Cuba Revisited: Lynne’s Reflections On Cuban Sing-Along

It was such a thrill to teach and sing the music for our Cuban Workshop. To feel that rich culture taking us right back to our unique tour, where we took dance and drum and chant lessons from Masters of the Folkloric Tradition.

There is nothing like singing that rhythmic music which is the source of so much American popular music. It makes the body move without thinking about it. It makes the voice follow the body. Greatness!

And our workshop guest, Erick Barberia, was a great teacher of some difficult chants. This music is outside of most of our quick understanding and yet he led us to it, step by step, phrase by phrase. When new listeners begin to feel where that chant lines up with the beat, it is pure joy.

So, we learned a favorite Cuban folk song, Son de la Loma, and two Yemaya songs, dedicated to the goddess of the sea. I can’t wait for the next step!

— Lynne Morrow, Music Director
January 2016