An
interview with Samuel Formell,
Musical Director of Los Van Van by Kerry Ribchester
Saturday
night in Cuba doesn’t get more atomic than this. Los Van Van, the most
celebrated and influential orchestra in the history of Cuban music are
playing at the sexy Salon Roja: a classy joint, in downtown Havana, which
still holds all its 1950’s glamour and charm. The pulsating atmosphere is
intoxicating to the senses, and the crowd are dancing, and singing along to
every word. After 3 weeks in Havana and having heard over 10 Cuban Salsa
bands playing at world class levels, I am struck by the extra special
quality of the sound production and the pure, unique musical genius that
is, Los Van Van. The spirit of everyone present is uplifted onto another
level.
At the end of the night Samuel Formell, the percussionist and musical director, displays his virtuosity in a solo that excels beyond time or rhythm. Where he goes when he is playing at these moments, only God knows, but wherever he is, the crowd are there with him, embodying every second of every beat. His father, Juan Formell, the most important figure in the history of Cuban music, can be proud.
If you can’t make it to Salsa Rojo this week, don’t despair. During my interview with Samuel, I found out about their new DVD which has just been released entitled ‘Aqui El Que Baila Gana ‘He who dances wins’. According to Samuel it is the best production of the last 40 years, which includes all the top hits since 1969. You can also catch them live as they begin their European tour starting with 10 nights in Germany from. So, it's over to you, read the interview, see the DVD, go to the show, and remember, he who dances, wins.
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Kerry: “What made you choose the drums as your instrument, and at what age did you start to play?” Samuel: “Ever since I was a child I have always had a passion for Rhythm – the Clave, Rumba and Son. I used to stand at the back of Changuito whilst he was drumming for Van Van and loved the way he improvised. At 11 years of age, thanks to my brother, I got accepted into the School of Music in Havana where I studied Percussion and Piano for 8 years.
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Kerry: “What was it like for you growing up as the son of Juan Formell, Director of Van Van and Yolanda, a famous tap dancer in Havana?”
Samuel : “Well to be honest, being the son of a very famous man had both its good and bad points. On the one hand wherever I went with school or in a club socially, I was being judged ‘Look there goes the son of Formell’ so there is a loss of privacy in one way. At the same time I have great pride in who my father is. Being his son fills me with pride and happiness.
Kerry: “When did you start to play with Los Van Van?”
Samuel : “When my father created Los Van Van I was only 3 years of age. At the age of fifteen, I was standing behind Changuito one day and they were just about to play the song ‘Sandugera’ when Changuito threw the sticks into my hands and walked away leaving me with no other option but to play. Changuito knew I could do it, he had heard me rehearsing and playing and I was always watching him to learn. It went very well and I surprised myself. My father and the other members of Van Van were really delighted. However the first group that I played with professionally was Isaac Delgado. My father didn’t invite me to play with the Van Van’s until I was twenty five years old and had studied for a long time.”
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Kerry: “Who have been your greatest teachers?” Samuel: “My father, and although I have not studied formally with Changuito, he was always a great inspiration to me” Kerry: “When I watch you play with Los Van Van, your face is so alive and 100% committed to the music. What are you feeling when you play?” |
Samuel: “It is a great honour to play with some of the world’s most amazing singers who are transmitting a powerful energy when they perform. I am concentrating but at the same time I need to feel rather than think and be totally in the moment. Every second for me is important. I have a responsibility to be in connection with the energy that they are giving to an audience in a very present state. Sometimes when I look at video footage, I can see my face is full of different expressions and my mouth is moving as if I'm talking, but actually, in those moments I am so absorbed in the music and the rhythm it is almost like being in a trance-like state.”
Kerry: “Which musicians have been your greatest inspiration?”
Samuel: “My father and Changuito”
Kerry “What so far has been the high-light of your career? and what have been your greatest achievements?”
Samuel: “One of the high-lights of my career was playing with Los Van Van at the Playboy Jazz festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles for an audience of 20,000 people. Each prestigious band had exactly 45 minutes to play and under no circumstance could they exceed this time limit. The stages were rotating anyway and after 45 minutes the stage moved onto the next band which would automatically begin their set. However, after playing for 43 minutes, the Director of the festival gestured to us to continue as the atmosphere was electric. We played for over an hour. It was a great moment in my life. I would say that my greatest achievement and that of Van Van right now is the new DVD ‘Aqui el Que Baila Gana’ we are releasing in February. I am so proud of the quality and the content of this production.”
Kerry: “One of my favourite tracks on your last album ‘Chapeando’ is track 10 ‘Agua’ which was written by yourself and is a big hit back home in the Salsa clubs in the UK. What was your idea behind the song and music?”
Samuel: “I wrote this song full of frustration and thirst as we were having a hurricane in Cuba at the time and we had no water for three days. I was literally very thirsty and knowing how important water is for the for the body and health, I kept saying to myself ‘without water we can’t live'. So I sat down at the piano and took out my stress and created the song”
Kerry: “Samuel, a question from the Salsa dancers in the UK: How much of the album ‘Chapeando’ would you say is Salsa and how much is Son–based?”
Samuel: “All of it is Son”
Kerry: “Samuel, could you just clarify that for me. Are you saying that all of ‘Chapeando’ is based on Son?”
Samuel: “Yes”
Kerry:
“In the music of ‘Chapeando’ there are many references to the Orishas. Do
you include the rhythms of the Afro Cuban Gods in your compositions?”
Samuel: “To be honest Kerry, I have played so much Rumba, Son, Jazz, all the Orishas rhythms all my life. When I come to write and record the music it all becomes one melting pot. This is my musical heritage; it comes through my blood and out into the music.
Kerry: “Do you have a particular God that supports and inspires you?”
Samuel: A big smile crosses his face. “Yes, my God is Chango. He transmits his potent energy to me and brings me an extra resource that I can’t even explain. He is a great creative force. Sometimes I feel his energy coming through me and giving me more stamina and power when I play”
Kerry: “Do you dance Salsa?”
Samuel: “Yes, Yes I love to dance Casino”
Kerry: “Is it true that Madonna invited you to play for her?”
Samuel: “Madonna’s manager approached me at the Hollywood Bowl concert and I would have loved to have taken him up on his generous offer However, the times of Madonna’s tour conflicted with my commitments with Los Van Van. If I could have worked with her outside of the Los Van Van schedule I would have done.
Kerry: “If you could sit down and have dinner and a chat with any musician alive today or who has ever lived, who would you choose?”
Samuel: "Oh, anyone living or dead who would I choose? It would have to be Boris Luna, Los Van Van’s Pianist / Tecladistia. He has been a close friend of mine for years and he is a great musician. We have a great time when we hang out together.
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Kerry: “The new DVD, tell me about it? Where was it filmed?” Samuel: “For our friends in England this new DVD of Los Van Van is called ‘Aqui el Que Baila Gana’. It is the latest production. For me personally it is the best production of the 38 years life of Los Van Van. I recommend it to everybody that has the possibility to buy the DVD because you are going to have a beautiful experience when you see it. It has a lot of heart and positive energy. You’re going to cry when you see it and laugh too. My proposition to all English people and all Cubans, to people all over the world is, if you can, don’t miss the opportunity to see ‘Aqui el Que Baila Gana’ – He Who Dances Wins. It was filmed in the Karl Marx Theatre in Havana and spans 35 years of our songs.” |
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Kerry: “Tell me about the new Album?”
Samuel: “It is called ‘Arrasando’ which means to completely erase and take away the bad.”
Kerry: “Isn’t that similar to the word ‘Chapeando’ from your last album”
Samuel: “Yes it is similar but it is much stronger which is a symbol for the music and the album”
Kerry: “What’s different about this album?”
Samuel: “The whole album is on a much more grand orchestral scale. I have written four songs on it, very much influenced by my father’s style of writing. It has a lot of depth and feeling. It is profound. We have musically developed the sound of Van Van on a far greater scale than ever before. It is different. You will hear it, you will hear the difference.”
Kerry: “Where will you be touring in 2008?”
Samuel: “We have a tour beginning in Europe from the 19th February. We have ten shows in Germany as well as Stockholm, Finland, Spain, Italy, France and Belgium. Five weeks in Europe.”
Kerry: “What is your favourite country to play in?”
Samuel: “I love playing in Europe, however when we play in Cali in Colombia it is always a very emotional. All the audience knows every single word of every single song. We don’t need to play anything. We could just point the microphone at them, give them the first words to every song and they could finish the concert for us”
Kerry: “How many concerts do you play a year?”
Samuel: “Let’s see, here in Havana, we do two shows a week, and when we tour in Cuba, every single day. And in Europe, or touring we play every day. I would say we give approximately 200 performances a year”
Kerry: “Samuel, I have seen on the new DVD that you can play songs from 1969 to the present day. Just how many Los Van Van songs do you have in your head that you can play at any one time?”
Samuel: Big sigh! “At least 200.”
Kerry: “If you had not played the drums for Van Van, what would you have chosen as your career?”
Samuel: “I love to paint, it helps me to relax. I often play baseball and squash to take out the stresses of my body and mind. It is great to really challenge yourself physically. But I think I would have been a painter. My favourite artist is Ernesto Rancano (Plastic Cubano)”
I look around the room and the whole house is full of original paintings by celebrated Cuban artists.
Kerry: “What does the future hold for Van Van?”
Samuel: He takes a big breath “The future for Van Van is very positive. We are here for the Cuban people. We are always thinking ‘What do the Cuban people need?’ and we know how they love to dance. We will always be seeking to help the Cuban people through our music, to inspire and enrich their lives with our songs. There is a beautiful future ahead for Los Van Van.”
At the end of the interview at 9pm on a Saturday night, Samuel is getting ready to go back to the recording studio to finish the new album. He asks me where I am dancing later and I say that I am out with my dancers and Key 2Cuba clients at Casa de la Musica. He says “Oh I would love to dance tonight, it is Saturday Night! If I get the recording finished I will see you there.” He doesn’t make it. As well as being Musical Director for Los Van Van, the son of Juan Formell, composing and arranging many of the songs, managing and marketing the DVDs, albums and merchandise, making a new percussion instructional video, and now heading for a huge non-stop tour of Europe he is also, more importantly, one of the greatest and most respected percussionists of our time.
| ') | Watch a Los Van Van medley |
Samuel Formell was interviewed at his home in Miramar, Havana on the 20 January 2008.
You can buy your copy of Aqui el Que Baila Gana’ from www.planetrecords.biz .
