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Tropicana Internacional and Lovelycuba

Chepen Orchestra in the 70's - in the middle Electo Rosell

New Orchestra group with actual director José Ramon Hernandez

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The upbeat orchestra returns- Chepin-Choven

by Omar Vázquez
Photos: Roberto Bello e CREART

From my teenage years I remember a group of friends I traveled to Santiago de Cuba with, and we went to listen to a live performance of the Chepin-Choven Orchestra and its singers Roberto Napoles and Isidro Correa. It took place in the CADENA ORIENTAL DE RADIO (radio station). Without dreaming of becoming part of the artistic world, and although interested but unaware, I fell for that group's music.

A format based on timbal (kettledrum), bass and piano, in ad-diction to just one trumpet and a saxophone in those times produced a wonderful tumbao. They later extended their format and I continued to enjoy each note of "El platanal de Bartolo", "Bodas de oro" -memorable numbers by the orchestra, penned by Electo Rosell-, or "Azabache" and "Qué diran ustedes", by Roberto Nápoles himself.

After some time, they wanted to change the orchestra's style and that was one of the reasons for their breakup, until the Chepín-Chovén Orchestra was again formed in 1972. Roberto Nápoles played a comely leading role in that.

This is a story that began in 1932 when the composer and violinist Electo Rosell -known as Chepin- together with Bernardo Chovén, organized the renowned orchestra that played for twenty-five years under his baton. Author of the boleros "Murmullo" and "Elba"; of the danzones "Boda de oro", "Diamante Negro" and "Reina Isabel"; of the guaracha "El platanal de Bartolo"; the band made possible to launch these and other works that went beyond our frontiers. "Murmullo", with the title of "Susurrando", was even included in a North American film starring Bing Crosby.

And to give an end to this story, we talked with José Ramón Hernandez, its current director.

Is your present offer attractive? Does it follow the legend of Chepín-Chovén?
Although the format has changed, it still has the same timbre that made it popular. As an example, there's the CD Chepineando that we recorded at EGREM´s SIBONEY STUDIOS. It has been encouraging to see children and youngsters dancing with us. The orchestra is in a good moment, with young mem-bers who are technically very well prepared.
Today, almost five decades later, when I again hear the legendary orchestra, I'm sure that the new generations will continue to fall for the music made by Chepin-Choven.

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