FREE ESSAY ON CACHAO

CACHAO

Cachao
"His name is Israel Lopez, but he is known as "Cachao." His real name is music though.
Born into a family who were all bass crazy, at least thirty five members of the Cachao
clan have played the double bass at one time or another, either with the Havana
Filarmonica, or in popular combos. Some of them, like his older brother the late Orestes
played with the Filarmonica under the baton of Eric Kleiber, formerly the conductor of
the Berlin Opera Orchestra. Cachao was so young then that they had to build him a soapbox
to reach his double bass. He is not only a bass virtuoso, but a composer, arranger and
bandleader as well. He also plays the trumpet, the piano, the celesta and the bongos."
(Figueroa, 1) But he is not your usual one-man band. His modesty precludes him to claim
that he is actually a peer of Charlie Mingus. It is virtually impossible to catch
Cachao-or to pin him down to a single instrument, though the double bass is his constant
companion. (Someone)
It was 1939 when Cachao and his brother created the first mambo which was called what
else? "Mambo". "It derived from the most classical of Cuban rhythms, the danzon. Out of
the danzon also the chachacha-and a little later another first by Cachao, the descarga,
also called the Cuban jam session." 
(Infante, 2) 
"The descarga (which could mean to unload or to release an electric bolt) was another
direction the mambo took under Cachao as composer and leader, with 
the best musicians available playing for fun after hours. They did it for their own
pleasure not for money." (Ayala, 2) Fortunately, some of the best descargas were recorded
at the time (mid 50's). These pieces were put together and called Como su ritmo no hay
dos (Cachao, Like His Rhythm There Is No Other). The latest recording before this
masterpiece was an anthology called Forty Years of Cuban Jam Session, homage from Paquito
D'Rivera, which contains Cachao's autobiography in music.
"Cachao was born in Havana in 1918, curiouser, in the house where Jose Marti, poet,
politician and patriot, was born in 1853. But here the resemblance ends. Marti was small
and frail, Cachao is tall and stocky with striking blue eyes in an Egyptian face. When he
plays he looks like a bronco buster breaking in his bass every time he mounts. He plucks
the strings, or uses his bow to whip the six-foot wooden horse of the bass to flog it
alive."(Ayala, 2) At the same time he keeps a blue eye on his sidekicks to submit them
with a stare. He always places his instrument very close to the piano but he never loses
sight of the orchestra. He leads with his eye and eyebrows.
After many years of riding on his caramelo bass, Cachao has an awkward looking body and
he is, whatelse?, bowlegged. As tall as his fiddle, he looks smaller because of his gait
and a body built by music. If you want to hear the sweetest sound with a mass of rough
rhythm and beatific beat, you could say, "Play music for me Cachao"-and he will. But
beware, Cachao does not suffer the deaf gladly. He is capable of telling Beethoven
himself that he does not have an ear for Cuban music.
The album I chose, "Cachao, Master Sessions vol.1," was recorded in 1993 but put on the
market in 1994, and is a perfect example of the Retro movement that is still to this day,
present in the musical realm. The entire album is full of danzas, danzones, mambos, sons,
descargas, congas and all that other good stuff that just makes you want to just jump out
of your seat and start dancing. 
The first track on the album, Al fin te vi (Finally I saw you), is a danza in which
Paquito D'Rivera has practically taken the right hand of the piano, and Cachao the
intricate left hand of the music, keeping the rhythm and harmonizing. This first number,
in my opinion, serves as an introduction to the magic the listener is about to hear. 
Isora Club, the second number, is a classical danzon, with its six parts well detached.
Theme A starts with two peremptory notes commanding you to dance. Then comes theme B
embroidered by Nestor Torres on flute, and back with theme A followed by C; mastered by
the violins in a slower pace, and again theme A to announce the faster part D, or mambo,
with Nestor, Alfredito Valdes' piano and the chorus intervening, with the back-up of the
percussivesection led by Orestes Vilato at the timbales (kettle drums).
Mambo(3), is a modern danzon, going directly from a brief introduction to the fast last
part or mambo. Beginning at a very fast pace, however nobody gets lost. After the chorus,
comes the piano, the flute...and Cachao controlling. 
In El son no ha muerto (The son has not died) they changed from the danzon-era format to
a modern sextet with the addition of Paquito's clarinet and Nestor's flute. And then they
have Chocolate Armenteros on the trumpet, the voice of Daniel Palacio and a very
important participation of Nelson Gonzalez and his tres (a Cuban invention, a modified
guitar with three pairs of double metal strings). Nelson performs an impressive solo,
where you can hear and discern every note. 
In Lindo Yambu (Beautiful Yambu) they enter into the musical complex of the authentic
Cuban rumba. In this number the cajones, or the wooden boxes, and chorus give way to the
drums, Jimmy Bosch's trombone, then to a duet with the flute. Then the chorus joins in
with Chocolate's trumpet and Almario's sax to culminate the yambu into a "rumba
abierta"(full blown rumba) with all the trimmings and no holds barred.
For the next piece, yet another genre is introduced. Mi guajira, a son montuno, starting
leisurely, evocatively in Alfredo Valdes Jr.'s piano, but when the percussion and Nelson
Gonzalez step in, you feel a taste of rural paths, palms and coffee...and there all the
master soloists step in, Nelson Gonzalez, Jimmy Bosch and Juanito Marquez on the guitar.

In Lluvia, viento y cana (Rain, wind and reeds), after the small fugue from the wind
insruments, Cachao enters on a brisk part and then Bosch intervenes with a big, grave
sound. The chorus adds that note of informality, that any descarga should have, and
Almario goes on with the tenor sax. 
With Mariano Social Club we come to a more peaceful and tranquilizing danzon. Nestor
takes theme B in a grave tone, with an original effect. The last part of this danzon is a
slow chachacha, with Cachao flourishing, taking his group to a safe port. 
Agozar con mi combo (To rejoice with my combo). One of the greatest achievements on this
production is the novel sound from the combination of guitar, tenor sax, trumpet,
trombone and clarinet. Sounding original, and at the same time sounding creole and
exotic.
With the help of Lazaro Galarraga on the lyrics-to one of the Oricha or Yoruba deities,
Obatala, or Las Mercedes Virgin, Cachao guiro is put together. This cut includes four
masterfully played bata drums by Francisco Aguabella, Nenge Hernandez, Tony Rosa and
Lazaro Galarraga-who also sings lead vocals.
El Alcalde (The Mayor), which is dedicated to the memory of Andy Garcia's father, Rene J.
Garcia, is an arrangement by Cachao that includes the anguished and furious voice of Andy
Garcia reciting the poem of Federico Garcia Lorca "Son de Negros en Cuba" (Son of Blacks
in Cuba). The reciting of this poem is adapted by Andy to his own circumstances (the
death of his father), and his voice becomes a symbol of the new Cuban generation. 
Saving best for last, this production finishes with Descarga Cachao. There is a dialogue
of tres and trumpet, a brief intervention by the sax, and a breathing solo by Cachao.
Works Cited
-  http://www.picadillo.com/figueroa/cachao.html Israel Lopez "Cachao" 
Frank M. Figueroa
-  Infante, G. Cabrera. "To Catch Cachao" Rev. of Masters Session vol.1 by 
Cachao Sony Music Entertainment 1994
-  Ayala, Cristobal Diaz "Notes to "Master Sessions Volume 1"" 
Sony Music Entertainment 1994