Review
Produced with imagination, savvy and skill by a formidable team of Cuban and American musicians and film makers, "El Lenguaje del Tambor: Bata Rhythms and Techniques from Matanzas, Cuba" (2 DVDs) and its accompanying book of musical transcriptions "Bata Rhythms from Matanzas, Cuba: Transcriptions of the Oro Seco" is the best distance learning package of its kind I have seen. Less than a generation ago, musicians had to make huge sacrifices to get the information presented in this tutorial set. Usually overshadowed by the more popular Havana style of bata drumming, this pack lets us into what was until recently a secret and little-known ritual drumming tradition. One can only wonder if anyone buying the DVD/book package for a mere $75.95 could appreciate the sweat that's gone into it. Even on its own, the 5-hour DVD set is a remarkable product aimed at both seasoned music professionals and complete beginners. There really is something here for everybody. In what could easily have been dry tutorial product, the DVD is tastefully shot and features Matanzas master drummer Daniel Alfonso Herrera with a bonus interview with the late drumming legend Esteban "Chachá" Vega Bacallao. The footage presents the rhythms in their complex entirety and then breaks them down into solo parts with technique tutorials. Each rhythm is introduced with a short explanation about its ritual context, while English/Spanish subtitles label the various sections which correspond to the book of detailed musical transcriptions. As a music scholar of Afro-Cuban drumming, I can give this product a big thumbs up. --Amanda Vincent, Bata Scholar.
Review
El Lenguaje del Tambor is one of the most detailed instructional tools I have seen. Great care has been taken to show both the ensemble and individual performances of all the rhythms in the Oro Seco from all angles. It gives the student the opportunity to learn each drum at their leisure and then fit it into the group. The transcriptions in "Bata Rhythms from Matanzas, Cuba" provide a clear written counterpart to the visuals of the drummers and clarify where Daniel Alfonso places the rhythms against the pulse timeline. The only thing better than this package is either going to Matanzas or hiring Daniel Alfonso to come and teach you privately. --John Amira, co-author of 'The Music of Santeria'
