Manley Lopez: Discography

The "Abbilona" project is something ambicious that changed a lot the way to present recorded yoruba music from Cuba to public outside Cuba. Before that, tracks had to fit a standard commercial size: only 5mns tracks were recorded, corresponding to a "classical" length in record industry. This size has nothing to do with real length of yoruba music from Cuba, where, to get "the Saint come down", you have to sing and play for 30 minutes for one particular Oricha, the music always beginning from "slow and calm" to "fast and intense".
In any "Abbilona" record, the Chinitos recorded tracks that last from 5 to 20 minutes, that fit better to what really happens in rituals.
The Abbilona project also includes many singers from young generation, such as:
Jesús "Cusito" Lorenzo Peñalver, with his harsh voice,
Javier Pina, with his very modern melodic style,
Jesús "El Corto" Zayas,
Alain Fernández,
Naivi Angarica, etc…
All these new generation ritual singers would maybe never have got opportunity to record without the creation of this project. The music of Abbilona is the mirror of current cuban yoruba music under logical evolution, since early XXth century.
"Abbilona" series have been made to put all cuban yoruba cult music down on cd. After listening to Eleguá vol. 3 & 4 (not yet available), we could come to conclusion that every song and "toque" belonging to that Oricha had been recorded in the four records. One can tell that it has been only in present time style, but this kind of testimony remains unique, not only on the cultural side, but it indeed contains a scientific interest.
This project also provoked "reaction" of "official" number one singer, Lázaro Ros, who imitated Abbilona by publishing a 13 cds series, leaving his own testimony before diying in 2004.
Out of the 45 cds that will complete the whole Abbilona series, only 16 are available.

Abbilona "Eleguá-Ogún-Ochosi" 1