Este es mi tumbao
written by Jeáns Valdés
arranged by Jeáns Valdés & Alexis "Mipa" Cuesta

As we discussed in our sections on Los Van Van and Ritmo Oriental, the best charangas made an art of creating a 3-part conversation between the clave, bass and strings. The opening of El Pikete's Este es mi tumbao takes this a step further with the horns adding a fourth independent line:

audio - MIDI (slow motion)
xx0x 0xxx 0x0x xxx0|xx0x 0xxx 0x0x xxx0 clave
0x0x 0x0x x0x0 xx0x|0x0x 0x0x x0x0 0x0x bass
xxxx xxx0 x0xx x000|0x0x 00xx x0x0 x000 violin
xxxx xxxx xxx0 0x0x|xxxx xxx0 xxx0 000x horns

xx0x 0xxx 0x0x xxx0|xx0x 0xxx 0x0x xxx0 clave
0x0x 0x0x x0x0 xx0x|0x0x 0x0x x0x0 0x0x bass
0x0x xxx0 x0xx xxxx|xxx0 0000 x0x0 xx00 violin
0x0x xxxx x0x0 0-0-0|xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx horns

In addition to adding string guajeos, De buena fe also found Manolín and the musicians who would become El Pikete connecting with Los Van Van in other ways. Note the tip of the hat to Te pone la cabeza mala. Later on the same album, Pegaíto, pegaíto, also co-arranged by Valdés, continued the trend with more violin parts, the quote from El baile del buey cansao, the famous coro "yo como Van Van, ahí, así", and of course, the cameo appearances from Robertón and Mayito.

El Pikete continues to build on this unlikely fusion of Vanvanismo and the very different, R&B-tinged approach they pioneered with Manolín. In addition to the string parts, pianist José Montes often borrows Pupy's Pedroso's trademark contrary motion approach but mixes it in equal parts with the drastically different style he developed in his years with Paulito FG. Vocalist Honey Alie's phrasing is often reminiscent of Yeni Valdés. But the key to El Pikete's style lies in its coros -- the two strongest influences are clearly Manolín and Los Van Van, but the fusion of the two has produced something very original and exciting.

In their quest to return -- without Manolín -- to the level of musical greatness they achieved in the 90s, El Pikete faced the triple challenge of replacing Manolín's coro-writing, songwriting and singing.

The first of the three was the most daunting. Manolín is the consummate master of the coro. No one with the possible exception of Juan Formell has ever been able to string together catchy successions of words, syllables, rhythms, inflections, and doble sentidos like El Médico. For me, the most exciting thing about El Pikete is the extent to which they've risen to this challenge. The final coro of Este es mi tumbao is an inspired tongue-twister worthy of the master himself, and in general, El Pikete's coros can hold their own with the best timba has to offer:

es que la llevo de chiquito ni lo sueñe
yo no imito esto es porque yo tengo calle

ya llegué
estoy aquí
pa' que disfrutes y bailes mi tumbao

ay yay yay - qué gozadera
ahora yo me voy a bailar
con El Pikete la noche entera

ya yo no lloro por amores
que sean otros los que lloren
mi corazón, se ha quedao
seco y guardao
(transcriptions: David Figueroa "DJ Melao")

The second challenge is to replace Manolín's songwriting, and once again, El Pikete has proven up to the task. The cuerpo of Este es mi tumbao stands up well with repeated listening -- a lyrical pop song with a particularly inspired hook, delivered in the rich, relaxed alto voice of Honey Alie, who along with Michel Calvo, makes easy work of El Pikete's final challenge - replacing Manolín's singing voice!

As this article was being written, El Pikete was also writing, and just today added a new song to their repertoire. You can feel the momentum building!