Salsa in Cartagena means places like Donde Fidel and Cafe´ Havana, and famous artist Joe Arroyo…
In this post I´ll talk of all of them, experienced in the very hot and humid days I spent in the beautiful colonial city of Cartagena de Indias.
Donde Fidel
This is how the Lonely Planet describes this place:
“Donde Fidel – The best sound system in Cartagena bar none, and definitely the best Salsa collection in Colombia. […] On Saturday afternoons, watch rare vintage Salsa videos on the big screen. If Salsa legent Hector Lavoe were alive today, he´d own a bar like this.“
How could I miss such a place???
I head into the old town and as soon as I reached Plaza De los Coches, the music was indicating very well the way to go 🙂
In this corner of this square I found people drinking, singing and watching on the screens videos of live concerts from Joe Arroyo, El gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Oscar de Leon… I felt emotional, the passion for Salsa has its temple in Cartagena!!
And it was just Saturday afternoon, unbelievable.
I spent there the rest of the day, enjoying some beers and the good vibe, connecting with people around… and looking at the hundreds of pictures on the walls (click the picture on the left): this Senor Fidel Lotteau was represented with all the greatest Salsa artists visiting his bar!
Suddenly I turn my head away from the wall and I see an old man standing in front of me… I had to double-check with the picture: he was Fidel!
I didn´t loose the chance to introduce myself as “Daniel, un hermano Salsero desde Italia” and take a picture with him.
This man who never smiles was in his bar drinking heavy old whisky and talking with his customers.
Reading some newspaper articles on the walls I realized that Fidel, “el dictator de la Salsa” is an icon not only for the music he plays. He had fought hard to keep his place for the people of Cartagena and to keep the prices as popular as his music, in a town where tourism boosted and the “aristocratic bars” adjusted the prices for the visitors forgetting about the locals (3000COP for a beer is a good deal in old town).
Respect for this man!
In the hours I spent at Donde Fidel, I would every now and then approach Fidel for a question or two.
It went something like this:
D. “Fidel, what can we do, to keep Salsa alive?”
F. “Nothing, just listen to it. Salsa has good values in it and will continue to exists for hundreds years”
D. “What are the greatest artists in your opinion, now?”
F. “You have many! Gilberto Santa Rosa, Willie Colon, Cheo Feliciano, Ismael Miranda…”
D. “Oh, there´s a picture of The Lebron Brothers!”
F. “Yes, they are here and here” (pointing where the pictures were…)
Q. “And the trombone player Jimmy Bosch?
F. “Sure, look there!”
In the meantime, the videos where showing a celebration of Salsa and of Fidel. Many videos started showing the group visiting the bar, shaking hands with Fidel, or received at the airport by Fidel.
Fidel doesn´t talk much, and never smiles. I wish I could have spent more time with him trying to get some stories out of this man who is now growing a big belly drinking old whisky now.
But it´s clear that this is a person that is giving a tremendous contribution to the local community and indirectly to the all Salsa scene.
If you ever go to Cartagena, don´t miss this temple of Salsa!
Cafe´ Havana
I left Donde Fidel only because I had to collect my passport from the captain of the boat that took me to from Panama to Colombia.
In the evening with some people from the boat we went to this other Salsa place, Cafe´ Havana, exactly 40 meters away from the hostel I was in.
But what happens? The place is full of old people! Where are the hot Colombians? Where are the dancers?
That was the strange part of this place. Even later when young people arrived and the place got crowded, everyone was dancing very basic and relaxed… nothing like Cuban, Puertorican, LA, NY etc. we`re used to see.
Funny that here they have the best music and the most basic dance!
Soon after we entered, live music started from the great group Charanga Africa… and in the break I went to socialize with their conguero 🙂
Here a video of the Cartagenian band Charanga Africa in action:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCedjZTFmcs]
Joe Arroyo
Like Panama city has Ruben Blades as icon in the Salsa world, Cartagena has Joe Arroyo.
The song of Cartagena is without doubt his best hit Rebelion (No Le Pegue A La Negra) that talks about the black slavery era in Cartagena.
Here is the original video of the song, and another one with the lyrics translated and beautiful pictures of Cartagena! Watch both 🙂
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhtn3HROvgA] [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5xnAYHuGlo]
Below the lyrics translated for you:
Rebelion (no se pegue a la negra)Quiero contarle mi hermano un pedacito de la historia negra, de la historia nuestra, caballero
Y dice asi: En los anos mil seiscientos, cuando el tirano mando Un matrimonio africano, esclavos de un espanol, Y fue alli, se rebelo el negro guapo, Oye man!! Oye esa negra se me respeta Espanol con el alma negra Oye, porque el negro te se rebela Chapeton con el alma prieta no, no, no, no, no le pegue Habra puno y bofeta por prieta Y con ustedes… chelito de casa Abusador que le pegue a jeva Hay lamiento en la playa nena En la playa de Cartagena De Marbella bella del alma negra que canta y que llora porque entonces el negro se venda El Chombo lo sabe |
Rebellion (don´t hit the black girl)I would like to tell you my friend a little bit about the black history, our history, ladies and gentlemen and it goes like this… In the sixteenth century, when the tyran (the Spanish King) ruled An African marriage, slaves of a Spanish man And it was here, that the hansom black boy rebelled, Listen, don`t hit this girl! Listen, this girl has to be respected Spanish with your dark soul Listen, because the black boy will rebel Conqueror with your dark soul no, no, no, no, no don`t hit her There will be hits and blows for that evil Abuser who beats the girl there are cries in the beach babe in the shore of Cartagena and beautiful Marbella from the black souls that sing and crie because then the black guy will take vengeance The black guy knows it |