Mi Nena - Estudiantina Oriental (1928) / Estudiantina Ensemble (2012)

As you may know, I have an affinity for early Cuban music. And, as you may also know, a few years back, I came across a 78 by the Cuban group, Estudiantina Oriental. The outfit recorded six sides during one session in Havana on February 6, 1928. (As far as I can tell, no other copies of this record have been found and no copies of the other two issues have yet to be discovered.)

I quickly posted the record on this blog and it soon caught the attention of Ricardo Bekema, who fronts Estudiantina Ensemble, quite possibly, the only group continuing the Cuban Estudiantina style outside of the island today.

He contacted me expressing his excitement to finally hear the record he had only known about in discographies. He likened it to discovering "King Solomon's mines."

That correspondence took place over four years ago.

Just this week, I received a file featuring his ensemble performing one of the songs from that 78...Mi Nena.

They have done an excellent job in resurrecting a song from old grooves and breathing new life into it.

Hear for yourself...

Estudiantina Oriental - Victor 81245 (1928)

Second of three early Cuban 78s recently found.

Would really like to find the other two records they made from their lone recording session in Havana in 1928...Victor 80657 and 81625.

From Wikipedia…

Estudiantina Oriental

This group developed in Santiago de Cuba at the end of the 19th century. It was significantly different from the típicas, both in music, instruments and racial composition (the members were usually white). The genres of music played included danzón, bolero, son and guaracha. The instruments included tres, marimbula, kettle drums or pailas criolla (timbales). This instrumental line-up prefigures that of the sextetos which appeared later, rather than the older típicas. The members would be based on university students, probably reinforced by talent from other quarters. Similar Estudiantina groups were formed in other provincial towns.

Giro gives this set-up as characteristic of Estudientinas: two tres, 1st and 2nd; two guitars; one trumpet; botija or double bass; paila (timbal); cencerro (cow-bell); güiro; three singers, 1st, 2nd and falsetto, and maybe both sexes. It is clear that estudientinas in different parts of Cuba had variations in membership, instruments and repertoire.

Recorded in Havana, Cuba on February 6, 1928.