Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, June 19.—The Cubarumba Tata Güines in Memoriam 2025 International Festival will bring new drum chords to this capital from June 26 to 30 to pay tribute to one of Cuba's greatest percussionists, its organizers announced today.
During a press conference, participants announced an extensive agenda that will open with the groups Obbini Batá, Timbalaye, and Tata Güines Jr., the latter led by Arturo Soto, son of the rumba maestro.
The director of the National Center for Popular Music, Víctor Rodríguez, stated that if there is one event worth defending in this country, it is the Cubarumba Festival, because it goes back to the true roots of the Cuban cultural movement.
Tata Güines is one of the most knowledgeable Cuban percussion musicians in the world; it's very difficult for any artist playing these instruments, from anywhere, not to have studied with him or know his history. However, I believe we have not been able to reflect Tata Güines' true importance in our country, stated the director of the National Center for Popular Music.
The maestro and many others, like changuito, for example, are percussionists who have inscribed Cuba's name in gold letters, he added.
The Antonio María Romeu Company has a very close relationship with this event, as reflected by its director, Nilson Corrales, who announced the participation of some of its staff members in the festival.
We as an institution have the desire and the spirit to help rescue rumba; in Cuba, more than a genre, rumba is the lifeblood of a nation, because it is related to our identity, to our being as Cubans, Corrales noted.
Tata Güines Jr. was responsible for making known the program of the contest in which will highlight the donation on June 27 to the National Music Museum of his father’s articles and in the same day at night the performance of Rumberos de Cuba in El Fanguito neighborhood, as part of a community project.
The National Folk Ensemble will also be present at the event and lovers of its dance can enjoy it at its venue. The international participation will be in charge of Obba Ilu and Nina BisLom, from Argentina and Spain, respectively; while, Justo Pelladito with his group Afroamérica, as well as Ronald and his Explosión Rumbera, all on the day of June 29.
With a closing ceremony in honor of maestro Tata Güines, born on June 30th, the event will culminate with the groups Aroma con Clave and Wapara, plus a visit to the emblematic site of the rumba El callejón de Hamel. Part of this closing are a drumbeat in the Church of Santa Bárbara, in Güines (place where Tata was born), located in the Cuban province Mayabeque, and the group Los Tata Güinitos, joining music students, repentistas and other rumberos of Cuba in a festival in which will predominate the national identity. (Text and photo: PL)
