One of the largest and most diverse assemblage of Cuban instruments in the U.S.
Courtesy of the Musical Instrument Museum
Cuban music is often considered one of the world’s richest, and MIM’s new display, composed of instruments from the museum’s permanent collection, recognizes its importance not only to its global visitors but also to Phoenix’s growing Latin community. The display showcases culturally significant instruments representing a wide spectrum of musical genres and contexts, including danzón, bolero, rumba, conga de comparsa (music from Santiago’s Carnival), son, cha-cha-cha, mambo, timba, Afro-Cuban jazz, and sacred traditions. The collection is made possible through ongoing partnerships with the Cuban Ministry of Culture, particularly the Instituto Cubano de la Música (ICM) and the Museo Nacional de la Música, as well as with numerous artists and their estates. “The enormous challenge to curate this collection and overcome obstacles to bring it from Cuba to the United States was well worth taking,” says Dr. Daniel Piper, MIM’s curator for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Cuba has given the world a profound musical legacy. It was truly an honor for MIM to go directly to the source so we could present more of this rich story at the museum.” Over half of the display contains personal contributions of leading and historically significant Cuban traditional and popular artists and groups such as Orquesta Aragón, Irakere, and Cachao y Su Combo. Four-time GRAMMY winner Arturo O’Farrill, best known for his contributions to Afro-Cuban jazz, explains the significance of the exhibit. “MIM’s interest in Cuban music and the collection they have obtained is very inspiring,” he says. “I’m impressed with the care they’ve taken to understand the nature of Cuban music in all its expressions.” The instruments are complemented by the exquisite beadwork of Afro-Cuban artist Felipe García Villamil, rich graphics and photography, two video monitors running rare performance clips, and interpretive texts. It is on display now in MIM’s Latin America Gallery.
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