Conjunto Guantánamo drops their latest single, a remake of Manu Dibango’s hit Soul Makossa. This musical release, out October 30, 2020, will find a wide audience with both newcomers and aficionados alike.
Preview CG’s ‘Soul Makossa’ via Soundcloud - http://bit.ly/XXXXXXX
“Soul Makossa,” touted as the 70s underground hit that inspired the Disco craze, has been reinterpreted and refreshed as a spectacular Afro-Cuban son by the so-called “ambassadors of Cuban folklore,” Conjunto Guantánamo. (Out Oct 30, 2020/Nganga Records)
The Afro-jazz-funk classic, composed by Manu Dibango and originally released in 1972, has been either sampled or covered numerous times by scores of different artists throughout the decades, most notably by Michael Jackson in his song “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” off his best-selling “Thriller” album and by Rihanna in her song “Don’t Stop the Music.”
This time though, “Soul Makossa” has been repurposed into an infectious Cuban dance track with new instrumentation and a fresh arrangement by bassist Carlos Mena. It’s the first time “Soul Makossa” has ever been cast as a salsa theme.
“… Afro-Cuban Ensemble Conjunto Guantánamo [explore] the rhythms of son montuno, cha-cha-cha, mambo and rumba with contemporary energy…”
– Jane Levere, Forbes
“It’s always been one of my favorite tunes ever since I heard it at the age of six,” says percussionist Ulises Beato who’s the leader of Conjunto Guantanamo. “As I first arrived in funky Miami in the early 70s, I heard it on the radio and it immediately had me hooked. It was one of my favorite songs even then.” He adds, “Years ago I had the idea of playing it Afro-Cuban son style but other projects always got in the way of that idea.”
Watch the video of 'Conjunto Guantánamo' - http://bit.ly/XXXXXX
Sadly a few weeks after COVID hit, the song’s composer Manu Dibango contracted coronavirus and passed away near Paris at the age of 86.
“I heard the news and then I realized the loss of this influential guy. I thought this is the time to finally make this song into a son Cubano number and give the tune and composer the appreciation they deserved.” Beato continues, “I talked to the band and due to the quarantine, we started working remotely on interpreting the tune. We were used to always recording all together at the studio at the same time so it was kind of weird.”
This new Afro-Cuban interpretation of the song takes its original Cameroonian roots and rehashes the whole affair in an Afro-Cuban light with the roots of Afro-Cuban polyrhythms stemming from places in Western Africa like Nigeria and the old Congo region. Dibango was from Cameroon and spoke Duala so some of the rhythms used in his original music are from a different end of the African rhythmic spectrum.
Conjunto Guantánamo’s new version definitely has a different feel from DiBango’s and yet it retains the same laid-back swing and power of the original. The harmonies of the backup vocals along with Pepito Gomez‘s powerful lead vocals, the deep, sultry tones of the Trumpet, and the way the Bass and Piano are intertwining their own grooves around the polyrhythms of the Tumba and Bongo are given a steady beat by Pepito’s Tres guitar. Like a steam locomotive steadily driving the dancers with the steady funky beat of its very capable engine.
Find the new single ‘Soul Makossa’ on all music platforms starting October 30, 2020
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