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Bruca maniguá

"Bruca maniguá"
Bruca manigua.jpg
Single by Orquesta Casino de la Playa
B-side "Dolor cobarde"
Released 1937
Format 10" single
Recorded June 17, 1937
Genre Afro-son
Length 3:13
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) Arsenio Rodríguez
Orquesta Casino de la Playa singles chronology
"Cachita"
(1937)
"Bruca maniguá"
(1937)
"Ben acá Tomá"
(1937)
"Cachita"
(1937)
"Bruca maniguá"
(1937)
"Ben acá Tomá"
(1937)

"Bruca maniguá" is an afro-son composed by Arsenio Rodríguez in 1937. It was first recorded by Orquesta Casino de la Playa featuring Miguelito Valdés on vocals in June 1937. Ever since it has become a Cuban son standard, with famous versions by Abelardo Barroso, Sierra Maestra, Buena Vista Social Club and Ibrahim Ferrer. The song, which has been called "a landmark in the development of Cuban popular music" by Ned Sublette, was Arsenio Rodríguez's first hit and an example of his Afro-Cuban style of son within the afrocubanismo movement.

Both the lyrics and the music of the song were written in 1937 by Arsenio Rodríguez, who at the time was 25 years old and the de facto musical director of the Septeto Bellamar, which he had joined in 1934. The popularity of the group made him become acquainted with important musicians such as Antonio Arcaño and Miguelito Valdés. The latter was the singer of the famous big band Orquesta Casino de la Playa and in June 1937, Valdés decided to record two of Rodríguez's songs. One was "Bruca maniguá" and the other one was "Ben acá Tomá". Both songs were released as A-sides of their respective singles, but only "Bruca maniguá" (with the bolero son "Dolor cobarde" as B-side) achieved international success, marking the start of Rodríguez's rise to fame.

Although the song was labeled as a "conga" on the original 78 rpm single by RCA Victor, it is in fact an afro-son, i.e. a son montuno combined with African motifs. The song, notable for its complex harmonies, is divided into two parts; the first part is slow and includes three verses, whereas the second part is faster, with repeated chorus lines such as "Yényere bruca maniguá" and "Chéchere bruca maniguá, ae". The tango-congo rhythmic cell is featured prominently in the song.


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