Afro-Cuban All Stars
Biography
The Afro-Cuban All Stars is a group created in 1996 by Juan de Marcos González to show the continuing vitality of the Cuban tradition. Their debut album was recorded in the EGREM studios in Havana just before the legendary Buena Vista Social Club recordings which Juan de Marcos was also instrumental in creating. Dubbed ‘the Quincy Jones of Cuba’, he has been a driving force behind the Cuban music revival since Buena Vista, its spin-off albums and the success of the Afro-Cuban All Stars.
Juan de Marcos González was born in Havana in 1954 and grew up surrounded by music (his father was a singer and performed with Arsenio Rodríguez amongst others). While at university in 1978 he co-founded the group Sierra Maestra. A traditional Cuban septeto group of strummed tres, trumpet, bass, percussion and vocals, the young band’s aim was to bring about an appreciation of Cuban son by the youth of the island. The band recorded fourteen albums in Cuba and regularly toured abroad.
In 1994, they recorded ¡Dundunbanza! for World Circuit and Juan de Marcos began his association with the label. Nick Gold encouraged the group to expand their line-up to include piano, congas and a trumpet section in a tribute to the forties and fifties style of Arsenio Rodríguez.
Juan de Marcos had long harboured a dream to put together a band combining the ‘old masters’ and the new generation of Cuban musicians. “I wanted to mix the generations so there is the experience of the older guys and the energy of the younger players”, he said. He recruited many ‘retired’ figures like Manuel ‘Puntillita’ Licea, Pío Leyva and Raúl Planas, all in their seventies. He also approached the legendary pianist Rubén González who no longer owned a piano and encouraged him to rehearse with his chosen bass player, Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López. Thus the Afro-Cuban All Stars were born.
The plan was to record two albums in Havana’s EGREM studios in 1996: the debut from the All Stars and a collaboration between West African and Cuban musicians for which Gold had invited Ry Cooder as producer. However things didn’t turn out as planned. The Afro-Cuban All Stars album was recorded but when the Malian musicians couldn’t make it, several of the All Star musicians were drawn into what became the Buena Vista Social Club and a solo recording by pianist Ruben González.
The All Stars album, A Toda Cuba le Gusta (All Of Cuba Likes It), released in 1997, has been rather overshadowed by its companion, but it was a hugely successful meeting of young and veteran musicians demonstrating the continuing energy of the Cuban tradition. While it harks back to the big bands of the mambo era, there’s a youthful vitality about it. And it’s the appreciation of the music within Cuba itself that González finds most satisfying. “When you live in an isolated country you always think things are better elsewhere. Young Cuban musicians didn’t care about real Cuban music. Now there are hundreds of bands playing traditional music. Of course music will change, there will be new dances and styles. But we are going to keep the roots. I am very confident about that.”
World Circuit released a second All Stars album, Distinto, Diferente (Unique, Different) in 1999. The follow up brought in some additional legendary figures of Cuban music including Omara Portuondo, Lina Borges, Polo Tamayo, Jesús ‘Aguaje’ Ramos, and Amadito Valdés and continued to celebrate the Cuban tradition while also incorporating some more modern styles.
Juan de Marcos and the All Stars went on to relaunch the career of Félix Baloy, another veteran singer, with albums on Tumi Music. He started his own label, DM Ahora, which released Afro-Cuban All Stars albums Step Forward in 2005 and Viva Mexico in 2017 as well as several live albums. Juan de Marcos is now based in the US and the Afro-Cuban All Stars, continually renewing, are still touring.
BIOGRAPHY
The Afro-Cuban All Stars is a group created in 1996 by Juan de Marcos González to show the continuing vitality of the Cuban tradition. Their debut album was recorded in the EGREM studios in Havana just before the legendary Buena Vista Social Club recordings which Juan de Marcos was also instrumental in creating. Dubbed ‘the Quincy Jones of Cuba’, he has been a driving force behind the Cuban music revival since Buena Vista, its spin-off albums and the success of the Afro-Cuban All Stars.
Juan de Marcos González was born in Havana in 1954 and grew up surrounded by music (his father was a singer and performed with Arsenio Rodríguez amongst others). While at university in 1978 he co-founded the group Sierra Maestra. A traditional Cuban septeto group of strummed tres, trumpet, bass, percussion and vocals, the young band’s aim was to bring about an appreciation of Cuban son by the youth of the island. The band recorded fourteen albums in Cuba and regularly toured abroad.
In 1994, they recorded ¡Dundunbanza! for World Circuit and Juan de Marcos began his association with the label. Nick Gold encouraged the group to expand their line-up to include piano, congas and a trumpet section in a tribute to the forties and fifties style of Arsenio Rodríguez.
Juan de Marcos had long harboured a dream to put together a band combining the ‘old masters’ and the new generation of Cuban musicians. “I wanted to mix the generations so there is the experience of the older guys and the energy of the younger players”, he said. He recruited many ‘retired’ figures like Manuel ‘Puntillita’ Licea, Pío Leyva and Raúl Planas, all in their seventies. He also approached the legendary pianist Rubén González who no longer owned a piano and encouraged him to rehearse with his chosen bass player, Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López. Thus the Afro-Cuban All Stars were born.
The plan was to record two albums in Havana’s EGREM studios in 1996: the debut from the All Stars and a collaboration between West African and Cuban musicians for which Gold had invited Ry Cooder as producer. However things didn’t turn out as planned. The Afro-Cuban All Stars album was recorded but when the Malian musicians couldn’t make it, several of the All Star musicians were drawn into what became the Buena Vista Social Club and a solo recording by pianist Ruben González.
The All Stars album, A Toda Cuba le Gusta (All Of Cuba Likes It), released in 1997, has been rather overshadowed by its companion, but it was a hugely successful meeting of young and veteran musicians demonstrating the continuing energy of the Cuban tradition. While it harks back to the big bands of the mambo era, there’s a youthful vitality about it. And it’s the appreciation of the music within Cuba itself that González finds most satisfying. “When you live in an isolated country you always think things are better elsewhere. Young Cuban musicians didn’t care about real Cuban music. Now there are hundreds of bands playing traditional music. Of course music will change, there will be new dances and styles. But we are going to keep the roots. I am very confident about that.”
World Circuit released a second All Stars album, Distinto, Diferente (Unique, Different) in 1999. The follow up brought in some additional legendary figures of Cuban music including Omara Portuondo, Lina Borges, Polo Tamayo, Jesús ‘Aguaje’ Ramos, and Amadito Valdés and continued to celebrate the Cuban tradition while also incorporating some more modern styles.
Juan de Marcos and the All Stars went on to relaunch the career of Félix Baloy, another veteran singer, with albums on Tumi Music. He started his own label, DM Ahora, which released Afro-Cuban All Stars albums Step Forward in 2005 and Viva Mexico in 2017 as well as several live albums. Juan de Marcos is now based in the US and the Afro-Cuban All Stars, continually renewing, are still touring.
RELEASES
A Toda Cuba Le Gusta
