| AFRO PERUVIAN PERCUSSION; The Cajon | ||
| African slaves were brought over to the Spanish colony of Peru in the 16th century to work mainly in the gold and silver mines of the high Andes. However their physique was not suited to the high altitude and they died by the hundreds. Their Spanish or Creole (descendants of European settlers in Latin America) masters sent them to work in the milder climate of the desert coast, where they laboured in the large haciendas; private farms. It was in their small huts, on the packed dirt floors of the courtyards overrun with animals and in the fields of cane and sugar cane that Afro-Peruvian music, song and dance were born. The beginnings of slavery in Peru were different from the rest of the Americas. Although in Brazil or Central and North American countries it was common to import large groups of slaves from the same African tribe, only small and geographically dispersed ethnic groups were brought to Peru. This was meant to discourage rebel movements around the tribal chiefs, and as such, made almost impossible the preservation of communal traditions. Without a common language or tribal authority to remind them of their roots, Peruvian slaves were progressively integrated into the culture and language of their new country. As a result Afro-Peruvian music is a unique blend of Spanish, Andean and African traditions. |
||
| Added on the 15/11/2004 |  |
393 Hits |
| Author Alex Expertout | ||
| BOMBA; Afro Puerto Rican Treasure | ||
| The Bomba is the most popular music and dance style found on the island of Puerto Rico. The style has strong African roots and it flourished among the black slaves working in the sugar cane plantations in the 18th century, and in particular in coastal towns such as Loiza Aldea. Traditionally the rhythm is performed using bomba drums; barrell shaped hand drums similar to the Cuban conga drums but slightly shorter, cuá; a pair of sticks on the side of a drum or log drum, and a single maraca. This rhythm was incorporated into the "conjunto" or band set up in the early 50's by Rafael Cortijo. In this format the congas have substituted the traditional bomba drums, the cuá pattern is played on a woodblock or side of a drum, a cowbell pattern played by the timbal player has been added, and the Puerto Rican scraper known as güicharo is often incorporated. In its traditional form the rhythm is performed with up to three bomba drums. Two play supporting patterns; the burleador and seguidora, while the highest or requinto improvises throughout. The cuá plays a one bar pattern, while the maraca marks the basic pulse. The performance also incorporates dancers and singers. |
||
| Added on the 15/11/2004 | Not Rated | 307 Hits |
| Author Alex Expertout | ||
Cuban Music 101
 | ||
| 'Cuban music is a myriad of styles and genres, with a long history. While influences from Africa and Spain were predominant, Cuban music has also been shaped by the music of Europe, Latin-America and American pop music and jazz.' | ||
| Added on the 17/10/2003 | Not Rated | 601 Hits |
| Author Mamborama | ||
| GUAGUANCO; Afro Cuban Rumba | ||
| The Guaguanco is an Afro Cuban rhythm which forms part of the rumba family that also comprises Yambu and Columbia. There are several styles found throughout Cuba with the most influential being the "Havana" (featured in this article) and "Matanzas" styles. The "Matanzas" style differs in the interpretation of the supporting drums; the tumbadora and segundo make use of variations in which they "converse". The rhythm is usually performed with three drums; tumbadora, segundo and quinto, a pair of hardwood sticks that mark the 3/2 rumba clave rhythm known as claves and a hollowed piece of bamboo played with two sticks called catá. The names of the drums and stick parts vary throughout Cuba. The role of the drums calls for the tumbadora and segundo to carry the rhythm while the quinto interacts between the lead singer, supporting drums and backing singers utilising short phrases and at times "two or four bar patterns". At a specified point in the arrangement the quinto is given a "solo feature". |
||
| Added on the 15/11/2004 | Not Rated | 296 Hits |
| Author Alex Expertout | ||
| Jim's Drum Rhythm Transcriptions | ||
| 'Here you will find transcriptions of rhythms I have learned over the years. While I have tried to give credit where appropriate, please assume that any mistakes are my own. Publishing rhythm transcriptions is a tricky business: ' | ||
| Added on the 17/10/2003 | Not Rated | 669 Hits |
| Author Jim Salem | ||
| Latin Concepts | ||
| Lessons on Latin concepts including the Cascara and Tumbau. | ||
| Added on the 17/10/2003 | Not Rated | 499 Hits |
| Author Drum Studio 2000 | ||
| MOZAMBIQUE; The Manny Oquendo Touch | ||
| Mozambique is a popular style that was developed in Cuba by Pello “El Afrokan” in the early 1960s. This carnival style rhythm, originally performed with numerous drums, was greatly influenced by another important Afro-Cuban carnival style; the Conga de Comparsa. The rhythms presented here are examples of the style adapted by the New York bands who popularised the rhythm in the late 1960s, and in particular the band led by Eddie Palmieri which featured the great Manny Oquendo on timbales. According to noted bassist Andy Gonzalez (WKCR-FM interview, 1995) “Manny had a great deal to do with popularising the Mozambique. The actual pattern has become the repertoire for almost every timbal player, a standard rhythm that Manny synthesised from a bunch of parts played in a big ensemble of drummers. To this day you ask any drummer or timbalero to play Mozambique, and he or she will play the beat that Manny came up with. It's too bad he didn't patent it!”. |
||
| Added on the 15/11/2004 | |
253 Hits |
| Author Alex Expertout | ||
| Songo Revisited | ||
| Afro-Cuban coordination challenge . . . a great Songo groove embellished with left foot clave and more! | ||
| Added on the 16/06/2006 | Not Rated | 77 Hits |
| Author Mark powers | ||
| THE BERIMBAU; Heart Of Capoeira | ||
| The berimbau consist of a wooden stick which is strung with a steel string to form the bow shape, a gourd with an opening on one side which acts as a resonator, a coin or stone, a thin bamboo stick, and a basket shaker called caxixi. Traditionally in Capoeira (the Brazilian martial arts style) the berimbau rhythms are accompanied by the following percussion instruments; pandeiro (a tambourine with a head and flat jingles), agogo (two iron bells), reco reco (a bamboo scrapper) and atabaque (tall barrell style hand drum). All these instruments give the Capoeira a very distinctive and unique sound. During the jôgo de Capoeira (game of Capoeira) various traditional, folkloric and improvised songs are sung accompanied by clapping. The technique of playing the berimbau is unique and quite hard to master, as you not only have to hold the bow and balance it with the left hand, but are also required to hold a coin or stone with the thumb and first finger. The right hand holds the stick which strikes the string. It also holds a small basket shaker called caxixi, which plays along with the stick and also plays independent strokes. The basic sounds played with the stick are: high tone (with the coin or stone pressed against the string), buzz tone (with the coin or stone pressed lightly on the string) and low tone (open string note). The left hand with the coin produces a very soft passing tone. |
||
| Added on the 15/11/2004 | Not Rated | 187 Hits |
| Author Alex Expertout | ||
