Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro de Cuba at San Francisco Jazz Festival at Jewish Community Center of San Francisco

In a country with a dazzlingly rich history of innovative musical ensembles, Cuba’s Septeto Nacional boasts the grandest, most far-reaching legacy. Founded by legendary Afro-Cuban songwriter Ignacio Piñeiro in 1927, the group played an essential role in transforming son, a rural style created by troubadours in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba, into urbane dance music that transfixed Havana nightclubs. Pineiro’s band introduced clarion vocal harmonies and sophisticated orchestration while retaining the insistent pulse known as clave. The foundational style of much Cuban music, Septeto Nacional’s son influenced musical developments from Chicago to Mexico City to Kinshasa, and eventually gave birth to salsa...

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In a country with a dazzlingly rich history of innovative musical ensembles, Cuba’s Septeto Nacional boasts the grandest, most far-reaching legacy. Founded by legendary Afro-Cuban songwriter Ignacio Piñeiro in 1927, the group played an essential role in transforming son, a rural style created by troubadours in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba, into urbane dance music that transfixed Havana nightclubs. Pineiro’s band introduced clarion vocal harmonies and sophisticated orchestration while retaining the insistent pulse known as clave. The foundational style of much Cuban music, Septeto Nacional’s son influenced musical developments from Chicago to Mexico City to Kinshasa, and eventually gave birth to salsa. George Gershwin was so impressed by Septeto Nacional on a trip to Cuba in 1932 that he quoted Pineiro’s hit “Échale salsita” in his piece “Cuban Overture.” Over the years, the group has featured a succession of powerhouse vocalists who introduced Piñeiro’s classic songs to new generations. Now led by Eugenio “Raspa” Rodríguez and Frank “El Matador” Oropesa, the group focuses on its time-tested Piñeiro standards, but the contemporary arrangements reflect the sensibilities of Cuba’s modern musicians.

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