CharangaSue.com

Sue Miller – Cuban Flute Improviser, Writer & Academic

New Charanga del Norte Animation ‘Atilana’

Animation by Ged Haney of Charanga del Norte’s track ‘Los Problemas de Atilana’ based on research by Prof. Sue Miller, Dr Sarah Bowen and Cuban dancer Guillermo Davis on the televised version of ‘Los Problemas de Atilana’ by Orquesta Aragón in 1965. The flute solo by Sue Miller is a development of the solo by flute player Richard Egües which was danced by Rafael Bacallao. The animated Rafael here reflects the dance moves and musical gestures of Egües and Bacallao with a few new references and dance moves included for good measure!

A musico-choreographic analysis of a Cuban dance routine: a performance-informed approach

The research is based on the analysis of a live performance on Cuban television of ‘Los Problemas de Atilana’ by Orquesta Aragón in the early 1960s, where musical gestures are shown to be embodied in the flute and dance solo ‘duet’ performed by Cuban flautist Richard Egües and dancer Rafael Bacallao, revealing the shared memories of a community bound by common cultural experience. Interdisciplinary in nature, analysis is undertaken by a musician-scholar, a film scholar-practitioner and a professional Cuban dancer-animator in order to unearth details of this embodied repertoire, thus translating and making overt culturally implicit knowledge for those outside of the artistic community of practice, and, in some cases, within it.

Charanga del Norte Reviewed in Songlines Magazine

“With its gorgeous retro cover art and deliberate golden age smarts Pachanga Time feels like a crate-digger’s rare find… it ‘manages to bottle the fun and liveliness of a genre with tongue-in-cheek flare.” Jane Cornwell.

A Musico-Choreographic Analysis of a Cuban Dance Routine – Animation Demonstrations

This practice research by Prof. Sue Miller, Guillermo Davis and Dr Sarah Bowen is based on the analysis of a live performance on Cuban television of ‘Los Problemas de Atilana’ by Orquesta Aragón in the early 1960s, where musical gestures are shown to be embodied in the flute and dance solo ‘duet’ performed by Cuban flautist Richard Egües and dancer Rafael Bacallao. Through re-performance and re-presentation in the form of a recording and short animations, the many meanings embodied in the original performance are examined through analytical text, musical notation, visuals, recordings and animation film. The article will be published soon in the British Forum for Ethnomusicology Journal and below are some of the animations made to go with this article. Animations are by Cuban dancer-animator Guillermo Davis and the music is recorded by Sue Miller (flute) and her band Charanga del Norte.

Sue Miller features on the Radio programme Tropicana Musical in Brazil

Sue Miller was interviewed on the radio programme Tropicana Musical in Brazil by ethnomusicologist and broadcaster  Edwin Pitre  and is now available as a podcast.The interview on the history of Cuban charanga is mostly in Spanish and features music from Orquesta Tata Peireira, Arcano y sus Maravillas, Fajardo y sus Estrellas, Orquesta Aragon, Orquesta Belisario Lopez, Orquesta Broadway, Charlie Palmieri y su Charanga Duboney, Johnny Pacheco y su Charanga, Estrellas Cubanas, Orquesta Sublime and Charanga Rubalcaba.

Charanga del Norte’s new album Pachanga Time features on Spanish Radio

Kiko Helguera of Radio 3 de España features Charanga del Norte’s new track ‘Mack the Knife’ from their new album Pachanga Time.

Charanga del Norte’s music aired on Global Soul Radio

DJ Irfan Rainy features Charanga del Norte’s new track ‘Bronx Pachanga’ from their new album Pachanga Time on his global Soul radio.

Si Cheeba feature new Charanga del Norte release on his Ship Full of Bombs Radio Show 4 September 2020

Si Cheeba aka Simon Fane features the new Charanga del Norte release ‘Pachanga Time’ on his Ship Full of Bombs Radio Show on 4 September 2020.

Charanga del Norte featured on Global Village Radio

With Hispanic Heritage Month underway later in September, Global Village highlights new Latin jazz from JOSE RIZO’S MONGORAMA, the UK’s Charanga del Norte, the John Santos and The John Santos Sextet; and contemporary sounds from the multi-national Ladama lineup, the reunited Los Mocosos, and the first Spanish-language album from the The Mavericks

UK Charanga Showcased by DJ and Latin Music historian John Child on 31 August on Aracataca Show.

A third feature of Charanga del Norte’s new album Pachanga Time on Aracataca radio by John Child highlighting the talent of Charanga del Norte’s pianist Kim Burton.