- Title: IVORY COAST/CUBA: CUBAN SALSA MUSIC AND DAMCE ARE POPULAR IN THE IVORY COAST
- Date: 6th November 2000
- Summary: VARIOUS EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF RECORDING STUDIO (5 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 21st November 2000 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, IVORY COAST AND CUBA
- Country: Ivory Coast
- Reuters ID: LVA3D2I3EPBZ0IL40GRJUCIQ6LE7
- Story Text: Salsa is not just a Cuban phenomenon. In the Ivory Coast it's one of the most popular dances, so much so that local salsa lovers have even formed an association to promote Cuban music.
It sounds like a seething nightclub in the barrios of Havana.
But this is a club in Ivory Coast where Salsa, Cuba's most famous music style - is king.
Cuban music first gained popularity in the sixties when people noticed the similarity between salsa and a then-popular Abidjan style.
A dance craze was born and salsa fans have grown up with it.
Salsa's a dance to make the middle aged feel young again.
Bob Mon Bazio says "I came here this evening because Afro-Cuban music has been my favourite since 1963, 1964, 1965."
Alla Marceline says "Salsa is my hobby, it's my life, it's my youth, it's my childhood. And since I work from Monday to Saturday I have to come here. Which is to say that it's the source of my fun. I have friends here, we meet we dance salsa and that's how I relax."
The Bastring night club in Abidjan is a mythical gathering place for salsa lovers. Some of them have formed an association to promote Cuban music in Ivory Coast.
Francis Abondio from the Afro-Cuban Association says "We have good connections in Cuba. Cuba is the leading light for us. It's as many as 20 years that we've danced to Cuban music.
Our association is recognised in Cuba and we have a sister association over there, the Cuban Institute for friends of the people."
The salsa fans have never been to Cuba but they've developed a love for the Caribbean island.
In Cuba the influence of African music is everywhere.
West African slaves who carried their musical traditions on the long Atlantic crossing added their own flavour to Salsa.
In fact salsa is not really a Cuban export to West Africa. The music's just coming home.
And the musical currents are still washing back and forth across the Atlantic.
Papa Noel, a Congolese musician living in Havana is playing a different style of salsa - salsa in Lingala, his mother tongue.
He says "I've been interested in Cuban music since childhood because my mother had this old record player, one that you have to wind up and a big stack of records of Cuban music. She used to play it every morning, and it had a lot of influence on me."
Just as Cuban music has an impact in Ivory Coast so Papa Noel's music is making its presence known in Cuba - overcoming the language barrier.
He says "Things are going very well here. I'm very happy. I don't have any problems communicating with Cubans, even though I don't know the Spanish language."
Back in Abidjan, when Cuban music fans can't go out dancing they listen to the radio - it's a perfect opportunity for DJ BBC to play to a dedicated audience.
Most of BBC's listeners may be older but he rejects the idea of an age gap among his fans.
He says "This conflict is a false conflict brought up by young people. But it's not really their fault because their parents haven't told them about the music. That's why it's considered like a music for old people."
In the popular suburb of Yopougon, DJ Philippe Leme is the Cuban music leading light. For him, salsa is a perfect blend of lots of African styles.
He says "When it comes to music there are a lot of discos that do the same thing. I wanted to do something different from the ordinary and so I opted for Cuban music.
It's not easy to find somebody of my age enjoying this music full time."
Love for Cuban music might only touch a few people in Ivory Coast - but it runs deep.
Saturday night salsa fever is set to burn and burn.
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