BATARUMBA DOS

[ABAKUA]

Hey folks, I don't like to discredit people, but I live in Houston where this Dr. Zaragemca lives, and all I know is that he runs a drum circle at some cafes. Now, I have been playing here since 1992, in many salsa bands AND, have a group that plays guiros. There are three cubans in the group and none of them know Zaragemca. In addition ( as far as I know) he does not play with the established salsa bands. in addition, I have been to tambors with Puntilla, Totico and a group from LA here in houston , and as far as I know he was not present or connected to any of those peope, which ( as we know the community of cuban "master percussionists" is quite small) he would almost certainly would be . I've been looking for bata instructors here for some time, as I have studied in Cuba (cost prohibited) and with other masters such as Michael Spiro and Skip Brinquito Williams. He may most certainly be from havana, but bestowing upon one's self the title of master percussionist is a bit presumptuous.

As far as I know there are definitely moorish influences in Rumba, particularly the vocal tonal qualities, and in the use of the highest pitched drum as the lead drum. As we know in most african music, even afro-cuban music, the large drum is the lead ( bata, bembe, arara, iyesa).

PC

:D

Would the self proclaimed, non accredited Dr care to respond?

Funny that, you do a google search and all you find is the same posts on countless internet forums where he posts the same threads about himself (copy n paste) that he does here.
All his 'articles' are posts on internet forums.
Oh, as well as people all over the net/world discrediting him.

Oh, I know, I know, must be a conspiracy, I got money on it being the FBI. :laugh: :laugh:

[pcastag]

I'm not trying to discredit him, just stating that self-proclaimed master drummers usually aren't. Masters usually have that title bestowed uopn them by their students or peers.
PC

[zaragemca]

First of all Saludos to all the brothers in percussion,..To Pcastag,..if you are in Houston,and have never find me in here,it is your problem not mine,I have been in here since 1997,and you shouldn't open you mouth so easy,until you get to really know somebody,I have enough students and musicians which really know me which are the one categoring me as Master Percussionists,so I don't care what is the thinking of the people which have never come to my Training Place,or have been performing with me.I don't have to be chasing anybody which come to Houston,( I was born in real Rumberos/House),this is an statement that not many percussionists even in Cuba could make),so if somebody call me to play in some place,(as it happened before many times),I go to play ANYWHERE..I'm not playing with a Salsa Band right now,(becouse I could play in any band,not just Salsa),and now I'm performing with a Santana Tribute Band,and a Reggae Fusion Band, and also with DJ's,(when not playing with this bands)..But I did my share of Salsa,when playing here in Houston,with Foncho Castellar,(Colombian),Los Vasos Tropicales de Willy Figueroa, Sol Caribe,Grupo de Shuy Colorado,Sonora Santa Ana,etc..I have performed with my Drumming Ensemble in Rise Univ.,.. Univ. of Houston,.. Texas A & M Univ. Galveston,..(Clubs),...Spy,Lotus Lounge,Live Sport and Cafe,Soleros,Prague,F2 Lounge,Brisky Blue at Galveston,Helios,Joia Club,Mantra/Lounge,Fitzgerald's,Corporate Events,Westheirmer Festival,Houston International Festival,Bob Marley Festival.Galveston Beach Festival,Houston Community College festivals,and Private Parties..And I'm the founder and one of the teacher at International Club of Percussionists,and some of my students are right now playing with Salsa,Rock,African Ensembles and Jazz Bands... I have articles,..'Zaragemca's Brief on Jazz',..'Zaragemca's bongos,Congas,Timbales and Bata'...'The Foundation of Drumming','Classification of an Advanced Drummer'.etc..Dr. Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1138048282

[pcastag]

Helo, I'm not discrediting you at all, merely stating that calling one'self a "master" is a bit outrageous. I've been looking for a legitimate bata instructor in Houston for some time, and have been unable to find one. Me imagino un tipo como tu que nacio en casa de rumberos sabe algo de bata? I'm glad to hear that you have had such success in your musical life, good luck to you. Just because one in born in Habana does not make tham "masters" of percussion. You conozco La Habana, y tambien conozco bastante cubanos que no saben nada de la musica de los barrios, o de guaguanco, bata, iyesa, arara etc. I think some people on this board would feel more comfortable with your contributions if you were a bit less forceful with your statements. I have studied cuban music with some of the best, Alberto Villareal Penalver, Michael Spiro, Skip Barney etc., yet I don't consider myself by any means a "master" percussionist, which is how you signed off in one of your posts.
PC

[pcastag]

This cuban debating about this don't know about their own history.(Dr Zaragemca,is a Master Percussionists from Cuba,and an authority in Afrocuban Music-Percussion,and Yorubas Culture).

Here is your quote from YOUR OWN POST! I think a bit presumptuous. But again, not to discredit, merely my observations, not to offend as well, although at this point maybe inevitable.
PC

[onile]

Ooooooops! Have I been caught??????????

"Dooooooooooohp!"

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... edison.jpg

[zaragemca]

The whole point is that I'm talking about something which I know,you are talking about something which you don't know,becouse you don't know me,(mentioning name to me is not going to impress me neither),if I'm going to start mentioning names of the individuals which were teaching me,or the ones which I was observing to learn,(when I was in Cuba),I have to take the whole week to write it down,so it is easy to figure out who's wrong.The situation that you are looking for somebody to teach you Bata is not my foult neither,buena suerte y bienvenido al forum. Dr. Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1138298935

[82-1089072427]

Hola,
Zara.... you still can't spell... can you...
RumBa808

[pcastag]

No problem, I understand your reluctance to verify your sources for your info.
PC

[pavloconga]

R808,
Aside from all the stuff that is being said on this thread and whether it's true, false or just plain misunderstood (and which I'm not going to comment on – more than enough has been said already). I think it is unfair to criticise someone's spelling (The Dr Z in this case) especially when it is not their first language!

For example: Try spelling everything correctly in a language you are not so familiar with.

peace
Pavlo

[Assaf]

Rumba is poly-metric; it has both duple and triple subdivisions of the beat (4/4 and 6/8). Yambú and guaguancó have a primary meter of 4/4 and a secondary meter of 6/8. Columbia has a primary meter of 6/8 and a secondary meter of 4/4.
-David

David, can you perhaps explain a little of what you mean here, or direct me to an article that might assist?

In my experience we think of Yambú and Guagancó as strictly duple (4/4), though the quintero may lay on some phrases in 6/8. When we play guanguanco very fast then it might develop a bit of a 6/8 feel, esp if the kata player pushes a 6/8 feel, but we still think of it as 4/4. So what do you mean by "primary meter of 4/4 and a secondary meter of 6/8"?

Similarly when we play Columbia, we think of it as 6/8, but the quintero might play some 4/4 phrases. Usually we will use the traditional Columbia Kata, which is 6/8, but sometimes the we might use a guaguanco Kata played with a 6/8 feel.

[Assaf]

Btw when I wrote 'we' above, I just meant 'the people I play/study with etc'.

[Assaf]

possibly of interest to some members here, re the good Dr. Z:
http://www.youtube.com/user/hueroconguero

He does seem to spend a fair bit of time talking to himself on internet forums though.

[OLSONGO]

All I can say, for all the talk there is no walk.

Tempo suffers and no swing, as I know how Cubans like it.

Paz
Olsongo

[drummerflash]

I invite you all to http://www.myownimage.net/BAGVid1.html

I welcome your comments.

Glad to have found this forum, and Alafia!
- df -