Episode 1 – “Dialog and Displacement”
Performance: “Gandinga, Mondongo y Sandunga” by Frank Emilio Flynn

Kicking off this classic Cuban descarga (jam session), Horacio and Tato open with a synchronized break, then the ensemble launches into the highly syncopated and classic piece penned by Cuban pianist Frank Emilio in the late 1950s. Note the conversational and seemingly effortless interplay between drummer and percussionist, as well as the statement of the melody by all musicians. Once the main groove is established by the piano and bass, there is a heightened feeling of beat displacement throughout this piece that is rooted in the melody.

About This Masterclass Series:
A deep dive into the foundations of Afro-Cuban drumming featuring members of Irakere 50, this five-episode masterclass highlights the importance of the clave and other patterns in anchoring rhythmical fluidity and improvisational creativity. A master of polyrhythm and independence, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández has established himself as one of the leading exponents of Afro-Cuban drumming techniques, using foot pedals to incorporate various patterns on bells or the jam block in order to amplify the clave pattern as a foundational anchor. Together with his Irakere 50 bandmates – percussionist Roberto “Tato” Vizcaíno Jr. and José Armando Gola on bass – Horacio showcases the extraordinarily complex and fluid elements of cross-rhythms as well as the immense vocabulary required for ultimate mastery of this art form. The power trio is joined at the piano by SFJAZZ Director of Education Rebeca Mauleón.