Queens of Havana: The Amazing Adventures of Anacaona, Cuba's Legendary All-Girl Dance Band [Hardcover]

Alicia Castro (Author), Ingrid Kummels (Author), Steven T. Murray (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2007

The 1930s saw Havana undergoing a seismic cultural renaissance. At night in theaires libres(open air cafes), tourists and foreign investors rubbed shoulders with the likes of Ernest Hemingway as they sipped cocktails, cavorted with Cuban beauties, and listened to suggestive melodies from Havana’s unmatched musical community. It was rare for women to attend, and unheard of for them to perform. But when greengrocer Matias Castro, father of thirteen, goes bankrupt, his eldest daughter has the idea of starting an all-girl band with her sisters—an outrageous idea in macho Cuba, but a surefire money maker. Every evening, as the rum began to flow, Anacaona took to the stage to let rip—jazz, mambo, rumba, and cha-cha—their infectious rhythms, cheeky lyrics, and sheer sex appeal conquer their audiences’ hearts. In this evocative memoir, saxophonist Alicia Castro, now in her eighties, looks back on the Havana of yesterday and the dazzling career of the dance band, from concerts in Paris and New York, to appearances with Dizzy Gillespie, Celia Cruz, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway. Spirited and conversational,Queens of Havanais a touching piece of hidden history guaranteed to set your heart racing and get your toes tapping!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This evocative memoir is a joyous, rhythmic history of the 11 sisters who formed the fabled Cuban orquesta Anacaona. Forced to abandon her studies after political events prompted university closings in 1932, Cuchito Castro got six of her younger sisters together to play son, a blend of African rhythms and Spanish melodies, even though women were thought incapable of mastering the complex style. The band attracted attention on the radio and at night in Havana's open-air cafes. As Cuchito's other sisters grew into their teens, they joined Anacaona, and the group soared to international fame with recordings, films, TV, appearances with jazz greats and triumphant European tours, as seen in the 140 ads, menus, photos and posters scattered throughout the text. Saxophonist Alicia, now 87, regales her niece Ingrid with tales of the sisters' romantic escapades, Havana nightlife and sensual melodic midnights. The Castro sisters' story reverberates with exotic echoes of a fabulous long-ago era. (Nov.)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (October 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802118569
• ISBN-13: 978-0802118561
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 7.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,499,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't put it down!, November 17, 2008

By 

willyfinish (Buena Vista Colorado) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Queens of Havana: The Amazing Adventures of Anacaona, Cuba's Legendary All-Girl Dance Band (Hardcover)

This book is a must read for anyone who is into the music and history of one of Cuba's most magical periods. The Castro sisters' music, energy and adventures are incredible. They went through time with some of the best that we also know; son musicians such as the Buena Vista Social Club members, Omara Portuondo, and many other Cuban greats, as well as jazz superstars from all over the world. What a treasure to have Alicia Castro record these memories!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anacaona, All-Women Cuban Orchestra, May 1, 2008

By 

Jaime Jaramillo (Miami, fl, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Queens of Havana: The Amazing Adventures of Anacaona, Cuba's Legendary All-Girl Dance Band (Hardcover)

The book is well written, with a complete history of the familiy, mixed-race parents (Chinese-Black) and a lot of daughters enough to form an orchestra that was the base for future generation of all-women orhestras to come. Life in Cuba during the 30's and further is depicted as well as the extensive travel to places all over the world.

Now, the pictures in the book is another story. There are plenty like I've never seen before, with them when young, with a lot of personalities like Alberto Socarras (famous flute player and orchestra director), Celia Cruz, Mario Bauza, in Cuba as well as overseas in nightclubs, theaters and many, many other places. The book is worth every penny just in the strength of the photographs and the price is a steal. This book really belongs to your library.