Cuba and Its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo

There is nothing written in English that compares to the scope and depth of this book on Cuban music. (Leymarie's Cuban Fire comes close in volume of information, but it lacks the cogent overview and insight that Sublette masterfully weaves into the details.) This is a history of Cuban music written by a musician (!) who understands the importance of credible research when defining context and cultural antecedents. Furthermore, he uses his perspective as an outsider--he is a North American--to our advantage. Coupled with his examinations of the complexity of a Cuban identity and aesthetic, our North American culture also becomes more transparent.This is particularly true when it comes to dissecting the story that most conventional Western Hemisphere histories neglect-the profound cultural influence of West Africa. As Sublette notes, "the drum...what an African would call a drum-is conspicuously missing from European music before the sixteenth century." Was it the creolized cultures of the New World that finally gave Europeans license to return to the dance floor after centuries of Church proscription? Sublette presents a convincing case for this, while simultaneously providing an explanation for those among us who are rhythmically challenged...Readers also benefit from the full spectrum Sublette's perspective--that of a musician who migrates comfortably between the music of the concert hall and the dance hall. "Dancing," he writes, "is an intense listening state. Dancing can be complex and it can be spiritual. African music is almost always music for dancing; and so is Cuban music, which is African music's grown-up child." No armchair scholar talks like that.Furthermore, his writing is not of that academic ilk that is afraid to offer opinions, or reveal passions. (For starters, he states that he likes Cuban music because he "has good taste.") Nor does he shy away from connecting the dots or hazarding wide-reaching theories. He is the first author I have come across to point out that the geographical origins of the African slaves-those coming to North America from the Senegambia, those to the Caribbean from the coastal areas-largely explains the differences in the musical styles (melismatic vs. polyrhythmic) between these two regions of the Western Hemisphere. Shouldn't this information be part of our cultural literacy?The subject of this book is huge and Sublette is certainly up to the task. (Did I mention the extensive index?) I have also found, thanks to this text, that I am listening to Cuban musicians (eg. Chano Pozo, Miguelito Valdes, Arsenio Rodriguez) with new ears. That's quite a gift. Chevere que chevere!

It's a first for me to review a book I haven't finished reading. I've been reading Cuba and Its Music for about a year, off and on, as I've read other books and material. What's prompting me to review it now is that this is simply a terrific, wonderful book and the word needs to get out. Full disclosure: despite being a musician all my life, I discovered Cuban music only about twenty years ago. The more I learned about it the more it took me over. This is not the place to go into the reasons, but I will make an outrageous blanket statement and say that what Bach is to classical music, Cuban music is to popular music.Ned Sublette explains why in his marvelous book. I find myself pouring over passages, rereading and underlining and making notes to myself in the back. I can't take a lot of this at one time. I'll put the book down to pick it up a week later and end up rereading what I'd already read. The prospect of getting all the way to the end of it fills me with joy and dread at the same time. It's not that it's densely written: on the contrary, it's some of the clearest, easiest to read scholarly writing I've ever run across (and that's a lot, by the way).The book is not for everyone. You have to like music, for starters. Then, it would be good if you enjoy learning about how musical styles originate, travel, and influence other styles. Cuba has been a true melting pot for many of the world's musical traditions, and most have made their way to this country, through New Orleans, through New York, and by other means, to the point that its influence is discernible in almost every popular American genre today. Sublette has traced these influences in the most careful and understandable way, and the result is enlightenment on every single page.Now I hear that Sublette has another book out on the musical cultures and history of New Orleans. This is wonderful news even if it means I'll spend the next five years finishing both volumes. Amazon won't let me review a book twice, so I won't be able to comment on the latter parts of Cuba and Its Music here. Maybe I'll be able to mention it when I finally report on The World that Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square.

But far too long winded. This is an academic style that I think would not be tolerated in the UK. The author often seems more interested in telling us what he knows rather than what we need to know. I still have not finished it and stopped because I lost the plot. For my liking there is not enough explanation as to how the music is made up.

This is a hugely comprehensive survey of centuries of social history, sociology, politics, war, slavery, and much else. I approached it mainly wishing to understand the musical developments but finished the book (nearly 600 pages) with a much greater understanding of the shaping of Cuba itself. I would say that this work is at least 50% historical/political, less than 50% musical. It was particularly enlightening to understand the very complex and differing African influences and to fully appreciate the subtle differences between areas of West Africa - which have previously been rather glibly treated as amorphous - and their regional effects within Cuba and the Americas. The greatest achievement of the author seems to be to be the combination of acute sociological and historical comment combined with a great musical and technical awareness - the origins of the clave (the objects and the rhythm) is a special revelation. It is a delight to more fully understand why the music and culture I love is so unique - like discovering the diverse ingredients in your favourite meal. It did take a little while to grow to love the writing style - it feels at times like a PhD paper - but as ones understanding deepens it becomes gradually more rewarding. I do feel I may need to read it again to fully absorb so much information, and I am itching for Mr Sublette to finish Volume Two so that the developments of the modern era (1950s onwards), which is perhaps the most relevant era both musically and historically, can help me to deepen my knowledge of Cuba and its music - I do hope too that there will be a fair bit of cross-referencing with the Fania-era US. Overall - a sprawling, complex journey - and a mightily profound and rewarding one.

Just finished reading this on a trip to Cuba, and cannot recommend it too highly. For someone who knew little about either the island or its music, its interweaving of history and music made for compelling and highly informative reading. I was disappointed only that it finishes at 1950: come on Mr Sublette, give us Volume 2 !!

Great book

Ned Sublette writes in a fantastically wonderful manner, explaining the history of Cuban music and capturing the imagination at the same time. An awesome book, highly recommended for research and casual reading.