Cuban Band Irakere

Irakere is a Cuban band that is made up of several members which include the founders Armando de Sequeira Romeu the Music Director and the Pianist which is Chucho Valdes. “Jazz bands began forming in Cuba as early as the 1920s. These bands often included both Cuban popular music and popular North American jazz, and show tunes in their repertoires”(Acosta 59). Irakere created a new movement in the musical world; they opened many eyes as they were the first ones to create Cuban Jazz music in 1973. What made the Irakere band so unique was that they practiced and trained in creating orchestra music as well as playing Jazz. “According to many people in Cuba Jazz was considered a four letter word in Cuba before Irakere was formed” (May). During
1973 in Cuba many of the prisoners and people from Cuba had migrated to Miami. And In 1973 Irakere was formed. "Irakere is one of the bands that symbolize modern Cuba, one of the most popular bands, very much present as part of the Havana cultural scene and all over the island," (Qbadisc) this quote is from an interview in 1994. Since Chucho was not American he could not establish with an American jazz band and this is why he decided to create his own band Irakere. The general style that this artist falls under is jazz, but more specifically it was referred to as Afro-Cuban jazz.
Irakere was so unique because of its use of jazz, rock, funk, classical, and Cuban rhythm. They had put all of these genres into one song all at the same time. “Irakere was a very explosive band with all their different rhythms put into one” (Jones). The music of Irakere was said to be very loud and not for the faint hearted as decribed by many musical historians. Irakere’s music did not really change over time however some of the members came in and sometimes left after a few years but the two main leaders remained the same, and their style of music remained the same throughout the years. “The longest running groups with a variety of musicians would be Irakere” (Chip). Irakere was not really influnenced by anyone this is most likely because they were the ones that created their own movement in the musical world. Artists in Irakere included Arturo Sandaval, Paquito D’rivera, Osacar Valdes, Carlos Puerto, Carlos Emillio Morales, Jorge Varona, Tato Alfonso, Bernardo Garcia, Jose Luis Cortes, Angia Diaz, Fran Padilla, and Carlos Averhoff. All of these people were a part of the band at some
point. Irakere was a very influential band which was also highly respected worldwide they were given respect which was very well deserved.
It was considered as the best salsa dance band in cuba at the time which gave them respect. All in all, Irakere was a great band and had created a unique genre of music during the time.

"Reflections Upon An Influential Education: 10 Albums From Irakere Alumni." The Latin Jazz Corner RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. <http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/2008/09/24/reflections-upon-an-influential-education-10-albums-from-irakere-alumni/>.
"Chucho Valdes, Irakere, Afrocubanismo Live!:the Musicians." Chucho Valdes, Irakere, Afrocubanismo Live!:the Musicians. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. <http://www.bembe.com/afrocubanismo/musicians.html>.
Acosta, Leonardo. Cubano Be, Cubano Bop: One Hundred Years of Jazz in Cuba. Washington: Smithsonian, 2003.
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