lama (Dancer) He entered the National School of Art in 1975, majoring in the dance, and was graduated in That same year, he began his professional life in the National Folklore Group, of which he is still a member, now serving as soloist first dancer and teacher and combining this with his work in the Rumberos de Cuba group, where he is both a dancer and a member of the chorus. In recognition of his outstanding artistic work, he won the For National Culture award. Yiosvani Díaz Herrera (Percussionist) Even as a child, he began working as a percussionist in Iroso-Bara, Awiri y Yo and other nonprofessional folk music groups. His outstanding ability led to his being included in this project and to his taking part in several interesting recording productions, such as Miguel Angá's latest CD and an experimental project directed by Ry Cooder. Vladimir Silvio Quevedo Armenteros He danced in public for the first time when he was 6, as a member of the Las Hormiguitas street dance group in Matanzas, his home town. In 2004, he won first prize in the Cuban Rumba Festival for dancing the columbia and second place for dancing the guaguancó. He joined several amateur artists' groups and was a member of the Los Moros Azules, La Textilera and other street-dance groups. He won first prize in the Havana Carnival as a soloist dancer in the Guaracheros de Regla group. He has worked as a professional dancer in the Obatalá, Afrocuba de Matanzas and Coral Negro groups. In 2001, he joined the Clave y Guaguancó group, of which he is still a member. He has performed in Spain, France, Italy, Mexico. Sofía Ramos Morejón (Singer) Coming from the movement of amateur artists, she began her career as a folk singer in the Aché Iya Group in 1994 and stayed with them for seven years, performing in theaters, tourist resorts and recreation centers. She was selected to be a member of the Rumberos de Cuba group -where she is a vocalist- in recognition of her vocal quality and pure professionalism. Rodolfo Chacón Tartabull (Chorus and Musical Director) He majored in the guitar and was graduated from the National School of Art in July 1976, having been taught by Isaac Nicola. He then went on to study at the College of Arts, where he obtained his specialist's degree in the guitar in At the beginning of 1990, he began working in the Music Publishing and Recording Enterprise (EGREM) as a specialist in popular music. In October of that year, he cut his first record, Cantaremos y Bailaremos, with the Clave y Guaguancó group. He has worked on productions for such important labels as Sony Music France, Sony Music USA, BMG France, Rikodisc and APC. In 2002, he created the Rumberos de Cuba group, with which he appeared in Europe two times that same year. He is a producer of Donde Andabas Tú, Acerekó (2005 Cubadisco Prize for Folk Music) and Habana de mi Corazón, both albums of the agrupation. Eddy de los Santos Garros (Percussionist) He came from the movement of amateur artists in Old Havana. As a street musician and player of cajones espirituales and batá drums, he developed his artistic potential and talent. As a child, he played the quinto in a street dance group in the Havana Carnivals and was chosen as the best quinto player in the 2004 Carnival. He joined the Rumberos de Cuba group in mid Lázaro Rizo Cuevas This outstanding percussionist and singer began his musical activities at the beginning of the '60s. In the '70s, he joined the Sicamalié group, directed by Luis ( Aspirina ) Chacón. Later, he appeared with Tata Guines and his Obba Ilú group. His duets with Guillermo Triana ( el negro ) are famous in the world of the rumba, and, even though they have been singing together for more than 40 years, their interpretations are always fresh and renewed. Near the end of 2006, he began to work in the Rumberos de Cuba group as a lesser percussionist, singer and member of the chorus. His great ability to sing any part is demonstrated in this group. He has appeared in France, Spain, Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic and other countries.

11 Luis Chacón Mendive ( Aspirina ) He was born in Guanabacoa, a member of the prestigious Aspirina rumba family. As a child, he learned the secrets of the batá drums and enchemiyá bongos, danced and played the rumba with the most prominent rumba players in Guanabacoa in the '50s and '60s. In the late '60s, he founded his own group, called Sicamalié, with which he delighted Havana audiences in popular dances and in the Carnival. He is a founder of the National Folklore Group and of the Rumberos de Cuba. Luis is an exceptional exponent of the rumba, playing, singing and dancing with great mastery. He has given workshops on percussion, folk dances and the rumba in Cuba and abroad, where he has been an outstanding teacher. He has spent long periods in Italy, appearing as a dancer, singer and percussionist in theater festivals and discotheques. He is considered one of the greatest exponents of the rumba of all time. Yureysis Ferro Martínez Her love of dancing led her to enter a number of children's dance contests at the municipal through the national levels, in which she won several prizes and honorable mentions. In 2001, she entered the preparatory school of the Raíces Profundas Folklore Company, where she received the technical-artistic knowledge required to become a member of that company's corps de ballet, where she worked for three years. Later, she joined the Unión Sonera musical project and has been a soloist dancer in the Omo Olorun Folklore Group since Pedro Larrazalba Dubois He began his professional career in the '70s. In 1977, he became a member of the Raíces Profundas Folklore Company. In 1985, he joined the Estudios Líricos Company, directed by the outstanding soprano Alina Sánchez, and, as a member of that company, performed in Colombia, Panama, Spain, Brazil and Peru. He joined the Yoruba Andabo group in 1993; went on to the Comedia Lírica; and then, in 2001, went back to the Yoruba Andabo group, with which he appeared in Mexico, Colombia, Spain and England. He stayed with that group until September 2007.

12 Members Rumberos de Cuba includes a group of outstanding singers, percussionists and dancers who, thanks to their great experience, have musical and dance knowledge to share with students at different levels who are interested in Afro-Cuban dances and music. Singing - Jesús Lorenzo Peñalver / Yoruba songs. - Ernesto Gatell / rumba and folk songs. - Ariel Monterecy / rumba. - Sofía Ramos / rumba. Percussion - Maximino Duquesne / rumba (tumbador, 3/2 and quinto). - Jesús Lorenzo Peñalver / rumba (tumbador, 3/2, quinto and batá drums). - Yiosvani Díaz / rumba (tumbador, 3/2 and quinto). - Eddy de los Santos / rumba (tumbador, 3/2 and quinto). - Luis Chacón Aspirina / rumba (tumbador, 3/2, quinto, tambores batá). Dancing - Yamilet R. Sardiñas / folk and traditional dances - Dionisio Paul / cuban popular and folk dances - Pedro Lazarraga Dubois / folk dances and the rumba - Yureysis Ferro Martínez / folk dances and the rumba - Vladimir S. Quevedo / cuban popular, traditional and folk dances - Silvia Dalmau / cuban popular, traditional and folk dances - Luis Chacón / masterful classes ofses magistrales de rumba, cuban popular and folk dances.

13 Maximino Duquesne Martínez (Percussion soloist) Now both a teacher and performer on percussion instruments (congas, batá drums and other Afro-Cuban percussion instruments), as a child, he learned how to play these instruments for religious purposes, for neighborhood rumbas, cajones a los difuntos (musical memorial services) and other manifestations of popular music. He joined the group created by the prestigious percussionist Tata Güines, with whom he appeared on stages in Japan and several European and Latin-American countries. He has also taken part in taping projects, such as Rapsoia Rumbera and Cuba Linda, with Alfredo Rodríguez and outstanding Canadian saxophonist Jane Bunnett. He is considered one of the most important Afro-Cuban percussionists today. Rogelio Ernesto Gatel Coto El Gato (Soloist singer) He began his professional life as a percussionist and singer with the Alafia Group, directed by Luís Chacón, in Later, he went on to several other groups: Clave y Guaguancó in 1987; Tata Güines's group in 1991; Obba Ilú in 1994; and La Slama, an Afro- Cuban project sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of Cuba and the French Transat Association, among others. As a member of these groups, he performed in the United States, Canada, Japan, Latin America and Europe. He made records as part of the El Mensaje de los Dioses (English-Cuban), La Slama (French-Cuban), Espíritu de la Habana (Cuban-Canadian), Rapsodia Rumbera and Aniversario projects. He is considered one of the most outstanding rumba singers in the country. Jesús Lorenzo Peñalver Cusito (Singer and percussionist) Even as a child, he went in for singing and Afro-Cuban percussion. He began his artistic career in the movement of amateur artists at the Old Havana Community Center. In the late '80s, he began to work professionally in the show at the Caribe Cabaret in the Habana Libre Hotel, which was directed by Santiago Alfonso. En 1992, he joined the Raíces Profundas Folklore Company, where he remained for 13 years. Then, for a short time, he substituted for rumba performers in Yoruba Andabo. In 2003, he became a member of the Clave y Guaguancó group, and he joined Rumberos de Cuba in mid Ariel Monterecy Loinaz (Singer) He began his artistic life when he was 12, under the direction of the outstanding teacher Juan de Dios Ramos, and has been a member of the Ébano, Obba Ilú (directed by singer Gregorio Goyo Hernández) and Clave y Guaguancó groups, appearing on many stages, both in Cuba and abroad. He appeared as a soloist in the Tropicana Cabaret in Rome, Italy, for a year. He is now the youngest member of the Rumberos de Cuba group. Yamilet Regla Sardiñas Molina (Soloist dancer) Coming from the movement of amateur artists, she took courses in modern and traditional dances from Lázaro Noriega's Pinos Nuevos company; master classes from Santiago Alfonso; and Yoruba and Haitian dance courses from Narciso Medina's company. She has worked as a professional dancer in the following groups: Pinos Nuevos ( ); Ebano ( ); Omó Olorun (1998); Yoruba Andabo ( ). As a member of these groups, she has appeared in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Spain. She has also taught folklore classes to Cuban, Swiss, Mexican, Canadian, Finnish, English, US and German students. She is considered a first-class folk dancer. Silvia Dalmau Brindis She began her professional life in 1979, at the Tropicana Nightclub -in the singer Alberto Herrero's show. Later, she joined the Raíces Profundas Folklore Company, directed by Juan de Dios Ramos. She has been a singer in several musical groups, such as Las Chicas del Son, Caramelo Son, Laíto y su Sonora, La Sonora Caliente and the Clave y Guaguancó group. She has considerable professional experience and a pure technique for performing popular and folk dances of African origin. She has taught classes both in Cuba and abroad and has appeared as a singer and dancer on stages in Nicaragua, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Mexico, Japan, France, Spain and Canada.

14 general Plane of the scenario STAGE DIAGRAM P.A. System - M2M Meyer (a minimum of 4 speakers per wing) and a 650 sub Meyer - The kind of p.a. system and number of speakers will depend on the space to be covered and/or local conditions ch Midas XL3 table - 2 Yamaha 990, lexicon, TC or similar effects, one of them DLY - 4 compressors Monitors - 24 ch Midas or similar table with a minimum of 7 outlets - 7 EQs - 1 FX - 3 Meyer or Martin monitors: one for the front right guitarist, one for the keyboardist and one for the PFL - Meyer CQ or similar type of SF LEGEND: 1- okonkolo 2- iya 3- itotele R- reference principal voice chorus conga microphone cajón seat without arms catá or palitos LIST OF CHANNELS P.A. Monitors CH MIC DIN 1 Conga SM98 2 Conga Sm98 3 Conga SM98 4 Cajón D112 5 Cata SM81 6 Coro B58 comp. 3 7 Coro B58 comp. 3 8 Coro B58 comp. 3 9 Coro B58 comp Coro /C B58 comp Coro /C B58 comp Coro /C B58 comp Coro /CT B58 comp Voz/ Coro B87 Inalamb. comp Voz/Sol B87 Inalamb. comp FX1 Reverb. 17 FX2 Reverb. 18 Reserva 19 Reserva

Abanico Timbale pattern used to setup figures and to open and close sections. Spanish word for fan.

Abanico Timbale pattern used to setup figures and to open and close sections. Spanish word for fan. Abakwa A secret male society in Cuba. The abakwa is also a polyrhythmic 6/8 pattern that is usually played with sticks on a wooden surface or on the side of a drum. It can also be incorporated into one