Thor Anderson: When's Van Van coming out with a new CD?

Edm: In February in the States. "At the Malecón". New music and new musicians. There have been problems with Caliente the producer.

TA: How is Juan Formell?

Edm: He is so, so, a very sick man.

TA: Can Van Van go on without Juan Formell?

Edm: Yes, it's an old orchestra, like Duke Ellington, Benny Moré. Formell is a genius like these.

TA: So that means it can go on without Formell?

Edm: Yes, but it won't be the same. Juan always changes Van Van's sound.

TA: What's new in Van Van's sound now?

Edm: There is a new dynamic.

TA: Because of the new musicians?

t; font-size: 12px !important; line-height: 1.5 !important;" align="left">Edm: Yes.

TA: Edduar (my friend and Edmundo's nephew) said you are getting a new drum keypad. Are you going to stop playing trombone?

Edm: I will play the percussion pad between horn parts.

TA: What parts do you play with the keypad?

Edm: The drum pad gives the orchestra a more advanced, modern sound.

TA: When did you start using the drum pad, what year?

Edm: 1987. Changuito only used timbale. The electronic pad added to the percussion. Juan Formell was a great innovator. He was very interested in what the drum pad could add. It was at the same time Formell started to make a fusion of Rock and Salsa. That was when we used the key pad to accent three/four in the measure with the bass sound.

TA: And the sound of the bongo bell?

Edm: Yes, and we started to use it for the sounds of Batá.

TA: When did you join the group originally?

Edm: 1983

TA: What were you doing before?

Edm: I used to play in some other groups, some Rock groups, with sounds like Earth, Wind & Fire. I also played with Pello El Afrikán.

TA: Why did Pupy leave the band?

Edm: He had many things he wanted to do that he could not do with Los Van Van. But his sound is a big part of Los Van Van. Van Van is part of Pupy.

TA: What did you think of the demonstrations in Miami against Van Van performing at the Latin Grammy's?

Edm: That's politics.

TA: There is a line in the song that Van Van uses to open up their concerts now, "El Yuma no…" or something like that. What's that about?

Edm: It is a nationalistic message directed at Miami Cubans.

TA: But Yuma is Cuban slang for Americans in general, no?

Edm: The message in the song is that we Cubans can do everything. The Yumas don't believe that we can, but we can do it.

TA: Who is that message for in America?

Edm: For Miami. It doesn't have anything to do with the American public.

TA: In all the world, where do you enjoy playing the most?

Edm: There are many places. The Hollywood Bowl in LA.

TA: What do you make of the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon?

Edm: I am very glad that it happened. It made a lot of people know about Cuban music, even if it is not contemporary.

TA: What other groups and musics do you listen to?

Edm: I listen to Jazz a lot.

TA: Who in Jazz?

Edm: Yellowjackets, Wynton Marsalis, Pat Matheny. [Ed: Pat Metheny]

TA: I noticed in your new opening song, you have some music from Weather Report.

Edm: Yes, from Joe Zawinul. This adds a good dynamic. I heard that Zawinul likes what we did with this.

TA: Have you seen any of the Jazz Festival presentations?

Edm: Yes, Taj Majal, David Sánchez.

TA: What did you think of Taj Majal?

Edm: He was very funny.

TA: All the trips you have made to the US, why don't you defect?

Edm: Because I like Cuba very much. My friends are here, my mother.

© Thor Anderson 2003

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