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The Rumba Connection
It seems from historical records that the majority of the enslaved Africans brought to the Caribbean island of Cuba were from the Congo. While colonization may have tried to sever tribalties and cultural links, the ancestral flame never fizzled out. Since the 1950s, Congolese musicians have created an invigorating circle, fusing Cuban salsa with its own traditional music. Most recently, artists like Ricardo Lemvo and Papa Noel have nourished the Cuba-Congo connection and established style called "Rumba Congo." It has caught on with fans of world music and salsa dancers alike and influenced bands in Cuba such as NG La Banda.
Since 2000, the vocal group Kekele (kay-kay-lay), led by guitarist and bandleader Noel, has been crusading these sounds and regrafting a shared cultural heritage that is highlighted on Kinavana, its latest album on the Sterns Africa label. With a frontline of four superb singers, Kekele takes songs composed or popularized by 1940s Cuban singer Guillermo Portables and uses them as vehicles for the band's own expression. With the voice of Bumba Massa and three of the onetime members of the popular Quatre Etoiles (Four Stars), it's an irresistible call to dance.
Be ready to swing on Monday, July 3, when Kekele makes a rare Bay Area visit with two shows at Yoshi's in Jack London Square. 8 and 10 p.m., $20. Yoshis.com or 510-238-9200. - JESSE "CmiY" VARELA
06/28/06
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