'Encuentros'

'Encuentros'
Originally uploaded by prsuncom

Joe Falcon and Bobby Gonzalez Form a Marriage of Music and Poetry
By Robert Waddell

Bassist Joe Falcon and poet Bobby Gonzalez describe their collaboration as a mélange and merger of poetry, various styles of Latin music and Taino and jibaro traditions. They join words and melody in their soon to be released CD “Encuentros” or Encounters. They bring years of personal experience to the genre and form a marriage of poetry and music.

“An Encuentro (an encounter) is something that comes together,” said Falcon, “either naturally or because you seek it; could be a friendship or an encounter with your past.”

Falcon stands at his bass and sways his body, playing fine mellow tunes to Gonzalez’s poetry, which talks of Puerto Rican and Taino culture. Falcon gives a smooth touch of jibaro cords as Gonzalez's tenor tells of ancient Taino gods in a contemporary setting. And Alto saxophonist Ricardo Strobert adds and improvises ideas, Falcon said.

“I’m always careful to acknowledge our African ancestry,” Gonzalez said, “and our Spanish culture...I was told by my mother that there are ‘African, Spanish and Taino spirits walking behind you so you should honor all of them.’ ”

In one of Gonzalez’s poems, he honors a Taino goddess called Atabex-gurra-pita, which is the goddess of the waters like the Yoruba Yemaya.

“Our culture is still here," he said. "We are still a dynamic force in the Caribbean and the United States. I want to communicate pride and love in who we are today that will empower people if they know this history.”

Falcon takes Gonzalez's words and conceives music that fits. For example, Falcon and Gonzalez take listeners to the past or a different place as with “El Yunque,” the Puerto Rican rain forest.

They both describe the feeling within their collaborations as surreal.

“Something far out, something real and unreal,” Falcon said. “The form is not direct. There’s no straight line. There are many lines.”

And, they are adding a jibaro and Taino contribution to this genre.

Falcon reads Gonzalez’s poetry, grabs onto an image and flies with the music.

Falcon recalled that he first saw Gonzalez in the Highbridge section of the Bronx, where he was giving a talk on the history of the Taino. And what struck Falcon were the images.

Falcon said he plays improvisational salsa that doesn’t speak to one approach or style. He lives up to Duke Ellington’s definition that music should go beyond category.

“I could play just one style,” said Falcon, “but if I’m not careful, we arrive there without really wanting to be and we’re boxed in. If you stick to only one style then you’re stuck to that one style.”

And Gonzalez's poetry compliments the music.

Gonzalez said his words come from his family traditions of going to El Barrio on the weekends, eating rice and beans and listening to salsa. They also come from Native American pow-wows and his Taino roots.

The poetry songs take the listener on a voyage,” said Gonzalez, who grew up in the Bronx. “This voyage takes them through the past, present and future.”

Falcon and Gonzalez said “Encuentros” tells and re-tells personal and collective Puerto Rican stories. Their poetry and musical come together, forming a dance that has a touch of jibaro, Taino, salsa, jazz, poetry and collective discovery.

“In a way, I’m fulfilling my fantasy of being the lead singer in a rock band,” Gonzalez said of "Encuentros."

Robert Waddell is a freelance writer from the Bronx who contributes his writings to Puerto Rico Sun.

For more information, visit www.bobbygonzalez.com.
Coming soon
Friday, Sept. 28
"ENCUENTROS" A jazz/poetry collaboration featuring Bobby Gonzalez (poet), Joe Falcon (bass) & Ricardo Strobert (saxaphone/flute) Admission: $10 at Cemi Underground in East Harlem. Visit www.cemiunderground.com.

IMG_2751

IMG_2751
Originally uploaded by clarisel.

@ Cemi Underground in El Barrio

Boats to Build

Boats to Build
Originally uploaded by silversldr.

Culebra, Puerto Rico

Culebra, Puerto Rico
Originally uploaded by Fernando Cuevas.

Community Calendar

THIS WEEK AT CEMI UNDERGROUND

Wed., Sept. 5, at 6 p.m.
Book signing and presentation with Prisionera introducing her newly published book “Puro Ritmo Y Patriotismo.”
Admission FREE!

Fri., Sept. 7, at 7 p.m.
"El Boogie Down Comedy Show" with comedians Arnold Acevedo and Eric Nieves.
Admission $8

Sat., Sept. 8 at 3 p.m.
Book signing and presentation by best selling author Steven Torres of the popular series Precinct Puerto Rico and his newly released book The Concrete Maze. Admission FREE!

Cemí Underground
1799 Lexington Ave., at 112th St., El Barrio
212-860-2820
Email: info@cemiunderground.com
Visit: www.CemiUnderground.com and www.myspace.com/cemiunderground

Pigeon Park - Old San Juan, PR

Pigeon Park - Old San Juan, PR
Originally uploaded by avpjack.

Sol trunco

Sol trunco
Originally uploaded by Jorge Rodriguez.

Casa Cautiño, Guayama, Puerto Rico

IMG_2525

IMG_2525
Originally uploaded by clarisel.

In the Mailbox

Dear friend:
LaMicro Theater and Teatro IATI will present a workshop reading of On Insomnia and Midnight by Edgar Chias on September 7, at 7 p.m. at 59-61 East 4th Street #4E in Manhattan. Edgar Chias is an emerging playwright and his play On Insomnia and Midnight was produced by the Royal Court Theatre in London last year.

We hope you can make it.

Sponsored by NYC DCA and LMCC!

Thank you
Sincerely
Pietro Gonzalez

For more information visit:
www.lamicrotheater.org

Featured commentary

'Certified Boricua': My Official Puerto Rican Citizenship...
By Tato Torres

Here's an excerpt from Tato's blog on his MySpace site:

"A few months ago, I first read an article which mentioned that there was such a document as a 'Puerto Rican Citizenship certificate', and being the proud hardcore Boricua that I am, I immediately decided to get mine. Until now, the only citizenship, which Puerto Ricans could officially be issued, was that of the United States of America, but that is 'sort'a'' changing…"

For more, go to
www.myspace.com/tatobrujo

silhouette

silhouette
Originally uploaded by silversldr.

Boricuas Making a Difference

COMITÉ NOVIEMBRE Seeks Community Award Nominations for Puerto Rican Heritage Month in NYC

Each year, Comité Noviembre recognizes outstanding individuals who are making a difference in the Puerto Rican community – men and women, who through the conviction of their character devote their talents to empowering others and making a positive impact. The purpose of this award is to acknowledge and pay tribute to exceptional Puerto Ricans who are usually our unsung heroes.

ELIGIBILITY

Candidate must be Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent.
The accomplishments and contributions of the candidate must directly affect the Puerto Rican community.
Candidates must be agents of change, advocates, or risk takers, individuals who empower others by action and/or help to build organizational capacity.
There is no age limit on candidate.

GUIDELINES

The Puerto Rican Heritage Month Lo Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad Award is given to an individual, based on that individual's personal achievements and commitment. It is not given to groups of people, organizations or as a memorial award to people who have died.
Letter of nomination and support should highlight why the individual is being recommended for this recognition, how long the nominator has known the candidate and the specific contributions this individual has made to the betterment and enhancement of the Puerto Rican community. The accomplishments listed should not be part of the candidate’s job responsibilities.
The nominator should address any significant obstacles overcome by the candidate (if any), and give example(s) of the candidate going beyond the call of duty.
Candidates should represent a cross section of the Puerto Rican community: educators, health providers, artists, community organizers and activists, business professionals, volunteers, youth, senior citizens, etc.
A complete nomination form includes an application form, a letter of nomination, two additional letters of support, and a black and white photograph.
All items must be received by Monday, September 24.

The recipients of the Lo Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad Award will be informed by Friday, October 5.

Nomination must include the following:

A complete nomination form (go to www.comitenoviembre.org to download the form)
Letter of nomination
Two additional letters of support for the candidate
A black and white photograph of the candidate

For more information, call (212) 677-4181.

Community Calendar

'An International Migrant Crossroads: The Circulation of People and Money in Puerto Rico'

Jorge Duany, Ph.D.
Chair & Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Puerto Rico

Tuesday, Sept. 11
6 - 8 p.m.
Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund
99 Hudson Street
14th Floor, Manhattan

This is a presentation of the Center for the New Economy latest research report.

Cocktail reception to follow

Please RSVP to:
salome_galib@prldef.org or 212.739.7511

This report, funded by the Ford Foundation, presents the results of the first field study of remittance activity in Puerto Rico and the flow of people and money between the island, the Dominican Republic and the United States.

About the author

Dr. Jorge Duany is Chair and Professor of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. He earned his Ph.D. in Latin American Studies, with a concentration in anthropology, at the University of California, Berkeley. He also holds an M.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University. Dr. Duany has published extensively on Caribbean migration, ethnicity, race, nationalism, and transnationalism in major academic journals and professional books in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

About the Center for the New Economy (CNE)

CNE is a San Juan, Puerto Rico-based private, non-profit, non-partisan, organization dedicated to designing innovative economic development strategies.

source: PRLDEF