Grupo Irakere
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Irakere, is a Cuban group that developed an important work in Cuban popular music and Latin Jazz under the direction of Chucho Valdés.
Irakere was established as such in 1967 but had started working long before; In that year they go to a selection convened in Havana to organize the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music with the best musicians of that time; Already in 1972 they approached what they currently produce, deciding in 1973 to call it Irakere, which in the Yoruba language means Vegetation and that is how, starting from its name, they work based on Afro-Cuban musical roots. In this way, through the combination, mixture and interrelation of classical, impressionism, jazz, rock and various composition techniques, they manage to wander through all styles such as dance music, concert music, traditional music and traditional music. current Cuban. Thanks to the impulse of the pianist Chucho Valdés, the Cuban group Irakere took flight in 1973, nurtured by Thelonious Monk's bop.
Perhaps privately, the members of the future group "Irakere" considered themselves part of the group since 1967, but in Cuba they did not hear about Irakere until the mid-1970s, 1974 to be more exact. The general opinion is that Irakere was formed fundamentally due to the decision of the political leadership of the National Council of Culture to eliminate the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music for political reasons. Obviously, recruiting a selection of stellar musicians like Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera, Chucho Valdés, etc. it was to be hoped that the result would be a quality grouping. They added to the ensemble instruments such as batá drums, abacuá drums, arará drums, checkers, erikundis, maracas, clave, cowbells, bongo, tumbadoras, güiro, etc., which have given Cuban rhythm that unmistakable flavor, an aspect that gives it the touch of originality to the group.
Added to this are the vocal contrasts, either in a choir or individually, using Afroid dialectal twists, picking up that tradition that has bequeathed one of its main attractions to Cuban music.