Arelan Torres, son of Ezequiel Torres, came to Miami in 2000 when he was 23 years old . Although he had studied music at school he learnt how to play ritual music once he had left Cuba. Sworn to Añá in Miami by Alberto Quintero in 2002, he inherited a set of fundamento from Cuban born Julio Balsinde, an important figure in the Miami ritual music scene who sadly passed away five years after they began working together. Arelan considers himself a 'product of Miami' in that, rather than sourcing knowledge directly from Cuba he has learned his trade entirely in the Florida metropolis.
Angel Miyares was present and participated in this interview. The Interview was conducted by Vicky Jassey with David Pattman in Miami: 7th March 2017. Apologies for the sound quality of the videos, sound interference includes; a bird rattling around a cage, a smoke alarm beeping a warning as it is running out of battery and a tune from an ice cream van parked outside. |
Arelan describes his first experience of playing consecrated batá with his father Ezequiel Torres.
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Arelan describes how the Miami batá tradition is no longer dependent on ritual musicians bringing their knowledge from Cuba.
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Arelan talks about current styles of playing batá among the latest generation of ritual musicians.
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Arelan Torres and Angel Miyares pay tribute to the late Julio Balsinde an important figure in Miami who lived and worked in Miami since the 80s.
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