Sacred Rhythms of Cuban Santería

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Recorded, compiled, and first published by the Centro de Investigación y Desarollo de la Música Cubana (CIDMUC) and annotated by Dr. Olavo Alén Rodríguez. All recordings collected by Maria Elena Vinueza. Production supervised by Anthony Seeger and Matt Walters.

“This recording features four Orus—series of rhythms and songs used to communicated with deities, or saints—performed by four different groups and recorded in Cuba in 1983-1984….The four ensembles on this CD are representative of the different musical styles performed in the Santería temple-homes [casa-templos] in Cuba. These, in particular, are located in the provinces of Matanzas and the City of Havana, the places where Santería has the deepest popular roots.

I Oru de Igbodú para Yemayá
Performed by the Conjunto de Tambores Batá de Amado Díaz Alfonso. Recorded in the home of Amado Díaz Alfonso in the City of Matanzas, 20 November 1984….This ensemble…was founded in 1942 and had a thriving existence until th edeath in 1989 of its director and main religious figure, Amado Díaz Alfonso. The Oru in the recording comprises all the stylistic elements that characterized the Gbatá drum [rhythms] in Matanzas province. The batá drums used are sacred ritual drums built personally by Amado Díaz.

II Oru para Changó.
Performed by ‘El Niño de Atocha’ gourd ensemble. Recorded in the Casa de la Cultura de Limonar in Limonar, Matanzas Province, 6 November 1984…This…ensemble was founded in 1922 as a religious ensemble belonging to the temple-home of Benito Aldama, who is its director.

III Oru para todos los santos
Performed by the Agrupación Ará-Okó, Bembé Ensemble. Recorded in the Casa Cultural de la Cultura Martí, Matanzas Province, 10 November 1984….The director [of this ensemble] is Victoria Morales Herrera, principal santera and solo singer of the group. Ara Oko was founded in 1980 and is not linked to any one Santería temple-home…The ensemble includes three tumbadoras and a hoe blade. It also has three singers in its choir, four dancers and the lead singer or soloist, who is the director.

IV Oru para todos los santos
Performed by the ‘San Cristóbal de Regla’ gourd ensemble. Recorded in the ‘Sala Fernando Ortiz’ at CIDMUC, City of Havana, 11 September 1983. [The] director is René Robaina Séneca. The ensemble was founded in 1953 at temple-home in Regla, but it has always participated in the ceremonies and rituals of other Santeriá temple-homes in Havana. The instrumental ensemble includes three gourds, two tumbadoras and a cowbell. The Oru recorded in this collection is characteristic of the style used in Havana to play these instruments, as well as of the style used in the Santería musical context in Havana.