!Retumba!

Artist Information

Biography

¡Retumba! is a multi-ethnic all-female music and dance ensemble founded in March 1981 in celebration of Women's History month. Interweaving traditional rhythms, beautiful ancient melodies, with its very own unique interpretation, ¡Retumba! bases its work on the music and dance of Africa, Europe, and its expressions in the Americas and the Caribbean: Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti and The Dominican Republic.

¡Retumba! has performed at New York City’s Lincoln Center’s: Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Out-of-Doors Festival. Carnegie Hall with Pete Seeger. The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Tampa Bay and Mahaffey Theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida. Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Illinois. New Jersey Performing Arts Center, State Theater New Brunswick as well as museums, community and senior centers around the United States. ¡Retumba! has an Arts-in-Education component that offers presentations, lecture demonstrations and dance, music and percussion workshops for family events, schools, colleges and universities.

Instrumentation

Yvette Martinez- Artistic Director, Dancer
Nancy Friedman - Artistic Director, Percussion
Robyn Lobe - Percussion, Dancer
Sue Hadjopoulos- Percussion
Naomi Bloch-Schartz - Musical Director, Keyboards
Dassi Rosenkrantz-Cabo - Bass
Sofia Tosello - Vocalist
Christelle Durandy - Vocalist
Goussy Celestin - Dancer
Mari Cosme - Dancer
Pam Fleming - Trumpet

Discography

¡Retumba Live! - A live performance recorded in NYC in celebration of Women's History Month. Streaming on the website: www.retumba.org


Afroditee -"Sex in New York City"

Links

• MySpace
• Facebook

Audio

• Desertride
  Listen  
• Comparsa! (Carnival from Cuba)
  Listen  
• Sex in New York City
  Listen  
• Danza Negra
  Listen  
• Kpanlongo
  Listen  
• Palo
  Listen  
• Escucha La Voz
  Listen  

Video

Promo 10 - Medium 1.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

• World Jam Festival [+ Show ]
  

  "¡Retumba! was perhaps the afternoon's music highlight with a high-energy set that took people throu..."¡Retumba! was perhaps the afternoon's music highlight with a high-energy set that took people through the sounds of Cuba and the Dominican Republic."
  
  

• The City Section [+ Show ]
  

  "¡Retumba!, an Afro-Caribbean dance and percussion ensemble, emphasizing the strengths of women pe...
  "¡Retumba!, an Afro-Caribbean dance and percussion ensemble, emphasizing the strengths of women performing together as they celebrate the diversity and talent in the Bronx".

• NY Folk Festival [+ Show ]
  

  "Retumba's performance included Cuban guaguancos, Puerto Rican bombas, children's songs and dances...
  "Retumba's performance included Cuban guaguancos, Puerto Rican bombas, children's songs and dances, and West African rhythms and storytelling, presented with a rare freshness and warmth that powerfully affects audiences.
  

• Caribbean Dance Extravaganza [+ Show ]
  

  "A feast for the eyes and ears; the dancers, dressed in traditional garb, speaking in African tongue..."A feast for the eyes and ears; the dancers, dressed in traditional garb, speaking in African tongues such as Youruba and Ibo, as they do the Puerto Rican Bomba, and the Samba from Brazil".
  

Setlist

Danza Negra
La Billirubina
Escucha la Voz
La Jibarita
Compadre Pedro Juan
Comparsa
Sabor a mi
Guaranguito
Bomba
Plena
Rumba
Bolero


Latin standards

Typical repertoire:
Sabor a mi
Oye come va
Guantanamera
Girl from Ipanema
Besame Mucho
Maria Cervantes
Manisero
Bilongo
Moliendo Café
Cocinando
One Note Samba
Como fue

Basic Requirements

Calendar