The Clave Chronicles

Rebecca Bodenheimer

A journey through the history and global influence of Cuban music, hosted by ethnomusicologist Rebecca Bodenheimer.

  • 53 minutes 20 seconds
    Feliz 100 años, Celia!

    The most beloved Cuban musician of all time was born on this day 100 years ago: Celia Cruz. We're honoring her with a brand new episode featuring Delia Poey, a professor at Florida State University who has written extensively about Celia's Career. 

    Songs played:

    Quimbara

    Field recording of Afrocuba de Matanzas' version of Quimbara

    Chango Ta' Vení

    Que Le Den Candela

    Usted Abusó

    Send us a text

    Support the show

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    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    21 October 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 54 minutes 48 seconds
    "El rumbero del piano": Paying tribute to Eddie Palmieri

    Columbia University professor and trombonist Chris Washburne joins Rebecca to pay tribute to "el rumbero del piano," Eddie Palmieri, one of Latin music's most significant pioneers. His music straddled salsa, Latin jazz, and other genres, and he was known for his innovative experimentation in form and harmony.

    Songs played:

    Azúcar

    El día que me quieras

    Broken home & If (We had peace today), from the Harlem River Drive project

    Puerto Rico


    Rebecca's recent piece on Eddie Palmieri:

    https://www.grammy.com/news/how-eddie-palmieri-changed-latin-music-obituary


    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    19 August 2025, 1:00 pm
  • 1 hour 19 minutes
    The latest in Cuban music with Rafa Escalona

    Cuban journalist Rafa Escalona joins Rebecca to talk about the latest trends in Cuban music, including how hard it is to track this information on the island and how recent out-migration has affected the evolution and definition of "música cubana." While contemporary Cuban music is of course dominated by reparto, the songs shared by Rafa provide a broader look into the latest trends.

    Songs played:

    Un Momentico + — Melanie Santiler & Dale Pututi

    Andala Remix — Wildey, Musteerifa & Raydel El Q Manda

    Suite Para Isaac Oviedo — Jorge Iván Martín feat. Juan Carlos Aguilera

    Amanacer Sin Ti — Albita & Lenier

    Tertuliando — Angel Toirac feat. 


    LINKS

    Newness Cuba playlist (50 best songs in Cuban music from the past year): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gPyKTGHHQy16z7YO2lhHV

    Cuba Tracklist (Instagram account with weekly lists of most popular Cuban tracks): https://www.instagram.com/cubatracklist/

    Rafa's Substack: https://divagacionesmusicales.substack.com/

    A recent piece Rafa wrote (in Spanish) about reparto and YouTube: https://revistaelestornudo.com/reparto-youtube-dicen-charts-musica-cubana/

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    23 April 2025, 8:00 pm
  • 1 hour 4 seconds
    A tribute to Paulito FG

    Kevin Moore is back to help us pay tribute to one of timba's brightest stars, Paulito FG (EPD), who died tragically on March 1.

    Songs played:

    El humo o la vida, Dan Den feat. Paulito FG

    Y ahora que,

    Percussion and vocal track for Entre Dos Amigos

    No te lo creas, 

    Laura (demo track) 

    El punto

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    20 March 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 1 hour 28 minutes
    Breaking down Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos

    Finally, we're back with a brand new episode, inspired by Bad Bunny's love letter to Puerto Rico, Debí Tirar Más Fotos! We get deep into the weeds of the Puerto Rican musical and political traditions that are referenced in Bad Bunny's wide-ranging, exquisitely produced album. Joining Rebecca are Puerto Rican musician and educator Hector Lugo (founder of the Bay Area Latin roots band La Mixta Criolla), and Puerto Rican writer, translator and Bad Bunny scholar Carina del Valle Schorske.

    Songs played:

    A Guayama, Desde Cero 

    Si Yo Fuera Alcalde, Chuíto el de Bayamón

    Aires de Navidad, Hector Lavoe & Willie Colón

    La Huelga, La Mixta Criolla

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    21 February 2025, 2:00 pm
  • 4 minutes 59 seconds
    Send me your questions for a mailbag episode!

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    11 November 2024, 11:00 pm
  • 1 hour 6 minutes
    A conversation with Cuban journalist Jesús Jank Curbelo

    Cuban journalist Jesús Jank Curbelo joins Rebecca to speak about a range of topics, including the legacy of El Taiger, one of Cuba's most popular artists who was killed recently in Miami. We also talk about Curbelo's career in Cuba reporting on the reparto movement, as well as the pain of leaving Cuba and challenges of building a new life in Texas.
    Curbelo has published several pieces at the Texas Observer and Palabra.

    Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here:
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1El7dqfI2n-eTFs--dNryJI8OBsqXRhePszFu6I1PCzg/edit?usp=sharing


    Songs played:

    Coronamos (Remix), Taiger & J. Balvin (feat. Cosculluela, Bad Bunny & Bryant Myers) 
    Hilito Rojo, El Taiger & DJ Conds

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    1 November 2024, 11:00 pm
  • 43 minutes 51 seconds
    Rosa Marquetti part 2: Celia in Cuba

    Part 2 of Rebecca's conversation with Cuban music historian Rosa Marquetti. The second edition of her book Celia en Cuba (1925-1962) was recently published in Spanish, and will be translated into English next year.

    Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here:
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W8qgbzs7DHwP2JlTl3FDZfbCc2aLSFovv2SVxZSw3Xc/edit?usp=sharing


    Songs played:
    Quédate Negra, Celia con La Orquesta Leonard Melody
    La Sopa en Botella, Celia con La Sonora Matancera
    Sueños de Luna, Celia con La Sonora Matancera

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    18 October 2024, 1:00 pm
  • 56 minutes 23 seconds
    Cuban music historian Rosa Marquetti (part 1)

    Rebecca speaks with Cuban music historian Rosa Marquetti Torres, author of several books, including one on Chano Pozo and another one on Celia Cruz's career in Cuba—the Celia book has just been released in a new edition! 
    Part 1 of our conversation covers the challenges of conducting research in Cuba and her work on Chano Pozo

    Conversation in Spanish. Follow along with an English-language transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WKJZoLnQJHo3t85_AMxsZ08p_nwPNZ_rZTBDTKmgoSQ/edit?usp=sharing

    Songs played:
    El pin pin, Chano Pozo
    Tin Tin Deo, Chano Pozo & Dizzy Gillespie

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    4 October 2024, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Corneta china & Cantonese opera: The Chinese musical legacy

    Ethnomusicologist Edwin Porras joins Rebecca to speak about Chinese musical influences in Cuba, which date back to the mid-19th century. The double-reeded suona was adopted by Santiago conga groups around 1915, becoming an unmistakable musical signifier for conga santiaguera.

    **Fun fact: Cuba was the first destination for Chinese laborers in the Americas, before even the U.S.**

    Songs played:
    Example of Cantonese opera
    Lion dancing musical accompaniment (field recording)
    Caridad Amaran and Georgina Wong performing excerpt of Cantonese opera in Havana (field recording)
    De Oriente a Occidente, Diana Fuentes
    Paso Franco en la loma de Tivolí, Conga Paso Franco

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    19 September 2024, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    Cuban fusion and transnational scenes

    Eva Silot Bravo joins Rebecca again to talk about her recently published book, Cuban Fusion: The Transnational Cuban Alternative Music Scene, which focuses on Cuban musicians who have migrated to New York, Madrid, and other major cities since the 1990s. They have created new transnational musical scenes, with some traveling back and forth between Cuba and abroad, fusing jazz, Afro-Cuban folkloric music, nueva trova and other genres.

    Songs played:
    Levitando, Ramon Valle
    Bolero Filin, Gema Y Pavel
    Café, Interactivo
    Se Feliz, Fernando Alvarez & Descemer Bueno
    The Magic Danzonete, Dafnis Prieto
    Baba Elegguá, Brenda Navarrete

    Send us a text

    Support the show

    You can support this independently produced podcast by becoming a monthly subscriber - even $3/month helps!

    If you like this podcast, please hit "Follow" and give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

    Find The Clave Chronicles on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @clavechronicles
    https://theclavechronicles.buzzsprout.com

    Intro and outro music: "Bengo Latino," Jimmy Fontanez/Media Right Productions

    27 August 2024, 7:00 am
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