A got a little blog going along with the "show"...
http://larumbasoyyo.blogspot.com/2011/08/rip-griffith-park-rumba.htmlR.I.P. Griffith Park Rumba My initial education in rumba came at Griffith Park in the mid-1990s. Before the lessons, the books, YouTube, and every other learning tool out there, there was the park on Sunday.
I am not talking about the huge "hippie" drum circle - full of all sorts of percussion instruments and general madness, but instead a smaller rumba gathering which took place every Sunday.
Yes, the quality and appearance of players was a tad irregular, but every Sunday there was a good chance some serious rumberos would show-up.
Watching, and talking to these rumberos provided me with an incredible insight into Afro-Cuban music. Sure, I had claves ripped from my hands, was given dirty looks when playing the cata incorrectly, and much worse, but it was all part of learning about the music.
Where else could you see cats like Juanito Calvo Flores (Ibae), Ricardo Abreu, and Pedro "Munequeo" Aguilar on a weekly basis, and pick-up a few insights in to their cultural heritage?
When I walked away from the scene in 2001, in the back of my mind I always assumed the Griffith Park rumba and its personalities, would live on into eternity; there for me to visit whenever I decided to return. So, when I started playing again this year, and visited Griffith Park it threw me off to hear that the rumba scene was dead at the park.
Most of the players did not show up anymore, some were playing exclusively at religious ceremonies, and others have passed away.
In memory of the good ole' days, I embedded this YouTube clip featuring my old teacher Long John Oliva (Ibae), and the previously mentioned Flores and Abreu performing a Columbia.
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 9:25 pm