La Rumba No Es Como Ayer: Upcoming Lecture Series by John Santos

Legendary not only for his performance, production and composition skills with his band Machete, but also for his ageless thirst for knowledge, John Santos has turned teaching about Afro-Cuban music into an art form of its own. Charmingly courteous to those wishing to learn more about these polyrhythmic patterns that our feet and hips find so hard to ignore, four-time Grammy nominee Santos is a Bay Area institution. When you get the chance to learn from him, take it!

La Rumba No Es Como Ayer is a seven-part lecture series taught by Santos and presented by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, the Museum of the African Diaspora, and the San Francisco Jazz Festival.

La Rumba No Es Como Ayer delves into the evolution, anatomy, and relevance of the Cuban rumba, one of the most important and influential musical/dance genres in the history of the Americas. Having invaded the US during the 1930s and maintaining a US presence in performance, theater, radio, recordings, television, and movies ever since, the rumba holds a place in American history few if any other genres can claim. This series will trace the rumba's Kongo/Spanish origins, its birth in 19th century Havana and Matanzas provinces, and its subsequent choreographic, musical and lyrical development, incorporating many other elements along its path to becoming the integral part of American music that it is today.

The seven two-hour sessions will take place on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 at the Museum of the African Diaspora, and will cover these themes:

1. May 5 - Intro
2. Mat 12 - El Yambú
3. May 19 - El Guaguancó
4. May 26 - La Columbia
5. June 2 - Rumba-Son/Jiribilla /Rumba de Cabaret
6. June 9 - La Rumba in Salsa and in Jazz
7. June 16 - El Guarapachangueo y la Rumba Moderna

Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD)
685 Mission St,
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 358-7200