The Comparsita--La Conga's "little sister"

In December 2019, thanks to a reccomendation from Edgar Pantoja Aleman, I had the pleasure of taking a few singing lessons with Berta Armiñan Linares, an expert on traditional music from Oriente (Eastern Cuba).  At one of our lessons she spoke about a little known style, the comparsita.  What follows is my video, transcription and translation of a lesson/interview dealing with this style.  My comments and clarifications are included in brackets in the transcriptions.

BA: My name is Bertas Arminan Linares, founder of Conjunto Folklórico de Oriente, [Oriente Folkloric Ensemble] which was formed in May 1959.
I worked with this group until 1992, when I joined Cutumba, where i stayed until my retirement in 2009;  I worked for 50 years in both groups.
My role involved singing and dancing as well as teaching.  The specific dances that I worked with were gagá, Tajona, and Tumba Francesa; I also sang these styles and some Yoruba songs.

Today’s class deals with Comparsita, which emerged in the 20th century.  Comparsitas used to form spontaneously during carnival [in Santiago].  Some friends would get together; and someone would bring a bokú [hand drum similar to a conga], someone else would have a bell, and everyone would start to sing and play.

NH: Explain what a boku is.

BA: ..nothing...boku is a drum, the one that plays the uno dos [“one two” pattern].
That is, for example: one of them [plays uno dos pattern on chair
For example, in the song and rhythm 
we say for example (sings):

“I’d like to be
as tall as the moon
Ay ay ay like the moon "
 
That's the tempo of the Comparsita;  ... and the bell simply does this [plays bell pattern and sings]:
 
“I’d like to be
as tall as the moon
Ay ay ay like the moon
to go up in the sky
and be able to touch it
ayayay to be able to touch it ”
 
...And so on…

The songs would come up spontaneously, with a chorus following the lead singer.  This would happen within families;
for example, in my case, my family would have a verbena [street party].  Before carnival people would have street parties, 
and different families, friends, passers-by etc. would stop by to drink,eat, sing, have fun, etc.

In my family, since there always were singers, musicians and dancers (in spirit of course), comparsitas would always get going around midnight.Because someone would get inspired--
my aunt Gladys for example, Gladys Linares, who played in La Conga de los Hoyos--
--they called her la campanera mayor "the chief bell player." I am the niece of Gladys de Linares "Mafifa."
..also my Aunt lydia, my Uncle Archimedes, my brothers and sisters...; I was little but they included me in that revolico [confusion, mess] to sing and play, and we would sing comparsita songs.
 
For example: [sings]

a “chin chin”
It goes in
a “chin chin”
It goes out…”

...and so on until dawn. 

These are a few of the things that I can tell you about the comparsita.  What happened was that, during carnival, 
friends and family would go to a Kiosk, to drink and eat; they’ fill the table with beer and soon 
enough, you'd have another conguita …[in this case another way of saying comparsita]
They’d walk around and come back to the table to drink, and sometimes they’d carry a bucket of beer so they wouldn’t have to go back to the table.  They’d take the bucket and stroll the avenues, singing, dancing and drinking. 
 
NH: So you were born in Los Hoyos [neighborhood]?
 
BA:  I was born at Escario and Sanmiguel, very close to the Moncada barracks. 
 
NH: Ok; and then you can can sing a few more examples of comparsita, with some improvisations?

BA: Well, for example I have “rumbamba” here,which you already have, but let's do it again; help me out with the bell [pattern];
you have to do something!! 

NH If you want, you can do a few different chants:  “La Luna , etc…”
 
BA [SINGING]: 

Rumbambá rumbambá
What a pretty girl! 
 
If her mother let her (??)
I would marry her
Such a pretty girl
if her mother would let me

Etc….
[Sirena Soy]
Mermaid, I'm a mermaid
Mermaid, I'm going to the sea 
 
“I’d like to be
 as tall as the moon
Ay ay ay like the moon
to go up in the sky 
and be able to touch it
ayayay to be able to touch it ”
 
 
Peasant, if you go to the country, 
Get up on the sidewalk [?] or I’ll knock you down.
Peasant, if you go to El Caney [town near Santiago known for its delicious fruit]
Bring me a mamey mango….
 
Guajiro if you hear the drum
Get up on the sidewalk [?] or I’ll knock you down.
 [along with various untranslated improvisations]

[La Jardinera]
From the Cuban garden we will choose flowers
And we’ll gather a bunch of evergreens
(2x)
We dedicate this to our audience
I am a gardener...
Flowers ! so many flowers! (2x)
here comes La Jardiera [name of Havana comparsa group],
Here it comes tossing flowers….

I hear a bass drum, baby it's calling me
I hear a bass drum, baby it's calling me

Oh God Oh God, it's Los Dandys!  [name of Havana comparsa group],
Oh God Oh God, it's Los Dandys!

I hear a bass drum, baby it's calling me
who? Who?
The players!

Get over there !
Hypocrite! [literally Pharisee]
[fade out]

BA [speaking]: Ha ha what a mess! 

NH: So, some of those chants [coros] were originally from comparsita others from conga, correct?
...or can any chant fit in?
 
BA: Either can come up if it fits with the tempo...
For example: [plays bell "uno y dos" of conga on chair] this beat inspires [certain chants], right?
And then the beat of the comparsita [plays pattern] gives you the tempo.

And so that helps the songs from the conga to fit into the comparsita, without any problem. 
The same goes for chants from paseo [style from Santiago close to conga Habanera]

For example, I sang “La Jardinera,” which is from the paseo style,
but it maintains the relationship [?to the clave]; it can be done, see?

NH: Yes, it depends on the singer’s inspiration.

B: Exactly, that's it!