Dia de Logros

This Saturday was a milestone. At the Francisco Lopez Cruz Foundation where Bella and I study music, it was Dia de Logros or Day of Accomplishments. Bella has reached the halfway point in her study of the Cuatro and I completed a third term of Bongo. On this day, students present a concert and Bella played with her Cuatro class a Puerto Rican favorite, Alma Boricua and the audience was singing and cheering along with the song. She also played with Taller Orchestra and they played these well known Puerto Rican songs Preciosa, Dime and Campinatas de Cristal. Pictured above, obviously in high spirits, Bella is tuning up and ready to go. She is wearing her very red shirt! Each instructor decides on a color of shirt and her cuatro class selected RED! The day lasted from about 2:00 p.m. until well after dark. After a summer of practicing on our own, formal classes begin again in late August.

Parranda in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico

Yesterday was a wonderful day. We invited by a good friend who is active in a local Parranda in San Sebastian called Los Nietos de Papa or Grandchildren of the Father, to join in and follow the group. At Christmas time, many towns host these large semi-professional groups of musicians and costumed dancers as they make their way from house to house on large trucks. The groups are followed by a small caravan of cars and some smaller trucks with advertising. Traffic is blocked and at one point we could hear at least three parrandas moving around San Sebastian. The groups stop at homes to which they are invited and play a set complete with joyous and sometimes frenzied dancing. The group of musicians and caravaners is feted along with the neighbors with refreshments and light snacks. The progression of playing and singing continues well into the night. For this particular day, the Parranda finished its day at a local amusement park and entertained about 5,000 people!



Our day began early with a stop at the organizing point. Here all of the dancers gathered and the group was fed well... Typically the day begins with an asopao (thick soup) but today we were served another Christmas staple, lechon (roasted pork). After a benediction and dedication to this year's parranda, the players, dancers and followers mounted up and began the progression.

While these large parrandas play a particular variety of music and the show is top notch, the concept of the parranda and the playing of live music by small groups of local musicians is alive at all levels of play and performance. At a family gathering, a couple of family members may take out their insruments and play the favorites... or a small group of friends may play at one of the hundreds of holiday parties. Though it is without the benefit of a large sound truck and dancers... the same spirit of joy and love of music and place are present.

Bella Jane at practice, Puerto Rico

Today, we were in Old San Juan for the second semester of music class at the conservatory. For Bella Jane it was the Tiple workshop which is kind of like a small orchestra and also the beginning of the study of another local instrument the Cuatro. With the inducement of playing in a local paranda or music group I, Ted, have begun to study the Bongo.

I made the photograph above yesterday. I caught Bella Jane by the open window practicing. The scene was so timeless I thought to make it into a photograph that also seemed timeless.

Parranda Dancers

Having arrived at our first stop, the trucks found parking on the side yard of the large private house. Parrandas visit homes of the ill and infirm as well as those in private residences and commercial businesses who pay the parranda for stopping and playing. At the "paying" stops food and drink are provided for all participants. As we were still being dogged by rain showers (which is very unusual for this time of the year), the dancers deployed in the huge covered space under the house and got to it. Each parranda will have a theme and distinctive name. Our parranda has a religious sub-theme with some of the outfits decorated with religious iconography. A member is both invited to participate and then will pay to support the parranda. Our parranda was all male although some others are mixed. The picture above is of a locally famous dancer... with great moves.



Parrandas also may have children participate. The child's fee is paid just like the adults and the youngsters participate along with the others.

Parranding isn't "Christmas Caroling "or "Seranading" but its own special experience. With the aguinaldos, seises, and traditional favorites blaring forth from the musicians' truck and loudspeaker, the swirling and brightly dressed dancers, the beverages of all sorts flowing and yummy foods being served, it is an exhilerating and exciting experience. No one can keep still when the music starts and before long, we were all moving to the music!

Parranda in San Sebastian

We were invited today to participate in the caravan of the oldest Parranda in San Sebastian, (a small hill town about 40 minutes north and east of Rincon). Parrandas grew up in Puerto Rico from an earlier tradition of small groups of local musicians, playing traditional handmade instruments going from house to house in their neighborhood or barrio. From morning until the wee hours of the night. everyone sings and drinks and dances and plays together for a succession of days around Christmas and Three Kings day. Our parranda Los Nietos de Papa, (The Grandsons of the Father) was delayed today because of rain... but the rain passed and at about 12:30 p.m., we were off. From the picture above you can get an idea of the size of the basic truck. This one was just for the musicians, and you can see them getting ready to play.



As is tradition, before going everyone was fed... an asopa de pollo (chicken stew), empanadillas, beer and other beverages. The second part of this parranda is the dancers. The fellow above is clearly getting ready for a great day. The dancers go in there own open air flatbed... all decorated with lights and bunting and signs.



The follow up vehicle is an enormous sound truck. This one has a hydrolic lift that can raise the speakers well above a crowd for maximum sound projection. Here it is pictured at our first stop, a private residence about 2 miles distant from the kick-off point. Here we again began with a prayer and a buffet of food and beverages by the residence. After much song and merriment, the three vehicles of the parranda, followed by two trailers carrying advertising signs of the businesses that sponser the parranda, and a host of cars blaze along, with sirens, horns, lights and music, to the next stop. More tomorrow...

Ocho Puertas

This past weekend we were in Viejo San Juan and happened to enter the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. The Center has memorabilia from musicians and composers of Puerto Rico as well as a small shop selling Puerto Rican music.

One of their prize exhibits is an impressive grand piano. This is the piano that was in the famous 1960's nightclub, Ocho Puertas. It was called Ocho Puertas because the club was located on a corner of the block and had four doors on each side, hence eight doors or ocho puertas. This Youtube video, while contemporary, gives you a flavor of the place. Many aspiring and well-known musicians played at this famous club. Ocho Puertas had international recognition and was a hang out place for the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Burt Bacharach, Chita Rivera, and Liz Minelli. The piano was also used by the most famous female composer of Puerto Rico, Sylvia Rexach, for her composing. You can purchase her music CD's in the store and they are romantic and beautiful.

We were honored when the staff suggested Bella Jane sit down at the piano and play a little bit. Captain Ted captured the moment on film. The piano has the feel of an instrument that has felt many hands. The keys were worn and some of the ivory was missing but she's
a grand lady nonetheless. Closing your eyes you could imagine yourself back in Ocho Puertas with the ivories tinkling and the fans gazing on. If you are ever in Old San Juan, stop by and make a donation to the maintenance of this grand instrument that has many songs left in her.