Jazz for aficionados

#5 "La Fiesta De La Rumba"

Slow tempo "Guanguanco".  Guaguanco is the most popular style of Cuban rumba.  It developed  among the different African ethnic groups, primarily from Central and West Africa, who were brought to Cuba as slaves.  This recording starts with a 3-2 rumba clave rhythmic pattern played on the claves.  This merits an explanation:  clave is the name of an important percussion instrument used in Cuban music; two thick rosewood sticks struck together.  Clave is also the name of the most important rhythmic pattern in Cuban music; usually (but not always) played on claves (the instrument).  The importance of clave rhythm in Cuban music cannot be overemphasized.  It is a type of repetitive rhythmic grid or framework around which all the other percussion instruments synchronize their individual parts.  There are different Clave rhythms, but this one, the 3-2 rumba Clave is one of the most common.  But, what is rumba Clave?  Do this simple exercise and this common rhythm will be instantly identifiable to anyone familiar with Latin music.  First do the exercise very very slowly by enunciating the beats and subdivisions, and then try doing the same thing by clapping your hands where there is an emphasis while enunciating the beats and subdivisions:

Think four beats per measure of music: (1) (2) (3) (4).  Now, imagine that each one of those beats is divided into four subdivisions:

(1)one, two, three, four
(2)one, two, three, four
(3)one, two, three, four
(4)one, two, three, four

Now, do the same thing, but this time each of the four subdivisions of each beat may or may not be emphasized:

(1) ONE,  two,  three,  FOUR
(2) one,    two,  three,  FOUR
(3) one,    two, THREE, four
(4) ONE,  two,   three,   four

Remember, the digit is the one of the four beats in the measure and the spelled number is each of the subdivisions in each beat.  Listen to the clave (the instrument) in the song "La Fiesta De La Rumba" and focus on the rhythm that it plays; it is the very first thing that one hears on the clip.  This (Clave rhythm) is the heart of Cuban music, around which everything else revolves.  

I made a comment in an earlier post that, in Cuban music, the dance is almost inextricable from the music.  There could not be a better example of this than in Guaguanco.  This is Guaguanco (the dance) along with the
music.  As with almost all ethnic musics (African) the dance tells a story.  In this case it is suggestive and playful story of sexual conquest; or, more specifically it's attempt (the dude never gets the prize):

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=m-9JLuvoSPI

#6 "Los Sitio Asere".  Classic Cuban "son"; this one, while technically not a Guaguanco, speaks of it in it's lyrics.  Son, the precursor of salsa, became popular in the late twenties and combines the more formal elements of Spanish (European) song ("cancion") structures with African percussion instruments and rhythms.  Notable is the extensive use of the guitar.  The use of brass instruments in this heavily orchestrated example of son came later, whereas early son did not use brass instruments to this extent; except perhaps a single solo trumpet as is heard on the "Buena Vista" recordings.  

Classic son uses a more traditional song writing style as opposed to the simpler call and response structure heard in the Guaguanco "La Fiesta De La Rumba".  One of the most fascinating things about this style of music and it's rhythm is just how little is happening on the downbeats of the music (the 1,2,3,4).  The percussion plays primarily on syncopated beats with the downbeats being largely implied.

#7 "Pio Mentiroso". A "guaracha".  Guaracha is a style characterized by a typically faster tempo than most other Cuban music styles.  It gained popularity in Cuban theater productions and is notable for the "dialogue" between the vocal soloist and the chorus.  The themes of the songs are usually of a light and happy nature and it should be noted that in this "dialogue" the soloist typically improvises his lyrics.

Counter to the guaracha's typically "happy" feeling, it is particularly  interesting to note the role that Cuban musical theater and the guaracha had in the emancipation of slaves in Cuba.  Both the songs and it's companion dance often made political commentary criticizing the establishment's attitude towards slavery.

Frogman, if spirituals, blues and jazz have an African connection, we should have those equivalents in Haiti, Cuba, and Salvador Brazil; could you give examples of them?

Enjoy the music.

Acman, I appreciated your contribution; not only was it informative, but it was an enjoyable read as well. I'll find some more music to compliment it.

Enjoy the music.