The root of the root

Pavel Urkiza & Congrí Ensemble present “The Root of the Root,” an exploration of the ancestral connections of music with songs that are part of the Latin American popular heritage, learned and transmitted from generation to generation.

Cuban music is a flavorful stew made of myriad cultural ingredients that have seasoned Cuban society during centuries of migration and trade in the Caribbean. Congri is a typical Cuban dish made of black beans and rice; the origin of the word is from the French congrès, which means a gathering or coming together. The term linguistically reflects the Haitian francophone influence in Cuba of the 19th century.

The project Congri Ensemble presents the coming together of many musical influences that shaped the sound of Cuban music and offers an experience of this music that is unique from what is typically know by American audiences.

This performance presents Cuban-Spanish composer Pavel Urkiza’s skillful interpretation of classic Cuban songs composed between 1851 and 1941. Presented in a chamber format, all pieces are performed on period acoustic instruments such as the romantic guitar, the mutto cornet, baroque flutes, and the upright bass lending a sound closer to the period of their composition.

The ensemble includes Afro-Cuban and Mediterranean percussion, illustrating the connection between the Spanish, African, and Creole origins of Cuban music.

The musical performance will be accompanied by a visual display of images from the era and narration in story form between songs relating anecdotes and explanation of the origins of certain instruments and musical forms that have influenced this period of Cuban music.