Fabian Garcia's fabulous garnishment: a conversation with an unsung hero of the Cuban bass - Entrevista

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 2002 by Luis Tamargo

It would take numerous issues of LATIN BEAT to attempt to summarize the multifaceted accomplishments of Alejandro García Caturla (1906-1940) as an innovative Cuban composer, bandleader, violinist, pianist, saxophonist, clarinetist, baritone singer, theatrical critic, music educator, legislative reformer, expert criminologist, and judicial authority. Known for his consistent struggle against various forms of racial prejudice, social obscurantism and institutionalized corruption, the Remedios-born author of Tres Danzas Cubanas (1927) and Bembé (1929) was assassinated at the age of 34, leaving behind eleven children and a compositional legacy defined by Helio Orovio in his Diccionario de Música Cubana as "a synthesis of nationality and universality, of traditionalism and modernism. "

The assassin's bullets could not prevent the transmission of his victim's artistic genes to a variety of descendants, including the subject of the following interview.

Born in Remedios (Las Villas Province) in 1946, Fabián García--prodigal offspring of the older son of

Alejandro García Caturla--was transplanted at an early age to the Cuban capital, where he made his professional debut in 1963, when he joined forces with certain extremely young players from other renowned musical lineages (Paquito D'Rivera, Amadito Valdés Jr., Rembert Egües) to form the seminal combo properly labeled as Los Chicos del Jazz.

The following conversation with Omara Portuondo's current double bass player was conducted at a West Hollywood hotels.

LUIS TAMARGO: You were not even born yet when your grandfather was murdered. How old was your father when he became an orphan?

FABIAN GARCIA: My dad, Alejandro García Caturla Jr., alias "Mito," was only 17. He wasn't precisely a musician, but he later organized his own orchestras in Las Villas Province. In fact, he was a very devoted fan of Arcaño's charanga orchestra. He would even travel, for example, all the way from Remedios to one of Arcaño's gigs in Oriente Province, just to catch the band in action. Years later, when I met Arcaño for the first time and informed him that I was Mito's son, he declared, "Coño, your father was the greatest fan that I've ever had in Cuba!" (LAUGHTER)

LT: There are other gifted musical relatives in the García Caturla clan, including your singing paternal aunt and your trombone-playing paternal uncle (Omara Portuondo's current big band musical director).

FG: My aunt, Teresa García Caturla, led Cuarteto D'Aida for over ten years. On the other hand, my uncle has been functioning as Omara's musical director for about two years.

LT: How long did you attend Havana's Amadeo Roldán Conservatory?

FG: For four years, before I was drafted in the island's compulsory military service. While attending said conservatory, I took lessons from Carlos Alejo Villa, who was one of the most eminent double bass teachers in Cuba, along with Orestes Urfé (sibling of pianist Odilio Urfé). Villa also taught Carlos del Puerto Sr. and Carlos Suárez. Later on, he went into exile in Baltimore, where he died a couple of years ago.

LT: As in the case of Cachao, Villa and Urfé were equally capable of excelling as classical and popular bassists.

FG: But Cachao became more specialized in the Cuban music realm. What he was doing with Arcaño's danzón repertoire was truly original! The entire line followed by all Cuban popular bassists starts from Cachao. That's the real school!

LT: Besides Cachao, was there any other Cuban bassist who influenced your formative development?

FG: I virtually regarded the Hernández clan (Papito, Kike and Felo) as bass deities. When Papito began to make preparations to leave Cuba, I believe that I was the only one aware of his departure plans. Papito handed over his bass after providing pertinent notice: "Take care of it as if your life depended on it because I love this instrument very much." On the other hand, I replaced Kike at the Habana Libre (former Havana Hilton) Hotel when he left to join the city's Teatro Musical. It was my first steady gig! The Hernández family provided much guidance because there are obstacles that you must learn to surmount on the streets, and such obstacles are not identified in musical textbooks.

LT: Were there any North American bassists that you particularly admired?

FG: When I was getting started in this business, I came across some Miles Davis quintet albums that featured Paul Chambers, whom I regard as a delightful bassist. Bassists are supposed to be ideally calm and reassured, and he reflected those particular qualities.

LT: How did you become involved with the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna (OCMM) which initially featured two pianists, two bassists, two trap drummers and two tumbadores?

FG: Cachaito and Felo Hèrnández were the original bassists, but Felo left the country and he was replaced by Carlos del Puerto Sr., whom I subsequently replaced two or three months later, when he was drafted into the military service. Nevertheless, I was only allowed by the governmental radio/television agency in which I had been previously employed, the Instituto Cubano de Radiodifusión (ICR), to stay with OCMM for two years.