Regla

Los Güiros de San Cristóbal is a rumba and Afro-Cuban religious music ensemble based in the bay-side Havana neighbourhood of Regla. The Balaez family has been at the heart of the group since its foundation just before the Cuban revolution. I focus particularly on its current director, Andrés Balaez; his mother, Kiki; his son, also Andrés; and his young cousin, Daniel, who was studying at the music school at Guanabacoa when I first met him.

Los Güiros de San Cristóbal es un ensamble de rumba y música religiosa afro-cubana con sede en las afueras de La Habana en el vecindario de Regla. La familia Balaez ha estado en el corazón del grupo desde su fundación justo antes de la revolución cubana.  Me enfoqué particularmente en el actual director, Andrés Balaez; su madre, Kiki; su hijo, Andrés; y su primo menor, Daniel, que estudiaba en la escuela de música de Guanabacoa cuando lo conocí la primera vez.

A film by Geoffrey Baker
Editing: Inés Chacón and Michel Fernández
2011

Growing into Music. Funded by AHRC - Beyond Text