Cubanismo was Bellisimo

Now and then I go to something that is so good that I am almost too intimidated to write about it. Hence, that is why you, my sweet blog-readers, have not yet read about the time - about three weeks ago - that I went to a taping of my future husband Brent Bambury's Saturday morning CBC show, Go. It was over-the-top Crack for a CBC junkie like myself. I couldn't even bring myself to write about it when I got home - I was far too overstimulated. I knew I needed to take a Ritalin and collect myself before gushing copiously about the show and how famous I was since there were so many cool CBC people there. Did I mention my future husband Brent Bambury was there? (Don't tell me about his preferences - he's in love with me, he just doesn't know it yet.)

Which brings me to my reason for writing, the show I attended on Sunday night. Thanks to the amazing WB and his totally awesome connections, I got to see the Ottawa Jazz Festival's presentation of Cubanismo. The show was so amazing that I didn't feel like I could do it justice by writing.

"Drawing it's membership from an extensive pool of talented musicians, this “Mambo King” ensemble has an uncanny ability to marry Latin rhythms to a variety of musical styles, from New Orleans jazz and rhythm and blues to reggae, successfully blending the old with the new and fusing sounds from around the globe into a danceable musical form that is uniquely their own." (OJF)

At the beginning of the show full-body shivers washed over me when the MC announced, "And now, ladies and gentlemen, direct from Havana! Cubanismo!!!" and the band started filing onto the stage. It seemed like forever that they just kept coming - there were so many of them. I was vibrating with excitement.

They blew me away from the first note. There are fifteen of them on stage. They are led by horns, plus there is a horn section of 4 more off to the side. There is also a bass player, guitar, keyboard, 3 percussion, two singers, and more two horn/singers. The sound is big. It fills you up. The oldest member is one of the singers, and he holds his mic in one hand and his cane in the other. Their voices are so clear - magic - they go right into you. The two old guys in Cubanismo have a singing style similar to Buena Vista Social Club's Compay Segundo and Ibrihim Ferrer. There was a piece composed by the alto sax player, in which each of the three drummers (snare, bongos, djembes, I believe) soloed. It was awesome. I felt like my insides were jumping and the drummers had control of my stomach muscles. Oh and my feet. And hands. And all the rest of me.

It was a stellar evening, and I was exhausted at the end of the evening. Wish you coulda been there.