ELIO REVÉ Y SU CHARANGÓN

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Update: We've taken on the daunting task and added a History & Discography page. We think we have all of the albums except for the mysterious period of the late 70s. Please email us if you have additional information. [Kevin Moore]

Overview and History
MIchelle White

Although we've taken a long time to create an Orquesta Revé section, it has not been because we don't consider them to play Timba, but rather because this orchestra has such a long and important role in the history of contemporary Cuban dance music that creating a section that will do them justice is a daunting task. I'm sure that we will fall short here, but you have to start somewhere. We will start with the question: In Cuba you can hear people refer to Elio Revé as the "father of changüí" and the "father of salsa", why?

Elio Revé Matos

Elio Revé Matos was born in Guantánamo, the home of changüí, in 1930. He became an accomplished timbalero at an early age. In the mid-1950s he went to Havana to start his own group, and in 1956 Elio Revé y su Charangón was born. Unlike son, which had moved from the Oriente province to Havana and taken the country by storm in the 1920s, changüí remained music of eastern Cuba until Revé's arrival in Havana.

Revé experimented with the music. He changed the format of the orchestra to add certain element of the charanga such as violins and elements of son instrumentation such as the trombone. He maintained the special rhythm played by the changüí bongocero but moved it to the timbales, thus maintaining certain essential attributes of changüí while modernizing the format and arrangements to create an "urban" changüí. This new musical style was very well received and finally the changüí had reached national popularity. Thus he is called the "father of changüí".

Elito with a photo of Elio Revé and Juan Formell

Elio Revé had an eye for finding the most talented musicians. By far the most famous of these, in terms of Timba, was Juan Formell, founder of Los Van Van who joined La Revé in 1967 and added his own ideas to those of Elio Revé such as using an electric bass guitar. In december of 1969 Formell left, along with several other members of Orquesta Revé, to form Los Van Van, but Revé continued. And over the years has served as a school for many of today's famous musicians and bandleaders, such as Chucho Valdés, Cesar Pedroso, Juan Carlos Alfonso, Yumurí . A look at the Timba Genealogy Chart shows the central role played by Orquesta Revé in the development of modern timba. The majority of major bands can trace their genealogy back to Revé. Thus he is called the "father of salsa"

Elio Revé also had a great sense of what the country wanted to hear. For 41 years the band maintained its popularity by adapting to the desires of the audience, while never losing its unique sello, its distict sound. Tragically Elio Revé was killed in an auto accident in 1997.

Elio Revé Jr. (Elito)

Elio Revé Jr. took over as director of the orchestra upon the death of his father. He is a graduate of the music schools but also owes much of his musical education to his father. He began at the age of 20 as pianist for the charangón and also worked as arranger for many of the band's hit songs.

Under the direction of Elio Revé Jr., the band has grown increasingly popular in the new millenium, and Elio Revé Jr. has led the band on succesful tours of Europe, the United States and Mexico and has appeared at the prestigious Santa Lucia Jazz Festival.

Elio Revé Jr. is also a founder of the Changüí Festival which is held annually in December in Guantánamo. He has recorded three CDs and one DVD, which I highly recommend, with the charangón and is soon to release another CD with 5 live songs and 5 new songs and an accompanying DVD.

Elio Revé Jr. has maintained the tradition handed down to him from his father and continues to renew the repertoire of the charagón with songs that reach the people and the dancers. The charangón will celebrate 50 years in 2006.