THE GROUP
THE CURRICULUM
The band Arpellots Havaneres Band was born during 1994 in Sant Jordi, within the union of a guitar, an accordion and half a dozen of voices (tenors, baritones and basses). The main intention was singing songs full of smells from far way seas, the memory of a past love, rows of sugar canes, memory and passion of our missed grandparents’ language, Caribbean palm trees dance, crafty laughs from exotic ladies, white tissues from the Beauty Lola… These songs are known as Havaneres (from its Cuban origin in La Havana).
There is a historical background related to haveneres or sea songs. Cuba was a Spanish colony till 1898, when it was lost in favour of the US. This was after losing a war against the Americans in Cuba. At that moment Spain was a poor and unstable country, which spent all its efforts and resources to keep the colonies (sometimes without rational reason). This was translated into sending fishing ships to fight in the Caribbean when the navy force was already defeated. Many Catalan fishermen were sent to fight in America with their own ships. They were fisherman without a solid military preparation and therefore with no chances of victory. Most of haveneres songs are related with the feelings of those people leaving their loved land and sea to go to die in a far away Caribbean, for a war that they didn’t understand and they didn’t support. These brave fishermen are still remembered in popular culture, especially in Catalonia, Balearic Islands and Valencia, where havaneres can be seen played in life during summer performances.
Since 1994 Arpellots Haveneres Band has played in almost all the towns in Majorca and some places in Catalonia (Barcelona, Sant Vicenç del Castellet, Celdrà, Tortosa, Avià, Gràcia and Miravet).
At the moment the band is composed by 12 people: two accordions, two guitars, one bass, drums and nine voices including tenors, basses and baritones.
Arpellots Haveneres Band released their first record during 2000. This first CD was called “Més que haveneres” (More than Havaneres), including havaneres, traditional sea songs and traditional Majorcan songs. The cover was made by the Majorcan artist Bernat Colomar. This first album was reedited on 2002 and 2007. The second record has been released on late 2007, called Marina (Marine), with drawings of the artist Luís Maraver. This second CD has some tunes composed by the band.
The ARPELLOTS HAVENERES BAND performance is a fast connection with the audience, having a good time playing a way of music which looks for the spectators’ complicity, with the presence of a jamming dose.
The Majorcan poet legend Llorença Móra made a brief glosa (traditional Majorcan poem) in honour to the band. The glosa says:
De falcó tenen volada els vells arpegis bruixosts que sortint dels ARPELLOTS deixen Mallorca encisada. Caven més fort que una aixada i més fort que els gavilans, les seves lletres punxants com brot groguenc d’argelaga Al mateix temps ...que embriaga La dolcesa ... dels seus cants. They fly like falcons, the old wizards that ARPELLOTS are charming Majorca. They dig deeper than a hoe, and stronger than eagles, their sharp lyrics, making you pleased at the same time with the sweetness of their songs.
