In the dimly lit, tropical-colored ambiance of A Gozar Restaurant on Bowery Street in the East Village of New York City, the group Son Tabaneras has taken center stage and become a regular attraction every Thursday night.
Originally formed earlier this year, the group currently resides in North Bergen, and has taken their traditional/contemporary sound to Sabor Latino in Edgewater and many places around New York City.
Now with performances at regular venues, the group is ready to take things to the next level and record a demo, and is currently in talks with Juan Carlos Rojas, the Union City-based filmmaker that brought the documentary Rumba a la Rumba to the public at the Jersey City Museum three weeks ago, for a possible music video.
“We contacted Juan Carlos through the Internet because we came across his shirt designs on havanaonthehudson.com, and we wanted to use the shirts in performances,” said Raysa Tabares, 26, one of the lead vocalists. “That’s how we met.”
The group is made up of seven members, which include the two lead vocalists Raysa and Neisa Tabares, who are twin sisters.
“It’s equal time,” said Neisa. “We share the numbers.”
Childhood friends
The friendship among some of the band members dates as far back as 11 years in Havana, Cuba. The twins met Yuniel Borroto, who does guitar instrumentals, and Dario Damien Gonzalez, the musical director who plays the Cuban tres (the triangle instrument) for the group, during their adolescence in Cuba.
They all had one common interest, and that was music. They had all received training since they were kids before they met up together in school. At one point they all went their separate ways, with the guys leaving Cuba for Europe or the states.
“Originally the girls played and performed Flamenco in Havana,” said Borroto, 26.
Borroto was living in Miami for three years after leaving Cuba, and as soon as the girls arrived in the states they contacted him about getting everyone together and forming a new a group.
“That’s why I came to New York – to work with my friends, and do great and interesting things,” said Borroto. “We’re roommates and for right now we’re playing, and creating things at home.”
Gonzalez was also a long-time friend of the girls and Borroto.
“Four months ago I was in Spain working on a cruise from Cuba when my contract ended, and I decided I wasn’t going back to Cuba,” said Gonzalez. “I felt out of place in Cuba.”
Gonzalez remained in Spain for a month until he went to Mexico where he spent four days until he was able to come to the states. First arriving in Miami, he was sleeping in his bed when the twins called him and told him about the group.
“I thought that was perfect for me and I was staying,” said Gonzalez. “We were friends but we had never worked together.”
Gonzalez remembers going to see the girls perform Flamenco in Cuba. “Now we’re working together after all the turns that life has taken, and we find each other again,” said Gonzalez.
New members
The group is also made up of some musicians the girls had met and performed with when they first arrived in this country: Their bassist Dave Hetzburg, their percussionist Jorge Trujillo and their violinist Roland Satterwhite.
“I met the girls through a friend of mine, Pablo Rodriguez and his band Quindembo,” said Satterwhite of Washington Heights, 25.
Originally the girls played a few gigs with Quindembo, and got to know Satterwhite and his musical talents.
“They told me that they were forming a group, and asked if I was interested,” said Satterwhite. “I was because I love their singing.”
Satterwhite is currently playing for Son Tabaneras and Quindembo. The group may also be acquiring another bassist, possibly replacing Hetzburg. Nothing is definite as of yet, but their ideal candidate is another childhood friend Jorge Bringas, who was playing base the last time they performed at A Gozar.
“I was in Miami almost seven years, and now I moved here to join the group and hopefully study at the Manhattan School of Music,” said Bringas, 26.
Bringas remembers practically starting to learn music simultaneously with Gonzalez, and meeting the girls later on. He was the first to move out of Havana at the age of 20, so when they were finally reunited not too long ago it was a very joyous and emotional time for Bringas.
“It’s like old times,” he said. “At first I was very nostalgic because I thought it would be a long time before I would see my friends again.”
Son Tabaneras
Now with the group taking on more stability and final decisions on instrumentals and musicians are being made, they want to focus on creating their own sound.
The music of Son Tabaneras is a mix of traditional Cuban music fused with flamenco, salsa, Afro-Cuban beats, and many other Latin and contemporary music styles. It takes in all the experience and musical styling of each member, which forms the group’s new and unique sound.
“Thankfully it became a much more acoustic sound when Dario and Yuniel joined,” said Satterwhite. “Dario is one of the most inspirational and talented musicians I’ve worked with. I completely trust his artistic leadership.”
Their name is also as unique as their music. The girls’ last name is Tabares, and people from Havana are at times known as Habaneros, and most of the group is from Havana. The expression and the girls’ last name were fused together to from the group’s name.
“It’s a fusion like the music that we play,” said Gonzalez.
You can hear the music of Son Tabaneras on April 22 at Sabor Latino in Edgewater or at their regular engagement at A Gozar restaurant.
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