Returning to the Roots with Mayito Rivera, Alain Pérez and Alexander Abreu

September 24, 2019

Three contemporary icons who defend Cuban popular music have united on a CD, licensed by the Empresa de Grabaciones y Ediciones Musicales Egrem, to pay homage to the conjunto format, one of the most influential in the sound roots of the Greater Antilles.

The album "A romper el Coco" comes from the hand of Alain Pérez, Mayito Rivera and Alexander Abreu and in its 10 songs Cuban son is reflected, the predecessor of more current genres such as salsa and timba. And if we talk about son in Cuba, we cannot miss the maestro Adalberto Álvarez, who was the mentor and inspiration for this project, which its creators consider "a dream come true".

This CD pays tribute to great Cuban orchestras and artists who have left the best in terms of music in the country, and, therefore, have contributed to Cuba being a musical powerhouse recognized as it is today. Among them, the Conjunto Casino, the Conjunto Los Bocucos, the Sonera Matancera, the Conjunto Matamoros, the Conjunto de Luis "Lija" Ortiz, the Conjunto Chappottín, the Conjunto Rumbavana and Son 14; as well as figures of the stature of Arsenio Rodríguez, Pacho Alonso, Benny Moré and Joseíto González.

According to Alain Pérez, the fundamental objective of "A romper el Coco", in addition to remembering the musical history of the country, is to influence youth, so that they know who are the predecessors of contemporary music and that they value the richness of Cuban son.

The production of the album was in charge of Alden González and Geovanis Alcántara. Most of the songs were recorded at the Estudios Siboney, in Santiago de Cuba, because each work that is born there has a characteristic sound, an extra to the sound and interpretive quality of Rivera, Pérez and Abreu. The special guests of the CD were Charlie Aponte, Edwin Bonilla, Bobby Allende and the Conga de los Hoyos.

According to reports at a press conference, the album, which is already available on digital platforms, is in the first place of sales in the Egrem catalog, and in just one month after being released, it reached more than 200 thousand visits.

For all the success it has had, and for those it still promises to have, before the year ends it is intended to release the first video clip and hold a presentation concert, which will also include the album's guests.

This is only a first volume, and since the history of Cuban music is so vast, Alain Pérez, Mayito Rivera and Alexander Abreu will continue "breaking everyone's brains" who listen to them.

The songs that make up the phonogram are:

1- A romper el Coco (composed by Otilio Portal, tribute to Conjunto Casino and Roberto Faz)

2- Que rico está esto (composed by Enrique Bonne, tribute to Conjunto Los Bocucos and Pacho Alonso)

3- Popurrí de Arsenio Rodríguez (includes the songs Cambia el Paso, Mami te gustó, Sandunguera and Con un amor se borra otro amor, songs composed by Arsenio Rodríguez and Israel Rodríguez)

4- Ave María Lola (composed by Sergio González, tribute to Sonera Matancera)

5- El jamaiquino (composed by Andrés Hechavarría, tribute to Niño Rivera)

6- Me la llevo (composed by Rafael Cueto, tribute to Conjunto Matamoros, Benny Moré and Johnny Pacheco)

7- Te odio y te quiero (composed by Enrique Alessio-Reinaldo Yiso, tribute to Conjunto de Luis "Lija" Ortiz and Panchito Riset)

8- Un pedacito (composed by Sabino Pelñalver, tribute to Conjunto Chappottín, Lili Martínez and Miguelito Cuní)

9- Negro de sociedad (composed by Arturo López, tribute to Conjunto Rumbavana and Joseíto González)

10- Popurrí de Son 14 (includes the songs Agua que cae del cielo, El son de la madrugada, Se quema la trocha and A Bayamo en coche. Songs composed by Adalberto Álvarez, tribute to Conjunto Son 14, Adalberto Álvarez and Tiburón Morales)