About this user
KARIBA plays SALSOCA-BEAT.
KARIBA was founded in 1981 by Juanito Heldmann on the Canary Islands as
JUANITO & PARDELO and in 1983 became the JUANITO HELDMANN BAND.
1986 the band changed it's name into KARIBA and has been playing SALSOCA-BEAT in various international line-ups ever since.
SALSOCA-BEAT is the style and sound that Juanito Heldmann created and developed with KARIBA.
SALSOCA-BEAT combines traditional and modern music from Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa.
KARIBA plays in formations ranging from trios to 12-piece bands.
Some 90% of their repertoire consists of compositions by Juanito Heldmann, while the rest of the music is traditional.
Juanito gave his band the name KARIBA, not only because it might sound caribbean to the audience. In fact the main reason for using this name is, that KARIBA was a holy place in East Africa.
The Bantu people believe that not only is KARIBA the navel of the earth, but also the 'Knot of Time' is located there, where the past, present and future meet, and are joined together.
For thousands of years the Holy Ones of KARIBA lived there in meditation, until the place was destroyed by colonial government.
KARIBA was and is a symbol for freedom, peace and togetherness!
In august 2000 Juanito travelled, together with his wife Fidelia and his partner LANCELOT "NAYO" SCOTT (steeldrum & djembe), to Cuba.
A dream came true.
Juanito and Fidelia formed, with the help of JESÚS ALEMAÑY and EFRAIN RIOS,
JUANITO'S KARIBA ALL STARS
to record the album
"JUANITO'S KARIBA ALL STARS - SALSOCA-BEAT" with the following artists:
ROBERTO RIVERÓN (bass),
TOMAS"EL PANGA" RAMOS (congas),
JORGE MAZA (sax & flute),
CARLOS GODINEZ (percussion),
CARLOS "EL AFROKAN" ALVAREZ (trombone),
CARLOS "BOLA" BETANCOURT (trumpet),
IGNACIO "NACHITO" HERRERA (piano)
& EFRAIN RIOS (tres)
are or were members of
JESÚS ALEMAÑY'S CUBANISMO.
EFRAIN RIOS was also the founder of Grupo RAISON.
CARLOS "EL AFROKAN" ALVAREZ was for a long time a member of IRAKERE
and CARLOS "BOLA" BETANCOURT was touring also with CELIA CRUZ.
RAÚL PINEDA ROQUE (drums)was for many years the drummer of the CHUCHU VALDÉS' JAZZ QUARTET, which gained a grammy for the recording
"Live at the village vanguard".
AMPARO CÉSAR (vocals) and her daughter MAJELA SERRANO (vocals) are leading a female quartet called HAVANA OPEN. Amparo also was the founder of LAS CHICAS DEL SON.
IDANIA VALDÉS (vocals) and YAREMI ALFONSO (vocals) also had their own group LAS MUSAS DEL SON.
Idania's father AMADITO VALDÉS (timbales) is wellknown as a member of the AFRO CUBAN ALL STARS and through the movie BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB.
TATA GÜNES was Cuba's most famous conga player, who also joined the project "LA RUMBA SOY YO", that received the Grammy Latino in 2001. He passed away this year (2008).
MFANSENI THUSI (trombone) was a member of the SARAFINA musical group and joined the KARIBA band after the recording.
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