Desde la bahia—San Francisco

Latin Beat Magazine, August, 2003 by Jesse Varela

¡ARAGÓN! ¡ARAGÓN! On Sunday, May 4, Mission Neighborhood Centers hosted a gala benefit to kick off the 25th Anniversary of San Francisco Carnaval, with the proceeds going toward the construction of the Excelsior Senior Center. Held at Roccapulco in the SF Mission District, the renewed community spirit embracing this spectacular event was refreshing. And what better way to say "thank you" than with a dance concert by Orquesta Aragón, the jewel of Cuban charanga.

With two well-delivered, well-paced sets, Aragón performed from the old and new repertoire. They performed material from their 2003 Grammy-nominated En-Route album and other recent releases, with the classics El Bodeguero, Tres Lindas Cubanas, Sabrosona, Caserita Villareña drawing enthusiastic audience response.

Rafael Lay Jr., (who leads the group and plays violin) and bassist Roberto Espinoza were not allowed entry into the U.S. The group included Celso Valdés who has played violin with Aragón since 1960, the father and son team of Dagoberto and Lázaro González (strings) and Eduardo Rubio (flute), taking melodically rich solos and playing the classic lines made famous by Richard Egües and Rolando Lozano with finesse. The band also includes a couple of sons of former Aragón members--Ernesto Bacallao (son of singer Rafael "Felo" Bacallao) and Pepe (son of pianist José Palma)--in addition to Guillermo Garcia (congas), Palma (güiro), Horacio Rodríguez del Toro (timbal), Orlando Pérez (piano), Juan Carlos Villegas (vocals), and dancer Armando Amezaga.

The sound in the cavernous dancehall was surprisingly well balanced and the strings projected prominently. The cohesion and nuance of the strings is what allows for intricate detail. A perfect example was No Me Molesto, the mid-fifties chachachá hit. Composed by Jorge Zamora and arranged by Rafael Lay Sr., the treatment embroiders a melodic theme played by the flute with a vocal duo singing to the glories of chachachá. The strings tightly weave into every facet of the tune, providing interplay with the flute and syncopated counterpoints to the groove that are truly delightful.

Founded in 1939 by double-bassist Orestes Aragón in Cienfuegos, Cuba, the band relocated years later to Havana. Violinist Rafael Lay served as musical director from 1948 until his passing. An imaginative arranger and composer who wrote the melancholy Envidia, he, along with Egües, defined the melodically rich sounds that the group took around the world as the leading purveyors of Enrique Jorrín's chachachá.

In the 1990s, Rafael Lay Jr., also a classically trained violinist assumed the leadership of the group. For two wonderful hours Orquesta Aragón kept the dance floor packed for a superb night of community and music. The MNC received proclamations from Assemblyman Marc Leno, Ron Vinson (from the SF mayor's office) and city treasurer Susan Leal, as the organization that keeps Headstart, senior services and other neighborhood programs operating in the SF Mission District. Tireless event coordinator Laura Bustamante ushered in local politicos, as MNC executive director Santiago "Sam" Ruiz humbly accepted these acknowledgments.

This year's Carnaval King and Queen--Antonio Naranjo and Iya Silva--made a grand entrance and danced a duet. The Bay Area Afro-Cuban dance troupe Mambo and Son filled in between sets, featuring the talents of Ramon Ramos Alayo, José Francisco Barroso, Idalmis Romero Valdéz, Silfredo La O, Isidro Valor Pérez, Susana Arenas Pedroso, Rogelio Kindelan, Mijaele and maestro Carlos Aldama.

GRACIAS A LA PEÑA! Rumblings around here about Oakland's Alice Arts Center possibly getting shut down by Mayor Jerry Brown has sent shivers through the local non-profit arts community. Known for its youth oriented African dance classes and ensembles, it houses notable organizations such as Dimensions Dance Theater, among others. It's unfortunately a grim example of how culture loses in this body politic during a budget crisis. Luckily, next door in Berkeley, places like La Peña Cultural Center ate surviving on grants and generous public support. But for how long?

"We're aware of the climate around us," says Sylvia Sherman, a longtime La Peña staff member. "Right now we're in a strong position with monies committed from before. But in the next two years, particularly with the cutbacks to the California Arts Council and the shrinking portfolios from private foundations, we realize we need to shift to bigger sources of support from the community."

La Peña was founded by exiled Chilean students who had fled the repression launched by dictator Augusto Pinochet, before joining forces with North American supporters and collectively purchasing the building at 3105 Shattuck Ave. Patterned after the South American "peña" tradition of neighborhood coffeehouses, the mission began to give space to artists and activists. Countless struggles and artistic careers were launched.

On Saturday, June 14, La Peña Cultural Center celebrated its 28th anniversary with longtime friend Bobi Céspedes, the renowned Bay Area Cuban singer, performing. It was at La Peña where she started singing traditional Cuban son in 1981 as part of Trio Céspedes. Now an acclaimed international artist, she serves as a perfect example of how La Peña helps to nurture talent by providing performance space and opportunity.