Cuba bids farewell to King Soko Soko today › Culture › Granma

Ramon Rives Amador, better known as Mongo Rives, has died. On Friday, January 21, at the age of 92, the prominent musician, creator of Soco Soco, moved to another dimension in the history of Cuban music and culture.

He, who received the well-known nickname “King of Sokosoko”, bid farewell to his people who loved, respected and admired him not only on the island of youth, which he always had there, among songs and folk. Tenths, but from all over Cuba and the world.

Cuba bids farewell to Ramon “Mongo” Rives Amador, King of Soco Soco. Our condolences to family and friends.https://t.co/Pv02t7WhsG

– Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez (DiazCanelB) January 22 2022

Who does not remember Mungo’s contagious interpretations of I want to dance with Maria Elena; Give me a pig’s tail. Cute pine Catherine, my neighbor Goats and Santa Fe, beloved city, were left without clothes, giving rise to countless guatiks in the fields and towns, with his tools, many of his own making, where a birthday or happy end of the harvest was celebrated. For this, and for his defense of our culture, he was awarded the National Community Culture Award.

Yes, for if something distinguishes him, it is always his attachment to his homeland, especially in the countryside, where he was seen working with his hands, where he found the most wonderful stories and reasons for later turning them into poetry and songs, which were then distributed with grace and professionalism throughout the geography of Pinera and beyond. With Mongo Rives, an entire island danced and laughed.

In a note from the Cuban Conservatory of Music, it was also emphasized that Mongo, who “during his intense and successful musical career has represented with dignity our most authentic cultural tradition and proudly and humbly defended its deep folk roots” also knew how to win with Cuba and his deep-rooted commitment to his people, other acknowledgments, such as Excellence of national culture and a replica of the machete Maximo Gomez.

With his own talent for music, expressing the musical notes, the solo musician from an early age began promoting this infectious rhythm, Soko Soko, and founded his quintet, called the tombita criola, which finally debuted in 1945. For over 40 years, he has participated The artist drew his art from his original state as an amateur artist and recorded his first studio album in 2002: Mongo Rives y su Tumbita Criolla. This is Soko Soko! With the Cuban record label Bis Music.

In his modest house there was always a school where he, as he could, taught the youngest pineros the secrets of this authentic genre where various melodies are sung. Today the oud criollo in Mongo Reeves may seem silent it is not and never will be.