Another Vision of Cuban music: an interview with Maraca

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 1997 by Luis Tamargo

An Interview with Maraca

One of five musician brothers, Havana-born flutist Orlando Valle earned his alias not by playing maracas, but by looking like one--as a skinny teenager with an enormous afro. He began his career with the incomparable singer and multi-instrumentalist Bobby Carcassés, with whom he travelled to Panamá in 1987. That same year he joined the band of the late pianist Emiliano Salvador, an inspired player who was once described as being somewhere between Thelonious Monk and Pérez Prado.

In 1988, Maraca became Irakere's flutist, taking the position previously held by José Luis Cortés, alias "El Tosco." Maraca recorded about half a dozen albums with Irakere, including the CD Live at Ronnie Scott's (recorded in London in 1991 and released in the U.S. by World Pacific in 1993). After a six-year stint with the world's premier Latin jazz band, Maraca worked for a while as a free-lancer, in places as diverse as Venezuela and Japan. In fact, he produced and arranged (and composed much of) the acclaimed CD Pasaporte (Enja) for the Cuban All-Stars led by Tata Güines and Miguel "Angá" Díaz.

Virtually impossible to find in the U.S., his first solo album (Formula Uno, 1995) was a spontaneous all-star session featuring Chucho Valdés, Richard Egües and Tata Güines, among others, and paid tribute to some of Maraca's musical heroes - Antonio Arcaño and Emiliano Salvador for example. As leader of the newly formed group Otra Visión, Maraca produced his U.S. debut (Maraca y Otra Visión, Qbadisc, 1996) an unusually eclectic disc that also included prominent guest artists such as Angá and Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.

The following interview was conducted in Santa Monica where Maraca participated in the only Southern California appearance of ¡Cubanismo!, the popular all-star band led by trumpeter Jesús Alemañy.

Luis Tamargo: Why did you name your new group Otra Visión?

Orlando Valle: Precisely because we aim to provide another vision of Cuban music, recapturing all of our musical roots and adding new international elements. We try to get away from the present stream of so-called Cuban salsa, and make the innovations required to take our music into the next century.

LT: How would you describe the unusual sonority of your group?

OV: It is quite peculiar to find such a wind section -two flutists playing with a trumpeter and an alto saxophonist. The resulting sonority is a bit surprising and unexpected to most people. The flute is labeled by some as a "weak" instrument, so it is not the same as having two trumpets next to a saxophone.

We wish to demonstrate that the flute can make strong and impressive statements in terms of sonority. This is why we chose this format, which is not too small, but not too large either. To place the flute alongside the trumpets and trombones, within a big band format or within a group with a strong and strident sonority, is a fairly difficult challenge for the flutist involved. I am struggling to place the flute at the higher level that it deserves, to depart from the traditional scheme that obligates the flutist to play only charanga. We wish to expand the horizons of the flute beyond the violins and cellos, to facilitate its placement, for example, next to the most aggressive trumpeter imaginable or next to a jazz trio playing ballads.

LT: Most of the members of Otra Visión appear to be quite young. What is their average age?

OV: The oldest member, Roberto Vizcaíno, is 37 years old. I am now 30 and my wife Céline in only 25. The rest of the kids are anywhere from 18 to 20. If you use your calculator you can determine that it is a rather young average... My wife was born in France, but she is now a de facto Cuban (laughter).In her function as second flutist, she shows a great command of Cuban music as a result of her dedication and passion for our culture.

The kids who play sax and trumpet are very young, but also very talented and dynamic. Our bassist, El Fino, hails from your hometown (Santa Clara), where he played with Orquesta Aliamén. His alias is derived from his polished education and elegant manners, in addition to being a tremendous bassist. Our trap drummer, Juan Carlos Rojas (a.k.a. El Peje), another native of Santa Clara, is extremely explosive and spontaneous. Our pianist is also excellent, and he is fluent in all genres, which is something that we require from our musicians.

Our seasoned percussionist, Roberto Vizcaíno, worked previously with Silvio Rodríguez, Gonzalo Rubalcaba's Grupo Proyecto and others. His extensive experience has nurtured our percussive section. Despite some personnel changes, the group has matured significantly since we recorded Havana Calling, and now we have a totally different repertoire.

LT: During the last three years, your older brother Moisés "Yumurí" Valle (former lead singer with Elio Revé's Charangón) has led the group Yumurí y sus Hermanos. Is this a son-oriented group?

OV: It is a group that you would really like because it is eminently rooted on the "son," placing a greater emphasis on traditional Cuban music while adding some modern elements. As opposed to the salsa approach, Yumurí's vocal timbre is closer to the son tradition.