They were first recorded as a group for a film documentary about Caribbean music, and shortly thereafter were invited to tour Spain, which resulted in this recording for Manuel Dom nguez and Nubenegra. But the inspiration of playing together, of introducing whole new audiences to boleros, sones, guarachas, and chachachas as traditionally performed, undiluted by American influence, was enough to convince all five that retirement was boring. There are young travadores who have studied the music, but they haven't reached in to the essence of vieja trova. You have to be born, like the son montuno, in the country. The best musicians come, like the trova itself, from Santiago de Cuba.
Music is still the art of perfectly combining melody and rhythm.
Being good or bad has nothing to do with the colour of the crystal you're using to look at it, but rather with the colour of the crystal with which it is made. In an interview in Madrid's El Pais, Hierrezuelo explained that the music selected for this recording came very much from their roots. The songs are those all had performed at one time or another, and most of them knew many of the composers, such greats as Miguel Matamoros, Sindo Garay, Pepe S nchez, among others. We are the product of both Africa and Spain, and Cuban music is born from this blend, and from the rhythms of both cultures. The son is more than the essence of Cuban music, it is the music's mother and father.