Tumi Cuban and Latin American Music

Since their formation in 1956, as well as being one of the most important Cuban bands, Orquesta RevÉ has qualified as Cuba's most important musical school; a place where many of the country's top musicians from bands such as Los Van Van, Los Dan Den and Los 440, began their artistic careers. Now led by Elio Revé Jr, and with an extensive international touring schedule, the legendary band have recorded their long awaited and exclusive album for Tumi Music which presents the rhythm of Changüí from a new and exciting angle. Elio Revé senior was born in Guantánamo in 1930. From a very early age he played quinto and bombo drum at the carnivals in Santiago and Guantánamo. He soon became a great rumba musician, a qualified dancer of the French tumba and a true master of changüí. In 1955 he left for Habana and began working with several bands until in 1956 he formed Orquesta Revé. He was the first to use the five-key timbal, one of the first to incorporate the trombone sound into an orchestra, he experimented by bringing in the batá drums into popular music and he created a unique sound when he played the timbales. These musical achievements earnt his band the title of "Orquesta Padre" or "Father of all Orchestras" and through his accomplishments directing and heading Orquesta Revé, Elio became known as "El Padre de la Salsa" or The Father of Salsa. In 1997, the legendary and innovative musical director Elio Revé was killed in a freak road accident. His musical legacy fortunately lives on through his son, Elio Revé Jr who has, since his very first steps as a professional pianist, been a key element in his father's band Orquesta Revé; more commonly known as El Charangón.

Who is Nora?

Nora is a lady from Guantánamo who was born in Loma del Chivo; the same place as Elio Revé Matos. It is at her house that all the Changüí descargas or jam sessions take place and also where they make a delicious garlic stew. When Orquesta Revé tours Guantánamo they always play at Loma del Chivo and the party end up at Nora's house where they play and eat garlic stew and fried seafood. The title track of this album, Changüí en la casa de Nora means Changüí at Nora's house. Traditionally Changüí was played acoustically and this song is played exactly how Changüí was performed before Elio Revé transformed it into Changüí Son, incorporating other instruments alongside the tres and guitar, and giving it a new lease of life. Traditionally the chorus was sung in a childish voice, and during a party, everyone would sing along with the vocalist during the chorus. In this song everyone is singing about the delicious food at Nora's house where they would gather, taking their lovers for a special occasion. The chorus says: Let's go to Nora's house to eat ajíaco.

Changüí

Cuban people are proud to have brought over 25 different genres of music to the world: chachachá, danzón and son, to mention a few. But the musical genre relevant here is Changüí, referred to as the mother of son. The word Changüí has varied cultural origins and refers to an old Cuban dance. This music comes from regions to the north west of the city of Guantánamo. It can be classified as montuno music, coming from this mountainous region where it is by far the most popular music played and where it continues today in its most traditional form. It is a direct descendant of the Reginas form - also montuno. Changüí can be classified into 3 types: primary, traditional and contemporary. As a musical form it can be broken down into the montuno, followed by the main performance, the pasos o pasos de calle, the song, the descarga and the farewell or ending. It is one of the four basic musical ingredients that later came to form what is known as son. There are many musicians to mention in the past who carry on living through the folklore and music of Guantánamo, such as Nene Manfugaz who was one of the first figures known in Changüí, and other famous soneros who took it to Santiago de Cuba in 1892. Amongst all these, Elio Revé Matos is considered the true father of Changüí. In 1955 he brought Chang to Havana, forming his first orquesta in the Allec cabaret, fusing Changüí with son and creating a new genre known as Changüí-son. Living in Guantánamo and playing with the orquesta Armonia before 1955, Elio already showed signs of developing the genre. In Havana the orquesta of Elio Revé continues to develop contemporary Changüí, led, since the death of Elio, by his son Elio Revé Jr. Elio is a figure who truly transcends the universe and thanks to him, Changüí is known in Havana, Cuba and the world. When writing a chronological history of son in Cuba, one must include the figure of Maestro Elio Revé Matos, the father of Changüí.