Estudiantina Invasora - 1994
@ Casa de la Trova, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
Song: LÁGRIMAS NEGRAS (Bolero-son) - Miguel Matamoros.
* Inaudis Paisán Mallet - director, trumpet, lead vocals
* Roberto Nápoles Castillo - double bass
* Gerónimo Martínez Glaciar - percusion menor, lead vocals
* Arístides Torres - percusion menor, coros
* Víctor Rize Carvajal "Papitin" - timpani (pailas criollas)
* Omar Traba Arias - guitar, coros
* Yuri Almenares de León - guitar, coros
* Fidel Lino Pérez Massé - tres
* Anibal Avila Pacheco (guest appearance) - trumpet
(Many thanks to Paul "Monte" van der Steen for sending us this movie)
On february 24, 1927 the twin brothers Luis and Manuel Valera Carvajal founded the "Estudiantina Invasora" representing a revival of the Estudiantina ensembles that were popular in the eastern region of Cuba during the late 19th century. Originally consisting of two guitars, two tres, bass, trumpet, drums and two singers who also played the guiro and maracas, these groups roamed the streets op Cuba in traditional university uniforms playing music for fun and money.
With persistent dedication to its musical genre and through innumerable performances in Cuba and abroad, "Estudiantina Invasora" has saved a significant popular musical style from extinction. First heard in Santiago de Cuba, the Estudiantina ensembles were threatened by the rise in popularity of modern jazz bands in the twentieth century.
Bassist Roberto Nápoles Castillo, still in the group, directed the "Estudiantina Invasora" at its foundation in 1927. Currently the musical director is trumpeter Inaudis Paisán Mallet.
Remarkably, throughout its eighty-one-year history, the performances of this uniquely Cuban group have remained virtually intact. With the exception of one tres, the same instrumentation is used today as in 1927.