Preview

Asere are a group of young musicians who came together to play traditional Cuban music such as the son, guaracha and bolero. Their career took off when, on visiting Cuba in 1996, the Colombian singer Totó la Momposina came across this new band and was immediately struck by their energy, rich songwriting and powerful delivery. She named them "Asere", a greeting in the language of Afro-Cuban sect Abakua and now used as a colloquial word in Cuba roughly translated as "mate or friend".

Soon after Asere recorded their debut album "Cuban Soul" live in an old radio theatre in Habana. The production team set out to capture the sweetness of their soulful son and the power of their more uptempo rhythms which are more akin in style to the tough salsa of the 70s.

are many groups made up of the older statesmen of son now performing in Europe. Asere was inspired by these players and the singers and songwriters who came before them; legendary figures such as Miguel Matamoros, Nico Saquito and Ignacio Pineiro. In Asere we find the son tradition dressed up in baseball caps and trainers, an expression of young urban Cuba, these musicans seeking to develop the music through their inventive songwriting and arrangements, building a fresh sound for a new generation.

Following the release of "Cuban Soul" on Label Bleu-Indigo and a successful debut tours in 1998 and 1999, Asere return to Europe for shows during summer 2000 and the release of a new album which is a bold confirmation of their creatvity and talent.

"One of the most stimulating new Cuban bands......from first hearing had me gripped"
Jan Fairley. Folk Roots

"Cuban Soul breathes fresh vigour into the traditional rhythms of son and bolero"
Nigel Williamson. The Times

"Incredibly vibrant music.....earthy rhythms.....they got heart and they definitely got soul"
Kevin le Gendre. Echoes

"An element of surprise and a sense of adventure, their performance has an unpredictability which makes them uniquely engaging and different from other Cuban bands I have seen"
Charlie Gillett. GLR

Review

The first element in our Year of Cultural Diversity offerings, Asere, came all the way from Cuba.

Only one of this vibrant 7-piece outfit spoke any English at all, but we didn't need the lingo to spot that the unfortunate bass-player was suffering a severe bout of chicken-pox. Witch hazel, calendula cream, and cotton buds were duly dispensed. Having conducted a successful (if linguistically challenging) afternoon workshop at Tregaron Secondary School, the band gave us a storming evening's entertainment that filled the dance-floor from the word go. Their 21st century take on traditional Cuban music was an invigorating blast of warm transatlantic air: underpinned by an infectious 2-man percussion section, the biting guitar and 'tres' combined with incisive trumpet and that unmistakable Cuban multiple-harmony vocal trademark to create an irresistibly sultry, soulful stew that had the entire crowd bopping. This was world music par excellence.

That Cubans enjoy a convivial evening out was vividly confirmed by the post-gig antics of two band members: clearly disappointed at the closure of the Talbot's front bar in the early hours of Saturday, the by now suitably refreshed duo expressed a desire to avail themselves of further Tregaron night-life. Accordingly, courtesy of one of our most faithful gig-goers, they were duly invited to Tregaron Rugby Club. Unfortunately, no sooner had they entered that hallowed establishment than they started a fight - between themselves! Genteel Rugby Club patrons looked on in horror as hostilities escalated, and all attempts to separate or reason with them were to no avail... finally ejected, a vigorous chase around the darkness of the bowling green apparently ensued, culminating in a sharp coming-together and consequent injuries that necessitated a pre-dawn visit to the hospital for wounds to be stitched. A jolly ood night out, then, by Cuban standards, but word has filtered back to us that in future, all Cubans are definitely banned from Tregaron Rugby Club. Notwithstanding the dent that this will inevitably make in the region's tourist trade, we at Cambria Arts HQ find it hard to suppress a mischievous swell of pride at being responsible, however indirectly, for this unfortunate state of affairs.