Interview with Rumba Singer Amada Izquierdo Bonora on Location in Cuba

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What is Rumba?
0:00:15
Knowledge is just a click away.

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From Afro-Cuban Rhythms to Latin Jazz
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This book explores the complexity of Cuban dance music and the webs that connect it, musically and historically, to other Caribbean music, to salsa, and to Latin Jazz.

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What is Cuban Rumba?
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In Cuban music, Rumba is a generic term covering a variety of musical rhythms and associated dances… A Cuban Rumba song often begins with the soloist singing meaningless syllables, which is called 'diana(s)'. He then may proceed to improvise lyrics stating the reason for holding the present Rumba, or instead tunes into a more or less fixed song.

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What does Afro-Cuban mean?
0:01:20
The term Afro-Cuban refers to Cubans of African ancestry, and to historical or cultural elements in Cuba thought to emanate from this community. The term can refer to the combining of African and other cultural elements found in Cuban society such as religion, music, language, the arts, and class culture.

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See an Interview with Artist Salvador Gonzalez Escalona
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Images from Cuba
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Music of Cuba
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The Caribbean island of Cuba has developed a wide range of creolized musical styles, based on its cultural origins in Europe and Africa. Since the ninteenth century its music has been hugely popular and influential throughout the world. It has been perhaps the most popular form of world music since the introduction of recording technology.

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Want to listen to some Cuban music?
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Cubanísimo Radio plays a well-balanced mix of all music from Cuba like mambo, bolero, danzón, rumba, cha-cha chá, son, charanga and timba.

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See more of this interview location
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Cuba and Its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo
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Channels: Contemporary ArtCuba

IMA Staff visit Cuba with artist William Rasdell in preparation for the Star Studio Exhibition, 'African Roots in Cuban Soil.' Museum staff interview the talented Rumba singer, Amada Izquierdo Bonora in Havana, Cuba.

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00:00:03 Well, my name is Amada Izquierdo. Amada Izquierdo Bonora. I am an Afro-Cuban singer. I have been a Rumba singer for a long time.

00:00:14 I began singing the Rumba, and have a soft spot for the Rumba. I have been a singer for eight years,

00:00:23 as an artist, and for me... Black music is what we in the Rumba call Jazz, which is also a black sound.

00:00:34 And it is also Rumba. It is what I prefer. I am inclined to it, and aside from favoring it,

00:00:43 it is something I do everyday with the love and respect

00:00:53 for its origins and for Cuban music and traditions.

00:01:02 I jumped directly into folklore. Folklore is something special for me

00:01:13 because I have experienced it as a singer. I have experienced it also

00:01:22 as an initiated priestess in the Afro-Cuban religion

00:01:32 and as such, I feel very much in tune or rooted in the Rumba.

00:01:43 With this genre that is very much my own because it belongs,as we say, to us the black people.

00:01:53 For a long time this art form was not accepted, but, incidentally, our artist Salvador Gonzales has dedicated himself to preserving its origins

00:02:04 and this root will never be lost, and will remain within this project- within Cuba.

00:02:15 It will always be part of anyone who feels or is Black, even partially.

00:02:25 And, we all have some black in us because we have ancestors. We all have ancestors and we all feel these origins

00:02:35 no matter where you live. We all have some black in us even if we are white.

00:02:45 And I call on our culture and on everyone, who feels and loves music,

00:02:56 no matter where you come from and how, to start a cultural exchange between countries.

00:03:05 It does not matter which countries, in order to introduce and promote this music,

00:03:15 so that this music becomes, also, part of our peace and tranquility.

00:03:25 Because culture is peace. Music is love.

00:03:31 Yes, I want to add something else and not necessarily as news,

00:03:41 but as something very important as an artist, as a woman,

00:03:51 and as a human being:

00:04:02 If one day this exchange of music and culture is not accepted by someone, anyone,

00:04:13 then this person has no feelings. The most beautiful thing in the world is to listen and truly feel the sound

00:04:24 of a drum, or a guitar playing the Trova or the Rumba. It's about love and tenderness.

00:04:34 About life itself. Love for your mother. Love for the land. For everything.

00:04:45 For music. For everything. You feel it because of the music itself. And, as a singer, I repeat,

00:04:55 I call on those who love music to always defend it.