Domingo Cura, an outstanding percussionist!
Today I present to you the fifth edition of encounters with the greats of Argentine Folklore. More information about them and the transcript of the interviews can be found on our site www.tangodiario.com.
On December 23th, 1996 I interviewed Domingo Cura, the most prominent percussionist in the history of folk music in Argentina.
Domingo Cura was born on April 7, 1929 in Santiago del Estero. He was the son of Syrian immigrants, like Eduardo Falù. His father was going to be a priest and sang in the church choir. That’s why Domingo is called Cura.
When he was six years old, Domingo Cura began to play the drum on all kinds of cans, wooden boxes and other objects. He was self-taught and never studied at a music school. I’m so sorry, he told me during our chat, because he was not able to write down his musical ideas from him .
Creole Mass
Domingo Cura participated in various milestones of Argentine folklore:
in 1961 he recorded the album “Folklore Nueva Dimensión” with Ariel Ramírez and Jaime Torres, who innovated Argentine folklore. A highlight of his career was the recording of the Misa Criolla by Ariel Ramírez in 1964.
Domingo Cura loved all kinds of musical styles: Arab and Jewish folklore, Brazilian batucada, bolero, jazz and rock. So he never found it difficult to cross musical borders:
He played Argentine folklore with Mercedes Sosa and with his brother-in-law, the legendary harmonica player Hugo Díaz. – Rock Nacional with Litto Nebbia, – Jazz with Gato Barbieri, Nat King Cole and Garry Mulligan and Brazilian music with Milton Nascimento.
Enthusiasm
It’s been more than 25 years since our talk in his rehearsal room in the center of Buenos Aires. But I always remember my enthusiasm listening to this exceptional percussionist! Domingo Cura told me that people were surprised because he has soft hands, without calluses, like a woman’s. And he sang to me various folk rhythms: Carnavalito, Chacarera, Southern and Northern Malambo and much more!
Listen yourselves all that this great Master of percussion, sadly deceased in 2004, at only 75 years old during a performance with Chico Navarro.