"His music and his whole personality seduced me, so to speak...musically of course."
Coto
As politicians continue to navigate the historic diplomatic thaw in relations between the U.S. and Cuba, musicians from both countries say they’re looking forward to more artistic exchange.
A bass instructor at the University of Connecticut recently brought together two Cuban musicians - one from the island, one living in New York City - for an informal concert. The two hadn’t seen each other in more than a decade.
About 50 people recently gathered in a loft in lower Manhattan, where bassist Gregg August is performing with a conga player and two singers, who are also masters of the Cuban tres: an instrument similar to the guitar, but with three sets of double strings tuned to the same pitch.
Speaking during a break, August remembers meeting tres player Juan de la Cruz Antomarchi, better known as Coto, on his first trip to Cuba in the late 1990s. "And his music and his whole personality seduced me, so to speak, musically of course," said Coto. "And I maintained contact with him on my subsequent trips. Been back to Cuba six times total. And while I was in New York playing this music I met Pablo Moya."
The elder 'tresero' Pablo Moya left Cuba 14 years ago, and has been working in bands and orchestras in the city. He’d last seen Coto when he was a talented young kid who’d watch Moya’s band at gigs in Havana. "Very young, very young. 11, 12, 14 [years old]. I play with my band and Coto always watching, the pianista, the conga, the bass," said Moya.
August helped to bring Coto, now considered one of Cuba’s most revered tres players, to New York City in April and arranged for the two musicians to reconnect. Their impromptu performance took place in a loft above the string instrument Repair shop of David Gage. "I heard them rehearse earlier and they were joking around," said Gage. "No, this is my idea how to play the song. No, this is my idea! And they came together in the middle. It's just wonderful to see that whole transaction. Just so warm."
Gage regularly travels to Cuba to restore and repair musical instruments.
Coto said it was a special night, having the chance to reconnect with a musician that he’d known as a child in Cuba.
Bassist Gregg August says he's learned a great deal from Pablo and Coto. "I owe a lot to them both, for inspiration and all kinds of things," said August.
August is Juilliard trained and teaches both classical and jazz bass at UConn. He’s a member the Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. He's arranged and the ALJO has recorded a piece featuring Coto on the tres. The band performs this summer at the Newport Jazz Festival. Gregg August will also perform with Pablo Moya later this month at the Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at MASS MoCA.
