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Francisco Aguabella

Francisco Aguabella - congas A master percussionist who was born in Matanzas Cuba, Francisco Aguabella is one of the first eschelon of drummers who came to America and are responsible for all drummers that came after them," says Latin percussionist John Santos in the movie "Sworn To The Drum.” Francisco Aguabella was born October 10, 1925, and raised in the Matanzas drumming tradition of Cuba. In 1953, he immigrated to the United States and established himself in California as an olu batá (batá drummer). Batá drumming is a ceremonial musical style that plays an integral role in the African-derived religion of Santeria, practiced in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and, since the 1950s, in the United States. No other music of the Americas bears a more striking similarity to West African music than batá. Its set of three double-conical drums replicates the Nigerian Yoruba drum ensemble of the same name. Many of the rhythms closely resemble their African prototypes, and the Afro-Cuban language of Lucumi, in which Aguabella sings, is clearly a derivation of Yoruba. Before 1980, Aguabella and Julito Collazo were the only olu batá in the United States who had been initiated into a secret society of drummers designated to perform a highly sacred type of batá known as batá fundamento. The batá fundamento is an integral part of Santeria ceremonies in which an individual's initiation into the religion cannot be consecrated unless he or she has been presented before this sacred ensemble. Annually, Aguabella builds a shrine to his patron saint, Santa Barbara (Changó), and performs music at a birthday party held in her honor. It is an all-day celebration for invited friends, who are mainly, but not exclusively, members of the Santeria sect. "Santa Barbara knows that it is her birthday," Aguabella said. "I know how she feels. She feels content. If I do not honor her, I feel bad. That's why on Santa Barbara's Day, December 3, whatever work I'm doing, I work for nobody this day.... I love this saint very much.... I promised her that I would have a fiesta every year." Although Aguabella is widely respected for his sacred drumming, he is equally well known for his virtuosity in secular forms of Afro-Cuban music. The choreographer Katherine Dunham was so impressed with Aguabella's drumming that she invited him to join her company for tours of South America and Europe. The most influential of Aguabella's secular styles is the rumba, a complex of several musical genres that evolved in Cuba around the beginning of the twentieth century.

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193
Album Review

Francisco Aguabella: Ochimini

Read "Ochimini" reviewed by Russ Musto


Master percussionist Francisco Aguabella has still not achieved the fame his extensive resume would seem to merit. The great conguero has played jazz with Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson and Bobby Hutcherson; Latin with Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri and Mongo Santamaria; rock with Santana, Malo and The Doors; and pop with Paul Simon—but he is still unjustly unknown to most fans of any of these genres. Ochimini finds Aguabella in his perhaps best-fitting role, fronting a hot Latin jazz ensemble comprised ...

331
Album Review

Francisco Aguabella: Ochimini

Read "Ochimini" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Aguabella has worn the mantle of Afro-Cuban percussion royalty for about half a century since he arrived in New York City from Matanzas, Cuba, in the late 1950s. Among the first generation of Afro-Cuban percussionists who emigrated to the States, his legend stands from his work inside and outside Latin jazz spheres: He has worked with Tjader and Machito and Eddie Palmieri, and with Carlos Santana; he’s worked with Gillespie and Nancy Wilson, with Weather Report, and Frank Sinatra, too. ...

196
Album Review

Francisco Aguabella: Ochimini

Read "Ochimini" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


If age does not wither nor custom stale, then Francisco Aguabella drives the point home very well. Ochimini proves that he still has plenty of zest and fire which he pours into his music. Even in the quieter climes there is a slow simmer that brings in a cozy comfort. Aguabella leads the charge, and he has an exciting band that keeps the rhythm throbbing and places the solos at a level that deepens the lure.

Aguabella flies ...

218
Album Review

Francisco Aguabella: Cubacan

Read "Cubacan" reviewed by Jim Santella


Recorded earlier this year, Francisco Aguabella's latest Afro-Cuban session features an adventurous and unsung pianist, several exciting trumpeters, two lyrical trombonists, two classic woodwind aces and a solid cast of percussion. The arrangements, particularly that of Mike Turre, set the band off in a different direction. Old standards and fresh new originals are brought out into the daylight with fiesta delights in mind. The band avoids fiery exclamations, preferring mellow horns, occasional coro embellishment, and intricate solo work instead. Donald ...

180
Album Review

Francisco Aguabella: H2O

Read "H2O" reviewed by Jim Santella


Led by veteran conguero Francisco Aguabella, this nine-piece Latin jazz ensemble turns up the heat while making solid references to tradition. Aguabella, who was born in Cuba, immigrated to the United States in 1957 and has lived in San Francisco & Los Angeles most of the years since. His discography lists dates with everyone from Tito Puente to Weather Report and Louie Bellson. There’s even a reference to the soundtrack of French Connection II with Don Ellis.

Released this past ...

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109

Obituary

Tribute for Percussionist Francisco Aguabella

Tribute for Percussionist Francisco Aguabella

Source: All About Jazz

A concert Saturday in New York was dedicated to the memory of Afro-Cuban percussionist Francisco Aguabella, who died earlier this month in Los Angeles.

“They need him Up There to keep the rumba going," Papo Pepn told the New York Daily News in advance of Saturday's “The Conga Kings" concert at New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

Aguabella played with a variety of artists including Tito Puente, Peggy Lee and Dizzy Gillespie, and was a sacred drummer ...

135

Obituary

Francisco Aguabella, Percussionist Who Crossed Genres, Dies at 84

Francisco Aguabella, Percussionist Who Crossed Genres, Dies at 84

Source: Michael Ricci

Francisco Aguabella, a Cuban-born master percussionist whose impeccable rhythmic sense and drive enriched the recordings and live performances of jazz, salsa and pop artists for five decades, died on May 7 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 84. The cause was cancer, said his daughter Menina Givens. Mr. Aguabella's main instrument was the conga drum, on which he showed remarkable versatility. Of the scores of recordings on which he played, Paul Simons 1990 album The Rhythm of the ...

136

Obituary

Francisco Aguabella Afro-Cuban Percussionist Dies

Francisco Aguabella  Afro-Cuban Percussionist Dies

Source: Michael Ricci

Aguabella, a sacred drummer of the Santeria religion, left Cuba in the 1950s. He performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Palmieri, Carlos Santana and the Doors.

Francisco Aguabella plays the conga drums in Hollywood. He was the master of masters," says Danilo Lozano, an ethnomusicology professor and former bandmate.

Francisco Aguabella, an Afro-Cuban percussionist considered a master sacred drummer who also had a wide-ranging career in jazz and salsa, has died. He was 84.

Aguabella ...

169

Event

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Hosts "Showtime" with Chuchito Valdes and Francisco Aguabella

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Hosts "Showtime" with Chuchito Valdes and Francisco Aguabella

Source: All About Jazz

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will serve as Master of Ceremonies at “Showtime" a fundraising event for the Pasadena Jazz Institute (PJI), featuring Afro Cuban/Latin Jazz by Chuchito Valdes, Franciso Aguabella, Raul Pineda and Sawa Perez on Sunday, August 17, 2008. The evening begins at 6:00 PM with a meet and greet with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, followed by a 7:00 PM performance by The Jazz Camp All Stars; and 8:00 PM Concert with Chuchito Valdes. The concert will be held at the Pasadena Jazz ...

154

Event

Legendary Afro-Cuban Percussionist Francisco Aguabella Debuts at SOBs September 10 featuring Candido Camero

Legendary Afro-Cuban Percussionist Francisco Aguabella Debuts at SOBs September 10 featuring Candido Camero

Source: All About Jazz

“The legendary Cuban-born percussionist Francisco Aguabella certainly doesn't have anything left to prove. After pioneering the mixture of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz with a handful of others from the 1950s on, his legacy would be assured"--MIAMI NEW TIMES

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 9, 2006 -- Legendary Afro-Cuban percussionist Francisco Aguabella will make his debut at New York's famed SOB's located at 204 Varick Street September 10. This rare event, produced by impresario Charles Carlini, will feature some of New ...

171

Performance / Tour

Legendary Afro-Cuban percussionist Francisco Aguabella Debuts at SOBs September 10 featuring Candido

Legendary Afro-Cuban percussionist Francisco Aguabella Debuts at SOBs September 10 featuring Candido

Source: All About Jazz

Legendary Afro-Cuban percussionist Francisco Aguabella will make his debut at New York's famed SOB's located at 204 Varick Street September 10. This rare event, produced by impresario Charles Carlini, will feature some of New York's leading Latin musicians including Candido Camero, Sonny Bravo, Jimmy Delgado, Ruben Rodriguez and Enrique Fernandez. Sets are at 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Tickets purchased in advance are $22 and $25 on day of show. For reservation visit www.sobs.com or call (212) 243-4940.

Widely recognized ...

135

Education

Francisco Aguabella Conducts Clinic Crafters Master Class at Blue Note Thursday, October 14

Francisco Aguabella Conducts Clinic Crafters Master Class at Blue Note Thursday, October 14

Source: All About Jazz

From the audience, a great performance comes across like a seamless miracle. If you could get the performer's commentary on what he does, though, you'd learn that each combines theory, technique and tricks of the trade with his talent in a totally individual way - and that's what students and fans have the opportunity to discover in this special master class with percussion legend Francisco Aguabella at Blue Note from 2 pm - 4 pm at Blue Note on Thursday, ...

120

Education

Percussionists Billy Cobham and Francisco Aguabella Bring the Language of Rhythm to New York City

Percussionists Billy Cobham and Francisco Aguabella Bring the Language of Rhythm to New York City

Source: All About Jazz

From the audience, a great performance comes across like a seamless miracle. If you could get the performer's commentary on what he does, though, you'd learn that each combines theory, technique and tricks of the trade with his talent in a totally individual way - and that's what students and fans have the opportunity to discover in this special master class series with drum legend Billy Cobham on October 10 at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street in Manhattan from 1 ...

82

Education

Francisco Aguabella Conducts Clinic Crafters Master Class at Blue Note October 14

Francisco Aguabella Conducts Clinic Crafters Master Class at Blue Note October 14

Source: All About Jazz

From the audience, a great performance comes across like a seamless miracle. If you could get the performer's commentary on what he does, though, you'd learn that each combines theory, technique and tricks of the trade with his talent in a totally individual way - and that's what students and fans have the opportunity to discover in this special master class with percussion legend Francisco Aguabella at Blue Note from 2 pm - 4 pm.

Widely recognized as a master ...

122

Event

Francisco Aguabella Conducts Clinic Crafters Master Class at Blue Note August 18

Francisco Aguabella Conducts Clinic Crafters Master Class at Blue Note August 18

Source: All About Jazz

From the audience, a great performance comes across like a seamless miracle. If you could get the performer's commentary on what he does, though, you'd learn that each combines theory, technique and tricks of the trade with his talent in a totally individual way - and that's what students and fans have the opportunity to discover in this special master class with percussion legend Francisco Aguabella at Blue Note from 2 pm - 4 pm.

At a typical workshop, the ...

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