Versión en Español

Arsenio: Son, Mambo and Salsa

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Translation to English by:

Arsenio Rodríguez is considered one of the architects of the "Habana-ized" Son, the Mambo and Salsa, and a natural genius and Cuban musician. He is considered to be one of the sacred masters of Caribbean rhythms, together with Ignacio Piñeiro, Miguel Matamoros, Enrique Jorrín and Dámaso Pérez Prado. With only one of these great musicians, any country could compete in the music world. Cuba has more than 25 of the greatest international musicians of all time.

A great book about Arsenio Rodríguez has not yet been written; but to let you read a glimpse of that book, which I am in the process of finishing, I am offering this excerpt – exclusively for the readers of SalsaPower - an advance for those who love Cuban music. This is from a collective interview, unedited, which took place during the last century at the home of Arsenio's family. Participants: Mercedes Scull Travieso –Cheché– (sister), Regla María Scull Travieso (Arsenio's only daughter), Raúl Travieso (who has since passed away), Arsenio's brother, Rubén González (the pianist for Arsenio and for the Buena Vista Social Club, now deceased), Rolando Ávila Ferrán, current Director of Arsenio's group, which exists to this day.

- Let's begin by clearing up Arsenio's date of birth and his true name.

- Raúl: His true name is Arsenio Travieso Scull. The Rodríguez surname was an artistic stage name. In the area where he lived, there were a lot of people who could have had that surname. The Dictionary of Cuban Music states that Arsenio was born on August 30, 1911, in Guira de Macurijes, Matanzas, even though the birth records in Guines show him to have been born in 1913.

- What was Arsenio like?

- Cheché: He told lots of stories, passed down from the black African slaves. There were a lot of us, we lived telling jokes all the time, anecdotes, ...we had to lighten our load somehow. Even though Arsenio looked like a black savage, he was very studious, always consulting the dictionary. We had to read books to him when he was small, tell him about the movies we saw, and he never missed a radio show. He was very proud and would check out all of his band members to be sure their hair was cut and they were dressed correctly. He had a strong voice, but could sing falsetto as well. He ate very well: "arroz que llore" (rice with lots of fat, a country custom). Pork didn't sit well with him, which is why he wrote a song dedicated to the pig called, "Vista Gacha". Like most musicians, he didn't know how to dance, he didn't drink nor did he smoke.

- How did Arsenio get along with the music?

- Ruben González (pianist of the Buena Vista Social Club, in 1997): Arsenio was a walking school for the "son". We all learned from his teachings. He taught us to dominate the "clave" (translator's note: for a complete explanation of what the clave is, see David Peñalosa's site here), an essential part of the mechanics of "son" music, so that the dancer can mark the beat. He was very rigorous with musical technique, a dictator with regard to the precise interpretation of it.

- Let's talk about the tragedy of his blindness.

- Regla: He was blind from childhood. There were a lot of rumors about how he lost his sight. Perhaps it was a genetic defect, like some say. In 1946 he traveled to New York to attempt an operation with Dr. Castroviejo. But in the end it was impossible, there was nothing he could do. "Complete happiness doesn't exist," said Arsenio during those tragic days. "I have the luck to have music to relieve me, even though I am blind. There are many people who have their sight and can't even begin to imagine all the good things there are in life. Others have wealth, but are always lacking something."

- Raúl: It was during that time period that he wrote the song called, "La vida es un sueño" (Life is but a dream):
"After one lives through twenty disappointments /
What does one more matter /
After you know how life is /
You shouldn't cry /
You should know that everything is a lie /
That nothing is true /
You must live for the moment in happiness /
Enjoy what you can /
Because when you add it all up /
Life is but a dream /
And you lose everything."

- When did he move to New York?

- Raúl: In 1950 I got him a contract and he took off with some of his musicians and his brother who was his right hand man and they got held up by a gang and threatened with death. When we got to NY, the Tumbadora was a novelty for the musicians. We got lost in the Latin neighborhood of Harlem in the Big Apple and Arsenio would tell us exactly where to go. Blind people have a sixth sense which he developed in that jungle.

- Arsenio said that in NY they robbed him musically.

- Rubén González: First there were those who in New York did a version of La Pachanga, which wasn't more than a "son montuno" from the eastern part of Cuba, which Arsenio did with his trademark style of "capetillo," "diablo" or "mambo". This formed tha basis for the mambo toward the end of the 1930's. The version by Pérez Prado was another thing altogether, more elaborate and magnificent. The Latin salseros also followed the technical musical basis of the "son" groups, in the style of Arsenio.

- What were Arsenio's last days like?

- Raúl: He wrote a lot of letters to Cuba, to Cheché, he wanted to spend the last years of his life in his country. At the end he went to live with me in Los Ángeles, but he was already suffering from diabetes. He died trying to keep Cuban music alive, with all of its traditions. He planted the seed of many other musical styles, and many musicians made a living from that. When he died there was a great commotion among the Latin musicians in the US. He was very well respected.

- And Arsenio's Band? Is it still going?

- Rolando Ávila: Arsenio's torch stays lit no matter what. We are perfecting his band, so that Arsenio's son never dies.

Rafael Lam is a journalist and writer regarding Cuban music.
He writes scripts and has directed radio and television programs. He has written several books about music: La Habana Nocturna, Los Reyes de la Música Cubana, El Boom de la Salsa.

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This page last updated on:  13-May-2008