Lost in the Groove: Exploring YOYI - a Cuban Funk Masterpiece
This post is about “Yoyi,” a rare 1977 album that blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, disco, and psychedelic sounds. It is also about the impact of the Cuban Revolution on the music industry.
Not feeling like reading? That's alright! 😎 Here is “Ruta 30'” – with its blazing horns and catchy beats. 🔊
Here comes another fascinating find! This time it’s Latin Funk, from Cuba! Traditional Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms mixed with jazz, disco, and psychedelic music!
In 1977, “mysterious” (said so by Mr.Bongo release themselves) Jorge Soler León composes, orchestrates, and produces the only album by Grupo Los Yoyi—“Yoyi.”
The album features nine instrumental tracks brimming with excellent synth work and outstanding horn solos. 🎶 🎵 🎶
There are no online credits for any of the band members, and there is essentially no information available about Jorge Soler either (the only two exceptions being that 1. Future Rootz states, “While Jorge Soler recorded and produced many tracks for many artists from that period, Grupo Yoyi is his only known solo project,” and 2. Discogs lists his other work, with him listed as the producer or arranger).
I was surprised to find no interviews with Jorge Soler, either from the time of the album's release or afterward, and that most information available is just copy-pasted material.
The lack of information regarding Jorge Soler León and/or Grupo Los Yoyi creates an air of mystery?! 🔍
I thus looked up the label in the hopes of finding some fine print or obscure information on a forgotten website, which brought me to yet another interesting (for me) find:
The album, recorded at Havana's state-run Egrem studios, is released by “Areito,” a sub-label of the Cuban state-owned major label Egrem.
This seemingly mundane detail unlocks an intriguing chapter: the impact of the 1959 Revolution on the music industry.
The story begins in the early 1940s with the founding of Estudios Areito, one of the oldest surviving studios in the world. Back then, it is a thriving commercial enterprise under the name “Panart” (or Panam), attracting international artists.
The Cuban Revolution in 1959 marks a turning point. The studio, along with all other businesses, is nationalized by the new government. Interestingly, the founder, Ramón Sabat, remains involved for a transitional period, with records released under the label “Panart Nationalizada.” Finally, in 1964, the Empresa de Grabaciones y Ediciones Musicales (EGREM), the national Cuban record company, is established, with Areito becoming the official recording venue.
The music industry is greatly impacted by this nationalization then. The new system gives priority to music that is considered to reflect the ideas of the revolution. The studio records a wide range of genres and musicians and remains vital to Cuba's music industry even after it is nationalized.
Western-influenced genres like Latin Funk are probably seen as at odds with this idea. This may help to explain why government censors removed “Yoyi” from stores; it was deemed “too western.”
As a result, “Yoyi” is notable for both its historical setting and innovative music. It symbolizes a period in Cuban music history when artists were experimenting and pushing the limits of their native sounds.
It's an upbeat and energizing listen, from the first song, “Banana,” to the last, “El Fino.” “Ruta 30” is my favorite track; it's a fantastic tune that wonderfully captures the Latin groove, blending elements of Latin jazz with breathtaking horns! ✨
Gülben - 07/2024
📖 Hannes Bieger writes “Studio Stories” for SoundOnSound
📖 Thom Jurek’s Album Overview for Barnes&Noble