C.S. - Sweden
"The Rumbon Tropical DVD was superb!! I have already seen
it 3 times. Picture was perfect and the sound quality was good. The dancers
and musicians were awesome. I really liked that it was a party/improvised
setup instead of a correographed show."
Barry Cox
- New York
from rec.music.afro-latin newsgroup
"Got this DVD earlier this week and it is indeed tremendous. Not just
great fun to watch, but a historic document. These are performances by some
of the greatest living exponents of rumba and woefully underexposed outside
Cuba. And they ain't getting any younger so we should be thankful we have
such a great record of their performance. It's basically the same guys from
the Rapsodia Rumbera CD, so if you like that, you've got to get this DVD.
I like that it is like a folklore presentation, but still very informal.
The camera work is nice and steady, and usually focuses on the right thing,
in my opinion. I have a lot of rumba videos, but now whenever anyone comes
over and wants to find out about rumba, this will be the first one I show
them."
Oscar - Salsavideoreviews.org
"This is without doubt the best video on modern Havana Rumba.
The music & dance performances were all excellent master level. This
is not traditional Rumba but is a video of modern Cuban Rumba even to
the extent of a performance by the Rap group Mitad Y Mitad. The dance
performance by Mitad Y Mitad was amazing.
All the performances had a fun feel to them. The musicians are masters
at the chants & rhythms & the dancers ranged from very good to
master level. This video will appeal to anyone interested in Cuban music
& dance."
Philip Pasmanick - San Francisco
"Some of the things I like best about Rumbon Tropical, after
two viewings:
- The gorgeous venue; the architecture looks very much like the surreal
Parque Gçell in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaud´, but
the manglares are even more outrageous.
- The high quality production values (as compared to amateur videos I
have seen); nice unobstructed shots, clean sound. Looks great on DVD.
Two cameras, right?
- Marvellously theatrical performances by the singers, with all the gestures,
faces, movement. The Eleggua sequence in the tunnel was unique, very very
clever and effective.
- First rate dancing and drumming, especially on cajon, in my opinion.
- The rap sequence worked really well.
- The interaction amongst the rumberos.
- I appreciated the titles identifying the rhythms and soloists.
- I liked the coro, even tho it was a little rough sometimes; very authentic,
very rumbafied."
J.Z. - San Francisco
"I just viewed the whole performance and think Boogalu has
done a fine, fine job capturing a "piece" of history. The setting
for the music is fantastic and in terms of the musicianship they are in
the same class as Los Munequitos. I especially liked the Guaguanco and
the Abacua. Very raw, "real" feeling to the performance."
Zeno Okeanos
Boogalu Productions Associate Producer
"Rumbon Tropical, epitomizes the unique vision of Boogalu Productions
to put forth definitive Cuban culture which would otherwise remain obscure
and to present the material with a rarely seen degree of depth.
This can only stem from a truly artistic and empathetic point of view
which notices everything you would and more. If you are intrigued by Cuban
rumba drumming and dance, this film delivers what you have been wanting
to experience. Immediately engrossing, much can then be learned from repeated
viewing.
Watching this film, you are literally present in real time, at a "rumbon"
which is an indigenous Cuban party focused on the vital and gripping entertainment
of rumba and all of its various implications, including bembe and the
invocation of the Orishas, yambu, guaguanco, columbia and abakua.
Also presented are the latest innovative forms which gifted and creative
Cuban drummers, singers, and dancers enjoy producing from contemporary
concepts combined with their vast and deep folkloric knowledge. Here is
the lore of the tambores, tumbadoras, quinto, bonko, cajones, clave, guagua,
and ekon, . As at the rumbon, all are invited in to the fun. "
While watching this film "Rumbon Tropical", there were many
moments when I felt I was sitting next to the drummers of Rumberos De
Cuba and figuring out some of the patterns on the quinto, the variations
and conversations between the tumbao and the segundo, and feeling, in
a very deep way, the locking between the clave and these supportive parts.
Dancers likewise, will not be disappointed, since the camera is on that
case as well.
The Abakwa sequence was another high point for me on this particular viewing
because I could feel the unique way each of the drum parts fit with the
clave. I better understood now the way the bonko spoke out of all this.
The point I am making is that the relaxed real time pacing of the film
gave me plenty of time to attend to these various observations. On another
viewing I have tuned into the dancers and the singers. Every viewing has
been new for me. I am convinced that our approach to documenting these
rich cultural experiences makes for a film that can be used over and over
as a source of information, instruction, entertainment, and inspiration.
Repeated viewing will reveal the unfathomable depth of these traditions.
The Havana based Rumberos De Cuba are every bit as engaging as the more
famous folklore groups which you know from audio recordings or rare concert
tours that you may have been privileged to see. The performances in the
film "Rumbon Tropical" seem to preserve more of the feel of
a neighborhood rumba even though it is obvious that the many of the artists
involved are seasoned or even veteran performers. It is not so much the
young pyrotechnics of the folklore conservatory as a tradition which has
been passed down from generation to generation in the barrios around Havana.
You get a glimpse of the Havana style of eclecticism which freely borrows
from the generic styles of the other rumba heavy provinces in Cuba, without
infringing on their absolute signatures.
The Havana rumba style is the great urban melting pot which tastefully
and inventively honors the creativity found elsewhere on the island. This
eclecticism in Havana then becomes its own style. One feels that there
is an intensely deep African heritage of pride in this honoring and embracing
and we know from the success of so many other great Cuban musical inventions
that this openness has been a central dynamic and one that the rest of
the musical world is in awe of. I am sure you will see this and more for
yourself as you dig in to Rumbon Tropical. Stay tuned for more from Boogalu
Productions where the passion for Cuban musical culture gets transmuted
into media which we can all share."
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