The island of Cuba has produced many illustrious musical families. Some that easily come to mind are the Romeus, several branches of the Valdés clan, over 30 bassists of the Lopez family including the great Cachao, and more recently the Lopez-Nussa group of talented musicians. Here we pay homage to still another dynasty, the Rubalcabas.

The founder of this musical family was Jacobo González Rubalcaba, a multi-instrumentalist, military band master, band leader and composer. He was born in Sagua, la Grande, Las Villas, Cuba, on November 28, 1895. He began honing up his musicals skills at an early age building up a strong foundation for the Rubalcaba Dynasty. He managed to divide his attention between working as a tailor and attending the Municipal Musical Academy of Sagua la Grande. In 1913 he joined the Musical Band of Santa Clara as a trombonist. In 1915 he moved to Pinar del Río, where he played with the local military band. Thereafter he organized municipal bands in Mantua, San Juan y Martínez, San Luis and Pinar del Río. In 1918, he put together a typical “danzón” orchestra with which he popularized that genre in western Cuba. Rubalcaba was also a gifted composer. He contributed significantly to the danzón’s treasury of historic tunes. Among his best known numbers are: Los pinareños, Linda Mercedes, Ulpiano y su contrabajo, Hay que echar manteca, Negro qué hora es, Zoila, Niñita y Caridad, Dinero para qué, Saboreando el dulce de guayaba and his masterpiece El cadete constitucional. His daughter Zoila, helped her father transcribe his compositions as she played the piano following his directions. She tells the story of how the famous Cadete constitucional was born. According to her there was a young barber who lived in the corner house next to their home. Jacobo Rubalcaba took an interest in the young man and taught him all he could about music. He then recommended that he continue his education at a military school. Rubalcaba told him that if he completed his musical studies according to the course he had set for him, he would give him a valuable gift. After the young man lived up to his end of the bargain graduating as an officer, don Jacobo handed him the partiture to the Cadete constitucional which was named after him. After an illustrious career, Jacobo Rubalcaba died in an automobile accident on the road between Pinar del Río and Havana on December 31, 1960.

Jacobo Rubalcaba began the dynasty in 1920 when he married Juanita Camejo Castillo. The union produced five children: José Antonio “Ñico,” Zoila, María Josefa. Heather and Guillermo. Don Jacobo made sure that his children had a thorough musical education. He taught his son José Antonio the rudiments of playing the saxophone and clarinet and made sure he went on to advanced studies. Eventually, José Antonio became an outstanding clarinetist /saxophonist and the Director of the Metropolitan Orchestra of Pinar del Río. Don Jacobo’s daughter Zoila studied piano for many years and became a respected piano teacher. She was her brother Guillermo’s first piano teacher.

The dynasty continues to grow with don Jacobo’s grandchildren. His son Guillermo fathered three boys: William a respected bassist, Jesús, a talented pianist and Gonzalo, recognized as one of today’s best jazz piano artists. There are other Rubalcaba  children now trying to establish themselves as professional musicians and singers. One of them is Elizabeth Rubalcaba, daughter of Jesús  Rubalcaba who is making a name for herself as a singer. She has performed with such groups as “Somos Amigos,” the Japanese group “Maqui” and with Joaquín Olivera’s Ensemble. She has also traveled through Europe with the dance group “Cubaname” ld by Franklin Becker.

Jacobo González Rubalcaba’s son Guillermo, for some unknown reason decided to use his father’s maternal last name. Since that time, the family has used the last name Rubalcaba only. Guillermo was born on January 10, 1927 in Pinar del Río, Cuba. He grew up in a home supersaturated with music. His father being a band master, kept types of instruments in the house. His brother, José Antonio practiced his saxophone and clarinet for long hours. Whenever he placed his instruments down Guillermo would pick them up and ended up teaching himself  to play them. His sister Zoila taught him to play the piano and then he continued his musical education at the María Teresa Alea Conservatory.

His father don Jacobo, led a Cuban “típica” band and one of his friends, a violinist, taught Guillermo to play the instrument.  At age 15 , Rubalcaba started playing the violin professionally with the “charanga” “Ases del Ritmo. Soon after that he played the piano and saxophone with “Rolando Luis and His Jazz Band.” He also played with his father’s ” “Montercarlo Orchestra.” The young musical prodigy performed with “Los Churumbeles” and played violin  with the Ñico Suárez  Orchestra.”

In 1959, Guillermo moved to Havana seeking to immerse himself in the exciting musical atmosphere of the capital. It was the carefree age of the “charangas” and the “son.” In the big city, he continued gaining experience playing in Havana clubs such as: “Club Maxim,”  “El Gato Tuerto,” “St. Johns” and “El Barbarán.” His first big break came in 1964, when he was asked to join the Enrique Jorrín band. That gave him the opportunity to perform in Europe, Africa, the United States and Canada. Rubalcaba remained with the Jorrín Band for more than nine years.

By that time Rubalcaba had polished his piano style and was beginning to be recognized as one of the best exponents of traditional ”danzón” piano playing. Rubalcaba admits that he was strongly influenced by Antonio María Romeu, known as “The Magician of the Keyboard.” Romeu developed his own personal style with his three-finger playing featuring short notes, choppy beats and essentially simple execution. He was a very creative improviser including melodic phrases and rhythmic flourishes in his solos. Other Cuban pianists including Bebo and Chucho Valdes have adopted the Romeu technique. Playing the “danzon” piano is not an easy task. Rubalcaba has stated that many pianists do not know how to do it. He maintains that the music is very syncopated including “cinquillo” a Cuban music rhythmic cell. The master “danzonero” emphasizes “to play the “danzón” you must have the touch.”

From 1962 to 1970, the Cuban band leader, musicologist and promoter Odilio Urfé, led an effort to restore the traditional “danzón” to its proper place in the Cuban music scene. To help him achieve his goal he founded the “Charanga Típica de Concierto.” in 1973, the Cuban Ministry of Culture in an attempt to revitalize the “Charanga” appointed Guillermo Rubalcaba to lead it.  As part of the activities organized by Urfé, the “Charanga” performed in a series of Sunday “danzón” educational sessions. In due time the “Charanga’s” name was changed to “Charanga Rubalcaba” in order to benefit from the association with the revered family name.

Led by Rubalcaba, the “Charanga” has become the champion of the traditional “danzón” preserving all its modulations, breaks and other nuances. The group has traveled abroad performing on stages in Veracruz and Mexico City accompanying singers Tito Gomez and Barbarito Diez. They also appeared with the latter in Venezuela. In addition, the Rubalcaba Group has played in Colombia, Seville, Spain and the United States. The “Charanga” has produced several excellent recordings among whiuch are: “Vivencias” (1987), “Fundadores del sabor” (1995), “Por eso soy cubano” (1998) and “El danzón de la Reina Isabel” (2000). In addition to his duties as leader of the “Charanga” “Con sello de calidad” (2004) and “Soneros de verdad” (2010).

In addition to his duties as leader of the “Charanga,” Rubalcaba appeared and recorded with other groups such as” “The Afro Cuban All Stars” and “The Buena Vista Social Club.” In the Buena Vista Orchestra he shared piano assignments with Ruben González. Its leader Juan de Marcos González wanted to keep two pianists with the band because Ruben Gonzalez was not in good health.

Papa Guillermo, as he is called by his family and friends, also made a very successful album with the flamenco star “El Cigala.” The singer had heard about Rubalcaba and since he was looking for another pianist of the same type as Bebo Valdés, he searched for Guillermo. He located him in Berlin where he was performing with the Buena Vista Social Club. Once he heard Guillermo play, he knew he was the pianist he needed. They agreed upon a recording date in Spain and produced the album “Dos Lágrimas” that was released in 2008. It was just as well received by the public as “Lagrimas Negras” the hit album “El Cigala” recorded with Bebo Valdés.

The Rubalcaba Musical Dynasty continues to grow through Guillermo’s children. His eldest son William was born in1951 in Pinar del Rio, Cuba. After years of study he became an accomplished bassist. Unfortunately, he died at a young age. The musician had played with the Enrique Jorrin Orchestra and was a member of the Orquesta América for eight years. Later on he joined the Afro Cuban All Stars and his father’s orchestra. William recorded several albums. Among them are: “El que sabe, sabe,” released in 2000 and “Charangamania Vols. I and II” completed in 2005 and 2007 respectively. His brother Jesús was a talented pianist born in Pinar del Rio in 1954. He played with “Chapottín y sus Estrellas” and with JP Torres’ “Algo Nuevo.” Jesús also accompanied many of the top vocalists of Havana during his short life which ended on September 1, 2003. Hew left us two albums “A mis amigos” and “Aqui estoy.”  (To be continued)