Daymé Arocena's New Era of Cuban Music
I am a fan of Brownswood Recordings, an independent record label based in London and founded by Gilles Peterson. All of the artists featured on the label are dynamic and eclectic musicians, vocalists, and DJs from around the world that make music in genres ranging from jazz to hip hop to house to soul and the list goes on. I am always pleased with the music discoveries that I come across while searching through their list of artists. One of the artists that I found and grown to love is Daymé Arocena, a young woman from Havana, Cuba.
When it comes to music, I'm attracted to artists & musicians who bare their hearts through their artistry. The first time I listened to Daymé, I was instantly mesmerized by her deep and soulful voice. I haven't heard a voice like Daymé's, at least among other contemporary artists in their twenties. She sings with confidence, power, and a depth of wisdom. It is easy to sense that she's been making music all of her life and she is an adamant student of music and its art form.
As a very young girl, Daymé was classically trained in music, composing, and vocals when she attended one of Cuba's most prestigious music schools, Amadeo Roldan Conservatory. At the age of 14, she caught the attention of many jazz musicians and began her career as principal singer for various bands. In addition to her professional music training, Daymé also received natural music lessons from her day to day life living in Havana. Surrounded by rich melodies and rhythms, Daymé received a strong musical foundation rooted in tradition, which is evident in her songs today. She also knows how to bridge tradition with contemporary musical stylings, thus ushering in a new era of Cuban music.
Currently, Daymé's discography includes 2 full albums, Nueva Era and Cubafonía, released in 2015 and 2017 respectively. She has a short EP as well that was released in 2015 titled One Takes, released in 2015. One Takes consist of six songs that are mostly Daymé's interpretations of deep cuts from jazz and house artists. She opens up the EP with "Gods of Yoruba," playing tribute to jazz pianist and composer Horace Silver. She also covers "African Sunshine" by Eddie Gale, trumpeter and member of the Sun Ra Arkestra. My two favorite tracks of the EP are in the end, starting with the dance groove "Stuck" originally by Peven Everett. Daymé takes Everett's soulful House track and spins it into a live jam session with Afro-Cuban rhythms and horns. Daymé maintains the high dance energy by closing with "Muy Cerquita de Ti," which is a classic Afro-Cuban medley.
Earlier this month, I had the great pleasure of seeing Ms. Arocena in concert. Accompanied by pianist Jorge Luis Lagarza Perez, bass player Rafael Aldama, and drummer Ruly Herrera, she performed original songs from her two albums. The concert was such a joy to watch and experience. Her voice was just as strong and melodic as on her records. One of the things that I enjoyed most about her performance was her ability to give music, culture, and history lessons in between singing and dancing. As she introduced each song, she discussed the Cuban rhythms in each song and their geographic and cultural origins in the island. It was also a great pleasure watching Dayme's band of amazing musicians jam on the stage. For a taste of her live performances, check out Daymé's NPR Tiny Desk Concert.
I definitely recommend everyone to check out Daymé's concert when she is town. Luckily, she is currently touring the US and will continue to perform throughout the summer. Check out her shows here - http://daymearocena.com/en/shows/.
In the meantime, I created my favorite Daymé tracks that can serve as a great introduction for first time listeners.