The Afro-Cuban All Stars is a Cuban band led by… Read Full Bio ↴The Afro-Cuban All Stars
The Afro-Cuban All Stars is a Cuban band led by Juan de Marcos González (formerly tres player for Sierra Maestra). Their music is a mix of all the styles of Cuban music, including bolero, chachachá, salsa, son montuno, timba, guajira, danzón, rumba and abakua. They are known internationally for their 1997 album A Toda Cuba Le Gusta, which was recorded at the Buena Vista Social Club sessions. Members have included Rubén González, Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, Ibrahim Ferrer, Raul Planas, Pío Leyva, Manuel "Puntillita" Licea, Yanko Pisaco and more recently Caridad Hierrezuelo and Pedro Calvo.
The Afro-Cuban All Stars is a unique orchestra that has always been devoted to promoting the full range of Cuban music, one that embraces several generations and all musical styles. Over the years many of the band’s musicians have become international stars, including brilliant performers such as Rubén González, Ibrahim Ferrer, Guillermo Rubalcava, and Manuel "The Guajiro" Mirabal.
The genesis of the Afro-Cuban All Stars has its roots early in the 1990s. At this time the son ensemble Sierra Maestra, headed by Juan de Marcos, received a lot of international exposure. As a consequence, de Marcos was introduced to Nick Gold, president of World Music Records (at that time a small independent world music label). That encounter led to a couple of very successful tours in Europe. Later the group went to London and recorded Dundumbanza, considered one of the jewels of the world music scene of the early ‘90s. (In retrospect, this recording opened the doors to the further incredible boom of the traditional Cuban music of the period.)
Months later, de Marcos got the go-ahead to do an album celebrating the classic Cuban sound of the ‘50s – a recording whose personnel would feature many great musicians that de Marcos knew. An agreement reached, the plan was to prepare two projects: one featuring a Cuban big band, the other record favoring a more traditional sound reminiscent of the acoustic style of Nico Saquito or Portabales.
In March 1996 they recorded the album A toda Cuba le Gusta, featuring nearly 60 performers. Then, with the addition of celebrated artists such as Compay Segundo, Omara Portuondo, Eliades Ochoa, and American guitarist Ry Cooder, what became the legendary Buena Vista Social Club CD was recorded. Finally, with low budget and only during two live sessions and with simple orchestrations carried out at the studio by de Marcos, they also recorded the first solo album of Rubén González, Introducing Ruben Gonzalez. This was destined to be one of the most successful of the “Buena Vista” series of recordings.
During the spring of 1997 and along with the release in Europe of the three albums, de Marcos and a select group of stellar musicians started touring all over the continent under the banner of a band christened the "Afro-Cuban All Stars." The original line up, familiar from the records, included Ruben González and Guillermo Rubalcava (piano), Orlando López (bass), Amadito Valdés (timbale), Carlos González and Roberto Valdés (bongos & cuban percussion), Ángel Terry (congas), Daniel Ramos, Alejandro Pichardo y “Guajiro” Mirabal (trumpets), Alberto “Molote” Martínez and Jesús “Aguaje” Ramos (trombones) and, Raúl Planas, Manuel Licea, Pío Leiva, Ibrahim Ferrer and Félix Baloy (lead singers).
After several years of tremendous and unexpected success – including four Grammy nominations, being the subject of several documentaries and films, and being recipients of many other distinctions – the All Stars are certainly the best-known and successful Cuban orchestra after Los Van Van and Irakere.
The Afro-Cuban All Stars has also opened the doors to a new generation by incorporating young musicians into the band. With The Afro-Cuban All Stars, de Marcos has developed a concept more so than simply creating a band. His approach has allowed him to expand its creative range by incorporating contemporary styles of Cuban music; as well, a fluid approach to adjusting the orchestra’s line-up by changing or adding musicians as appropriate has made it easier to reflect the different styles of music from the various periods that the band features. The Afro-Cubans are the same orchestra that can be seen in those distinct performances captured in the famous Oscar-nominated Buena Vista Social Club documentary by Wim Wenders, the Tony Knox documentary Salon of Dreams, or the DVDs Live in Japan or Live in The Hague.
In 2002, de Marcos founded his own independent label, DM Ahora! Records, with which he released the Afro-Cuban All Stars’ albums Live in Japan and Step Forward (which was Grammy nominated in 2006). He also released A Diario (Telmary) and Goza Pepillo (Interactivo), projects that represent a new generation of Cuban music, one that fuses hip-hop with contemporary Cuban genres. More recently de Marcos, along with his wife Gliceria Abreu, has founded, GG and LL, a musical production company based in Mexico City that aims to create a space for the new Latin American Music, especially that interpreted by songwriters.
The recent plans for the Afro-Cuban All Stars include the recording of the albums Breaking the Rules and Step Backward. This documents de Marcos’ latest project, where he has gathered the most remarkable expatriate Cuban musicians from around the world. This new version of the Afro-Cuban All Stars started touring internationally from February 2009 and its debut was in the United States, Singapore and Canada.
Maria Caracoles
Afro Cuban All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nuevo 'Mozambique'
Dice Maria, dice Tomasa, dice Inés
Maria Caracoles
Yo te he dicho Maria Caracoles
Que no me bailes màs Mozambique
Maria Caracoles tú siempre sigues
¡A gozar!
Oye tú si que bailas bonito
El baile del Mozambique
Cuando te veo bailando
Pues no hay nadie que te excite
Báilalo como tú sabes
Y así no habrá quien te agite
Para bailar contigo Maria
Tienen que sacar un ticket
Este baile tan complicado
Por eso es el Mozambique
¡Vamos!
El que quiera bailar contigo
Tiene que contar con el ticket
Por eso Maria Caracoles
Baila Mozambique
¡A gozar!
Este baile complicado
Baila Mozambique, Maria Caracoles
Báilalo como tú sabes
Oye Maria Caracoles
Tienen que bailar contigo
El baile del Mozambique, Mamá
Baile, baile, baile, baile, baile
¡Vaya, Ibrahim y Marquitos pá
Santiago de Cuba!
The Afro Cuban All Stars' song María Caracoles is a tribute to the Mozambique, a traditional rhythm of Cuban origin, particularly popular in the city of Matanzas. The opening lines of the song introduces us to Pello el Nuevo, who is granted permission to innovate the Mozambique. The lyrics then give way to the singer of the song, Maria Caracoles, who is a respected dancer that is known to execute and perform the Mozambique beautifully. Despite being told not to by her lover, who finds the Mozambique too complicated, Maria Caracoles continues to dance to the music of the Mozambique. The lyrics reflect the joy and passion of the dancers, who are lost in the intricate rhythms and complex moves of the Mozambique, one of the many Afro-Cuban musical styles.
The song speaks of the beauty of the Mozambique and how it captivates those who watch it. The Mozambique is a dance that requires a certain level of skill and experience, which is why only dancers like Maria Caracoles can execute it so well. The lyrics also express the importance of a ticket to dance with Maria. The ticket reflects the value and prestige that Maria has as a talented dancer who can only be paired with someone who can match her skill level. The song is upbeat, colorful, and catchy, reflecting the lively and exuberant nature of the Mozambique.
Line by Line Meaning
Bueno, con la licencia de Pello el Nuevo 'Mozambique'
With Pello the New 'Mozambique's license, it's alright.
Dice Maria, dice Tomasa, dice Inés
Maria, Tomasa, and Inés all say.
Maria Caracoles
Maria's nickname.
Yo te he dicho Maria Caracoles
I've told you, Maria Caracoles.
Que no me bailes màs Mozambique
To not dance Mozambique for me anymore.
Y por mucho que te lo digo
And even though I keep telling you.
Maria Caracoles tú siempre sigues
Maria Caracoles, you always continue.
¡A gozar!
Let's enjoy!
Oye tú si que bailas bonito
Hey, you dance so beautifully.
El baile del Mozambique
The dance of Mozambique.
Cuando te veo bailando
When I see you dancing.
Pues no hay nadie que te excite
There's nobody that excites you.
Báilalo como tú sabes
Dance it as you know how.
Y así no habrá quien te agite
And then there won't be anyone to stir you up.
Para bailar contigo Maria
To dance with you, Maria.
Tienen que sacar un ticket
They have to buy a ticket.
Este baile tan complicado
This complicated dance.
Por eso es el Mozambique
That's why it's Mozambique.
¡Vamos!
Let's go!
El que quiera bailar contigo
Whoever wants to dance with you.
Tiene que contar con el ticket
Has to have a ticket.
Por eso Maria Caracoles
That's why Maria Caracoles.
Baila Mozambique
Dances Mozambique.
Este baile complicado
This complicated dance.
Báilalo como tú sabes
Dance it as you know how.
Oye Maria Caracoles
Listen, Maria Caracoles.
Tienen que bailar contigo
They have to dance with you.
El baile del Mozambique, Mamá
The dance of Mozambique, Momma
Baile, baile, baile, baile, baile
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance.
¡Vaya, Ibrahim y Marquitos pá Santiago de Cuba!
Wow! Ibrahim and Marquitos are going to Santiago de Cuba!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PEDRO IZQUIERDO, PELLO EL AFRIKAN, WILFREDO LEIVA PASCUAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carlos Padilla
Loving this sounds!
Nicolas H
Dope bass line 👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌💯💯💯💯💯💯 🎸
rodrigo C.
Angá en las congas e Ibrahim Ferrer en voz principal.
Osvaldito Garrido
Es Rolando salgado " el niño mentira" el conguero.
rodrigo C.
@Osvaldito Garrido Pero ese conguero es de la formación posterior. En el disco de 1996 en los créditos figuran Angá e Ibrahim. Incluso en el timbal ni siquiera está Amadito, si no que Yulienne Oviedo cuando aún era casi un niño.
Rolando Sanchez
VAYA!
tom n
Dreaming of cigars and palm trees.
Antonio Esparza
" CANTAIS PEOR QUE GRILLOS MOJADOS