jnz EssnnGE cF

Arne-cuoan Psnqussrcx

by Eo URTBE

AnD Dnun ISntIxctuoes

Tnc Ruvrnm SecnoxPorts for Boss, Pidno, Guitor

Horns d Strings

RhythmsSongstylesTechniques

Applications

In the process of earning his degreefrom the world-renowned BerkleeCollege of Music, Ed Uribe so im-pressed his professors that they invitedhim to join their ranks. In the fifteenyears since, he has developed thecurriculum for the school's LatinPercussion Program. He now overseesthat program and serves as a Primaryprofessor in the electronic percussioncurriculum. His expertise in these areashas led to constant work as an educator,author, artist, clinician, and composerthroughout the world.

Ed has lived in South America andalso toured Latin America and theCaribbean extensively, both as a per-former and a student of the music andculture, studying local and indigenousrhythms, which he shares with his stu-dents. In addition to his busy class sched-ule at Berklee, Ed is a guest educator atthe New England Consenatory of Musicand has appeared as an educationalclinician at over 5o universities worldwide.

His studies in South America andthe Caribbean have resulted in twobooks and videos on Brazilian and Afro-Cuban Percussion and Drum Setpublished by Warner Bros. Publications.Ed has also written extensive educa-tional material on Latin percussion andAfro-Cuban drumming.

In addition to teaching classes andwriting, Ed pursues an active freelancecareer performing with major artiststhroughout the world. These haveincluded Ray Barretto, Paquito D'Rivera,Randy Brecker, Michel Camilo, GeorgeColeman, Tania Maria, Donald BYrd,

Dave Samuels, David Friedman, ClaudioRoditi, Andy Narell, Gary Burton, andthe Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew TabakinOrchestra, among others.

His skill and knowledge as a per-former have earned him endorsementcontracts with Zildjian Cyrnbals, PearlDrums, Afro Percussion, and Vic FirthSticks. These contracts allow him towqrk on behalf of these companies as aspokesperson, performer, and clinician'sending him around the world forfeatured performances at every majorjazz festival, NAMM, university clinics,and PASIC.

One of the first experts on MIDIand electronic percussion, Ed works asa MIDI clinician and consultant. Heperforms solo concerts of his owncompositions, and does programmingand production work for various artistsand studios. Ed also composes andproduces music for video, television,advertising and film, and createsmultimedia works for education andadvertising.

Originally from San Francisco. Edcurrently makes his home in Nerv\brk.

It is sometimes easy to lose sight of what a wonderful thing it is to be able toplay and teach music as my livelihood, and I am indebted and grateful to manypeople for helping me realize this goal. Most importantly I would like to thank mvteachers Ed Valencia,John Rae, Gary Chaffee, Alan Dawson and Dean Andersonfor helping me develop the skills necessary for having a happy life in music. Thisbook is dedicated to you. My gratitude also goes to all the other teachers and musi-cians that I've studied and played with, and from whom I've leamed so much aboutthis music.

Thanks to my colleagues in the Berklee College Percussion Department. It is aprivilege to be able to work alongside you all in teaching music. Special thanks toMike Ringquist andJohn Ramsey for sharing valuable information with me fromtheir personal research and study of Afro-Latin Music.

Thanks to Lennie D. andJohn King at Zildjian, Scorr, and Richie ar PearlDrums, and the Vic Firth familv for ail their support over the years. Also thanks toTim self at opcode systems. To Tonr', \Iike, and all the guys at o. DiBella Musicin Bergenfield, NJ, thanks for even'thing. \bu guvs are the greatest! Thanks toGerry and BenJames at Interworld Music for helping me get this book started.

Special thanks to Sandy Feldstein at Warner Bros. for making this projectpossible. Also at Warner, thanks toJoe Testa, Gayle Giese,Jewyl Esthes, DebbieCavalier, and all the great staff who helped with this project, Last but certainly notleast, my deepest thanks to my wife Robin for the long hours spent editing thebook and for her endless support of all my endeavors.

Toble of Contents

About this PresentationBackgrou nd I nformation

9l2

Developments in the West lndies-The Coribbeon ............... .............. l4Developments in Cubo .............. /5Developments in Pueno Rico ............. ...........21Developments in the Dominicon Republic...... .................22Developments in New Y0rk............. ..............23Funher Developments in Cubo .....................24

Maps of Cuba, the West Indies, Africa,the Caribbean, and Related RegionsHow to Learn and Practice this Material

Port I-The Percussion Instruments

The Percussion InstrumentsTips for Getting the Right Sound and FeelClave-The Instrument and the Rhythm

2628

TheTheThe

303234

545850

Palitos and the Gua-GuaBombo-Bass DrumCowbells and the Hoe Blade-The Guataca

Cencerro Patterns in ICencerro Potterns in Q..*'----. .................55Mambo-Timbale Bell Potterns .....................70

Congas-Tumbadoras 74

It

BongosTimbales and Timbalitos

i l li l5

!

137

Maracas r39r40t4l142t44

Quijada &Vibra-SlapSheker6-AgbeTamboraSummarY-Part I

Section l-The Rhythm Section146147

Ihe Boss ond the Tumba6.,., .................... 148The Piano and the Montuno.... .................. I 54Ihe fres and Guitar and the Guajeo ....... I 6lThe String Section and the Guajeo ........... 162The Horn Section, the Guoj6o, ond the Mofia ............ 163

Section I f -Arrangements, Charts, Notation, and Terminology - | 64lntro Section ........ 167A SectionlVerse ............... ......... 158B SeaionlBridge.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169Breakto Montuno Section .... 170Montuno Section........ .............. 170Mambo / Section .................... 172Mombo 2 Section .................... 173DC olCodo ond Ending Section ................ 174Ihe Percussion Part....... .......... 175

Section lll-The Songstyles and Scores 176

Part II-The Rhythm Section ond the Songstyles

lntroduction-Part ll

Port III-The Drum Set

lntroduction-Part lll

Guajira

2012032092t02122t32t8

Cha-Cha

BoleroSonSon-MontunoMambo

Drum Set Workout for Mambo """""""" 223

HiHatVoriotions """"""""""" 223

Boss Drum Variotions... """""224MambolTimbate Betl Voriations """""""' 225

Tumbao & Aove (Left Hand) Comping Variotions "" 226

ComponalCencerrolBongo Belt Voriotions... """"""""' 227

lnstructions for the Mombo Drum Set Systems & Workout """"' 227

Rumba Guaguanc6Rumba ColumbiaDanz6nCharangaSongoPi l6nConga de ComParsaMozambique

2352502522s3254268271277

Batit 285285

f oropoBomba & Plena 287

2892912932952972972983003t23143t9325

MerengueA Note About $ StYtesAbaku6Guiro & Bemb6Cha Cha Lokua FunGuajira in $Afro I with BackbeatAdditional Tech nical Exercises

Significant Artists and EnsemblesSuggested Listening and ReadingGlossaryAudio Index and Guide

THrs uernRIAL IS A "FORMAL"

ORGANIZATION OF MUSICAL STYLES

THAT HAVE SURVIVED AND PROGRESSED

FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

THRoucH A VERY "INFoRMAL" PRo-

cEss-THAT oF AN oral tradit ion. This is

not music that evolved from or wastaught through schools or formaleducation as we know and perceive it(even though today it is taught that wayin Cuba as well as in many other partsof the world). It did not have theorthodox methodologies that the studyof European classical instruments-piano, strings, woodwinds and brass-had (even though those methods havenow also been developed for teachingthese instruments and this music).

Regardless of the fact that this musicis now taught in schools and specificmethods are in place for learning thesestyles and instruments, this is primarilyand fundamentally the study of aculture and of musical folklore. Youare, in essence, learning a language-the language of Afro-Cuban rhythmsand songstyles. In learning any lan-

Suage, you study its mechanical compo-nents, the alphabet and its pronuncia-tion, how to form words from thoseletters, how to make sentences from thewords and so on. The study of thismaterial is the same. You will practicebasic techniques and fundamentalrhythms. These are the comPonents.You'll then practice putting themtogether to develop a vocabulary in thisidiom. This will enable you to playspecific songstyles and to improvise inthis idiom. In the serious study of alanguage, your goal is to speak, under-stand and be understood-to "speaklike a native." Your final goal in thestudy of a musical style should be thesame. You should strive to play this

music as if you had learned it in itspurest, handed-down, oral tradition.Then you can truly feel you know howto play a style. The goal of this study isnottolearn how to play a particularMambo or Songo or Guaguanc5 beat,but to learn how to play Mambo andSongo and Guaguanc6, (along with themany other styles presented). There is abig difference between plal'rng a beatand playing a style.

\4/hile I've stated that this musichasn't evolved through formal educa-tion, this doesn't mean that there areno guidelines for its study. Quite thecontrary. There is great order and avery systematic procedure. For example,in certain folkloric styles-such as thatof the Batd, drumming traditions for theSanteria rituals-there is a very rigid,demanding, and competitive traditionof study in which a Santero (priest ofSanteria and most likely a master drum-mer) takes on a student-his disciple-and teaches and indoctrinates him intothe practices through a very rigidprocess of study of the oral tradition.This style of music is not something youjust decide to study, and then you getyour teacher of choice by making aphone call. You are chosen for thisstudy based on both skill and commit-ment to the tradition. Santeria andBat6'.drumming is a sacred tradition, and itsstudy is approached with great respect,dedication, and methodical study andpractice.

In the secular/folkloric styles, aswell as in the commercial styles of thismusic, one learns in the same oraltradition-from the masters and othergreat players that came before. This ishow one studies all musical styles, but inthese styles it was-up until ven' re-

cently-the only way to study. It wasvery difficult to get anyone to teach youanything unless you were innately agreat player. Otherwise you weregenerally left to deal on your own.Today more players are availing them-selves to teaching, there is more mate-rial being published on this subject andthere are even some official degree-granting college programs teaching thismusic and instruments. Of course if youmake your way to Cuba you can study itfrom the source. There are manypeople to study with and their conserva-tories teach their musical folklore.Regardless of which parh you end upon, the end result must be that youknow how to play your instruments andthese songstyles "correctly." (This worditself also opens a can of worms, sincethere can be several versions of the"correct" way to play certain things inthe various Latin cultures). Nonethe-less, as musicians we all basically knowwhat playing a style "correctly" means. Irmeans you have the necessary chops oneach instrument to be able to playmusic with the traditional phrasing ofan idiom, and to know enough about itthat you can improvise meaningfully,and have enough vocabulary andconfidence to handle the wide variety ofmusical situations that may presentthemselves. To have this ability youmust approach this material and yourstudy of this music not as the theoreti-cal study, but as if you were beingtaught these rhythms by ear and youthen had to memorize and practicethem until you can play them in yoursleep. That's how the oral traditionworks. Unfortunately those of us whowere not fortunate enough to behanded down the traditions have towork backwards to itby learningthiswritten material, and then going backto the source and listening and analyz-ing with our ears to learn how it reallyshould be played. This is the only way tolearn how to truly play "correctly."

Latin American cultures are gener-ally very nationalistic and for lack of a

better word, "macho." This characteris-tic is certainly prevalent in the musicand in the approach to playing thedrums. There is no glory, media glitz orpeer respect in being a lighnveightplayer-like there often is in Americanpop culture. In this gpe of drummingthe more prevalent attitude is that thereare those who can play and then there'severybody else. You either play or youdon't, and if you don't, you have noth-ing to say. This is not meant to intimi-date. It is merely a fact to accept. Twothoughts on this: as a musician and aplayer, a high level of playing should bewhat you strive for, and though thisapproach is a little rough, it shouldinspire you to work towards this. If onthe other hand you are not striving forthis level of playing and are interestedin learning about this music purely outof interest, or maybe just setting out tolearn it, don't let this discourage you.You can deal with this music on anylevel you want, but keep some perspec-tive on the depth of this material andthe players out there, and on how muchthere is to learn.

This book is divided inro three parts.Part I deals exclusively with the percus-sion instruments. There is an individualsection for each instrument that in-cludes a description of the instrumentand its traditional uses, the techniquesof playing it and various rhythmicpatterns for the more common styles.These include various dance styles suchas the Son, Mambo and Cha-Cha as wellas folkloric styles such as the variousRurnbas-Guaguanc6, Yambil and Colum-bia, the Conga, Mozambique, Songo, 5/8styles-Bemb/ Guiro and many others.Applications of these instruments andrhythms in styles such asjazz and funkare also included.

Part II addresses the rhythm secrionand includes parts for the bass, piano,the tres (a small guitar-like instrumentwith three sets o[strings-rwo per set-that is the key instrument of the Son )and guitar, horns and strings. This

t0

section also presents the songstyles andthe various ensembles that play them.Various styles and ensembles are pre-sented with brief historical informationand the instrumentation used. It isimportant to understand the makeup ofthe various ensembles and the functionof each player within the ensemble.Although the emphasis and majority ofthe musical examples deal with thepercussion, there are examples of all ofthe instruments' parts. There is also adescription and example of a musicalarrangement showing basic arrangingpractices for a standard Latin piece-what might be called a Salsa chart. It isimportant to know the basic construc-tion of an arrangement and the func-tion of each instrument and player ateach section of an arrangement.

You should practice with the rhyrhmsection examples provided on the audioportion of the book by playing theminto a sequencer and cutting andpasting so you have a vamp or tune ofyour liking to play along with. If youdon't have a sequencer or some pianochops, you should ask a friend to recordversions of these onto a tape machineand you can practice playing with thetape. If you don't haae anyone to play thismusic with, playing with commercial record-ings is essential.

Part III addresses the drum set.Before beginning, and as you practicethe drum set parts, refer back to Parts I& II until you thoroughly know ar leastthe basic rhythms of each percussionpart. Remember, the drum set was notoriginally a part of this music and eachcomponent of any rhythm played onthe drum set evolved directly from apercussion part. When you przctice thedn-rm set, putyourself in a percussionoriented frame of mind. To capture theessence of these styles in your drum set

playing you musr draw from what thepercussion plap. The more you can dothis, the more authentic you will sound.

The audio recording includesexamples from each section. Use it asyour guide for how the instrumentsshould sound and how the rhythmsshould be phrased. The recordingfollows the order of the book.

The rhythmic patterns and materialincluded in this book are nor simplytechnical exercises. They are the actualpatterns played in this style. The ap-proach of this book is for you to learnthe techniques of the percussion, drumset and all the instruments, throughlearning the musical styles; thus reallylearning the instrument 's role in thismusic. \Arhile this compilation of mate-rial is by no means exhaustive, it is areasonably thorough presentation ofthe role of these instruments in thisgenre. Combine this material withlistening to and studying as manyrecordings and live performances aspossible. Even if you have no intentionof actually performing this music, whatyou can gain by exposure to and assimi-lation of it is of tremendous value,especially to the drummer/percussion-ist. Further study of the songstyles andarrangemen ts themselves-separatefrom the drum set and percussionparts-will only enhance your perfor-mance on these instruments, so don'tbe afraid to spend some time gertingtotally into the piano or bass or someother instrument, or even learning howto arrange and compose in these styles.This will only open other doors to yourplaying on the percussion.

Before delving into the musicalexamples, here is a very brief history ofthe development of this music and myconnection to it.

l t

My colrrNc ro pLAy Arno-CueaNAS wELL AS orHER LarrN sryLES oFMUSIC DEVELOPED FROM BEING EXPOSEDTo AND sruDtrrNc THEM oN DRUM srr. Ithen worked backwards to the folkloricrhythms and the percussion instru-ments-pretty much the opposite of theway it's normally done by the traditionalplayers-percussion first, then on todrum set. \4/hile growing up I heard alot of music at home that I'll genericallycall Latin-Son, Mambo, Rumba.Cumbia, Tango and all the music thatlater became known as Salsa-thoughat the time I didn't know specificallywhat it was and paid no parricularattention to it. Some moved me andsome didn't and it wasn't until yearslater that I realized that I had beenexposed to music from much of LatinAmerica and began to feel the advan-tages of having had this exposure.

On the streets I heard Latin musiceverywhere, but I couldn't identify thestyles or playing in any specific wayeither. At that time-the late sixties tomid-seventies- San Francisco hadmany musicians that were involved withintegrating Latin-particularly Afro-Cuban styles-with rock and funk styles.(Groups like Santana, Malo and Aztecacome to mind.) Manyyounger rock-oriented players were tapping some ofthe older resident Latin heavies likeArmando Peraza and Francisco Agua-bella for their sound and this combina-tion was developing a new sound.Everyone was into this stuff and it was agreat place to be at that time becauseAfro-Latin music and the live musicscene was thriving there. The meldingof the contemporary rock sounds withthe Latin stuff is much like the mar-riage ofJazz andLatin in the '40s withpeople like Dizzy Gillespie and Chano

Pozo, Machito and the birth of CuBopand Latin jazz, only now the result wasLatin rock and Latin funk. Also. leadersof established traditional Latin bands-Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, MongoSantamaria and Eddie Palmieri werealso involved in integrating some ofthese newer sounds with their styles.The Mozambique appeared in the '60sand these bands were incorporatingthat and some Rumba styles with theirsound and that was all influencing theLatin rock scene. This Latin-influencedmusic sounded different and I thoughtsome was very hip, but being primarily adrum set player at that time, I was stillmore into the Funk, R & B, Soul andRock sounds prevailing at the time.Aside from this, I had no orher expo-sure or connection to this music. Myexperience was pretty much peripheral.

I mention this because in my in-volvement with performing and record-ing Latin-American musics, I've comeacross some attitudes and philosophiesthat say you cannot play these styles"correctly"-vThatever that means-unless you are "born into it," from acertain country and the like. This tendsto sometimes discourage people fromeven trying to learn. It's true that tosome degree you are a product of yourculture and your time. If you had beenborn into the musical family of en-sembles like the Mufrequitos de Matan-zas or Grupo Afro-Cuba you undoubt-edly would have a certain familiarity,intrinsic skills and a musical vocabularythat would be hard t6 1n2tgh-eysnwith very concentrated study. But thiscan be said about any sryle. If you hadgrown up around PhillyJoe and Maxand Art instead of around Ginger Bakerand Keith Moon your swing would be awhole lot deeper. Nonetheless, you can

I2

learn how to play greatJ^zz and nothave come up in that time-there'scertainly plenty of evidence of that-and with very committed study, Afro-Latin styles and instruments can also belearned and your playrng developed toa very high level. Ifyou can groove youcan learn any style. It's just like learninga language. You have to be around it,live it, and speak it enough, and you'llstart to sound like a native. There willalways be people who will play stylesbetter and more traditionally than you.Accept that as a given and try to learnfrom these people. In the end, your bestlessons will be from people like this whoare willing to show you how to play, andhelp you understand more clearly. Ifsomeone discourages youjust move on.

When I first began taking drumlessons, I was shown, among otherthings, Brazilian styles like Bossa Nova,Samba and Baia6, and Afro-Cubanstyles like the Cha-Cha and Mambo.Initially these were presented just as"rhythms every drummer should know,"because you need to know them to gig.I was-at first-just shown the basicpatterns, but these rhythms were sodifferent from any of the other styles Iwas practicing on the drums. At firstthey felt awkward. They didn't feel likethey were from the drum set and ofcourse, I later found out they weren't.The syncopations in the rhythms felt sodifferent and so good. I started to checkout recordings and to go see this musicplayed live, and as I mentioned earlier,there was plenty around to see. Thismusic made me move my body in sucha different way. I kept checking outmore music and I kept asking to beshown more of these grooves and ithasn't stopped to this day. While at thattime most of these rhythms were merelyhip grooves on the drum set, it wasn'tiong before I got completely immersedin the different styles and percussioninstruments. Mr'first musical tour to theCaribbean and then to South Americarra-s in r qSz. I \ras to plav there sixrteeks and return home. Instead I

returned almost ayear later. I've sincehad the good fortune to perform inLatin and South America extensively,and every time I go I inevitably comeback amazed at some new rhythm orinstrument I was exposed to. NewYorkalso is, and always has been, a spawningground for major developments in theAfro-Latin idioms, and being basedhere for the last few years has allowedme the opportunity to both profession-ally and informally interact with thismusical community as well-a wonder-ful opportunity for exposure, learning,and performance. This book is theresult of my experience with this fasci-nating world of Afro-Latin music-as astudent, performer, educator and fan.

In the course of exploring andperforming this music I've discoveredan unfortunate fact. Many Americans,and even more unfortunately, manyAmerican musicians, perceive every-thing south of the Texas border to bejust plain Latin-one big genericcategory with a singular identity. Notonly is this perception grossly impre-cise, but for a musician it is extremelyl imit ing. fu a musician i t is important tobe aware of the vast differences thatexist between the various cultures inLatin America and the Caribbean,especially if you are a drummer/percussionist. There is an endless poolof musical information to tap into that-at a minimum-can give you many newideas for your drum set playing and withfull exposure completely change theface of your approach to drums andpercussion and maybe your whole life.

The music of Latin America sharesthree common cultural elements: thevarious African cultures of the slaves(brought there by the Europeans), thefolklore of the native Indians, and theEuropean traditions of whatever po\{erdominated a particular region betrveenthe fifteenth and eighteenth centuries.Aside from this, there are countlessdistinctions to be noted and countlessmusical snles to exolore.

t3

IArgentino: Tongo, Milongo, Zombo, Chocorero lamaico: Reggoe

IUruguay: Condombe, Zombo Brozil: Bosso Novo, Samba, Boioo, Frevo, IColumbio: Cumbio, Bombuco Marocotrt, Chorinho, Copoeiro, IYenezuela: Joropo, volse venezolono condomble' Afox6' Xote' Moxixe

IEcuadon posiilo, Taguerori Puerto Rico: Bomba' Pleno

IChile: Cueco Dominican Republic: Merengue

Iperu: Guaino, vals peruono, Lo Marinera Haiti: Merengue, charongo &Tumbo Frances

IAndeanStytes: Boguolo, Carnovotito, Vidota Cuba: t;:;!:,fo:uf!,"2'l,i;,";:r:?r,

IMexico: Musico Ronchero, Mariochi, Moyon Rumba Guaguanc6, yombrt and I

x::*:,:y;:ix'*!:;ff * 2';#:;,i:f.:;:::';^:::1,|0,,," ITrinidad: Calypso, Soco ond countless others.

I

t-- *-r,*.-of* -- l

friil?*yiT"Ti"'*:i:?:ii'"'J- ffiffi?l'":ls":iliKlm:f;x Iffi*"il:lffHn:T:ffi', ffii'ffJ:'ii::::*'f:rtrfi,:"n' II

IHAVE MERGED AND FoRMED NEw, oR AT doubtedly these situations caused much ITHE vERy LEAST, INTEGRATED FoLK- , suffering, and while this can hardly be ILoRE. UNronruNIATELy MUCH oF THrs seen as positive, the forced geographi- IMERGING wASN'T a willful, cooperative cal integration (there really was no Ieffort between cultures. It was generally social integration for quite some time) Iforced upon certain peoples by stron- planted seeds that gave birth to musical Iger, imperialist polvers whose motives styles that have shaped the develop- Iwere certainly not to develop nerv ment and direction of music through- |cultural traditions, but to capitalize on out the world. Ithe resources of other lands. History |shows that in many instances this In the course of these forced Iimposition of power has completely integrations generally a couple of Iannihilated entire native peoples, or things happened. The empowering Ihas left cultures in conflicts that have culture enslaved and imposed its Ilasted generations. The transferring of customs on the native people of a Ipeople from their homeland, (as was desired land often under the guise of idone with West Africans made slaves in religious education. They then broughtthe fifteenth through seventeenth other already enslaved people for laborcenturies by European powers), or the purposes in the exploitation of whatdrawing of a geographic boundary they now viewed as their new land.through the land of a people existing While the ruling powers were workingintact, have forced cultures to create to reorient these enslaved people tonew homelands and acclimate to the their customs, and in many instances

t1

forbidding them to continue their owncultural practices, the slaves undertookto continue their traditions in what-ever way they could. Each ethnic groupcarrying on its own practices in thenew land, and the exposure of thevarious cultures to each other, resultedin a tremendous blending of music,religion, languages and social customsthat spawned the beginning of one ofthe richest and most influential musi-cal cultures in the world.

This all began taking place in theearly rboos as Spain, Portugal, Franceand England began colonizing the"new world"-1v121 is now known asthe Caribbean region, the West Indiesand Latin America. Of these four greatEuropean powers, Portugal had theleast influence in the Caribbean, andestablished its largest colonies andslave trades in Brazil. Spain, England,France (and later the Netherlands) allmade strong marks in the Caribbeanwith Spain making the strongest marksin colonizing Cuba, Puerto Rico andthe Dominican Republic. Spain colo-nized many other lands as well butthese three regions are where the mostprominent developments have takenplace in the evolution of Afro-Latinmusic. (Another kev element was the

French presence in Haiti, to be dis-cussed in the following section.)

Upon the European arrival to thesenew lands, the explorers found anindigenous population of numeroustribes of Indians that had existed inthis area for thousands of years. (His-torical accounts show two to threemillion inhabitants, dating theirmigration towards these regions back

4o,ooo years.) In a very short timethese people were enslaved and manyeliminated. The enslaved native Indi-ans did not provide the Europeanswith the labor force necessary for theirexploitation of these lands and thusbegan the influx of the African Slaves.

The integration of the Spaniards,French, English (and later the Dutch)with the African slaves and the nativeIndians gave birth to what has overtime come to be known (generically)as Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Antillean orLatin American music-terms whichtake into account musics from thisentire (new world) region and from allethnic descents. Since the topic of thisbook is Afro-Latin, and particularly Afro-Cuban music (and its derivatives), we'llnow focus more specifically on thedevelopments of this region and culture.

Cuee rs rHE LARGEST ISI-AND IN THE

CaRrseeeN. Irs Naun IS DERIVED FRoM

THE INDIAN WORD CUhANACAN, MEANING

"cENTER pr-AcE." Trrn Frnsr INHABITANTS

or Cuee wERE THE ThrNo, SrsoNsY aNn

Canrs Indians-tribes who were basically

annihilated by the Spanish. Under the

rule of Spain, Cuba grew to be the largest

sugar producing region in the world.

Sugar was an extremely valuable com-

moditv in the r6oos and rToos and the

national economies of Spain and other

European colonizing nalions were

reaping tremendous profits fiom this

trade. \Ahen the local Indian populationswere nearly eliminated and the enslavedIndians that remained did not providethe labor force the Spanish needed towork the vast sugar cane plantations, theinflux of thousands ofAfrican slavesbegan. From the early r5oos to the rnid-r8oos approximately 3.5 million -{fricanssurvived the crossing to the "netv rvorld"regions. (This is five to slr tjmes morethan were brought to North Americaduring its period of siavenJ. This beganthe merging of the native Indians, Afri-cans from a rarien' of regions (though

t5

mostly from the northwestern and central

parts of Africa), and the Spanish settlers.

Cuban music evolved from these

three cultures-Indian, African and

Spanish-but of the three, the Indian

influence is the least pronounced' The

minor role Indian music played in the

musical evolution was due in part to the

Jesuis who, upon their arrival in Cuba,

set out to reeducate the Indians, teach-

ing them to practice European customs

and teaching them to practice Chris-

tianity; thus suppressing their cultural

and religious practices. This reeduca-

tion was part of the mission of the

explorers in the new world. Although

the Indians had a long-standing folk-

lore, they were often displaced as lands

were colonized and they tended to lose

their cultural traditions in their dias-

pora and in their integration with the

whites. The Indian population in Cuba

is virtually nonexistent todaY.

The Spanish also sought to suppress

the cultural practices of the Africans by

imposing, among other things, Christian

practices and the Spanish language. For

the Africans, music and drumming was

an integral part of daily life' Their

religious rituals also involved them '

extensively. The Africans were more

defiant in their struggle to maintain

their o'nn cultural practices and secretly

continued to u'orship their oln gods by

sometimes grring their oun deities the

names of Christian saints and continuing

their musical practices through this

obfuscated worship. This form of \r'or-

ship gave rise to the practice of Santmia

in this region. (Santeria is derived from

the religion of the Yoru,ban people from

Nigeria.) These worship rituals and

ceremonies involved extensive drum-

ming and chanting. Bald drums were

and are used for these rituals to contact

t}.e Orichas-the deities of the Santeros'

In this drumming tradition-whichcontinues today in Cuba and other parts

of the Caribbean and Latin America

-one can hear the essence of this WestAfrican influence.

The African PeoPle succeeded in

maintaining their customs in a form

more indigenous to their cultural roots.

This is due to several reasons.,First, the

re-education the explorers were at-

tempting with the native Indians was

not such a priority with the Africans.

They were enslaved and their education

was not part of the agenda. The onlY

effort made was to not allow them to

practice their folkloric customs, but

they were not as closely observed as the

Indians and thus were able to continue

some of their rituals. Second, through-

out history all European conquerorsmade an effort to keep their African

slaves from practicing their customs(with the northern Protestant Europe-

ans being the most oppressive) and the

Spanish were no excePtion. But al-

though they made efforts to suPpress

the religious practices of the Africans,

they were more tolerant of the African

cultural practices than their northern

European counterparts. This may in

part be due to the fact that the Iberian

Peninsula had had interaction with the

North Africans-mostly in the form of

wars and enslavement between the

Moors and the Christians-that dates

back to the twelfth century and were

thus more accustomed to some integra-

tion. Another reason for the tolerance

and accelerated integration between

the blacks and Hispanics (versus the

Protestant whites and enslaved blacks in

North America), may have to do with the

fact that the Spanish explorers, as well as

the Portuguese and French, were mostly

male, (versus the migration of entire

families of English Protestant back-

grounds to North America where integra-

tion was virtually nonexistent). Thus their

tendency to integrate, (even if only for

propagation), was greater than that of the

northern Europeans, who, having emi-

grated with their entire families, generally

disdained any tyPe of integration and

went through great efforts to suppress

and segregate from the African culture'

The southern European explorers and

settlers, to some degree, had no choice but

to mix and the Cuban melting pot began'

I6

The Spanish brought with them theEuropean melodic and harmonictraditions. These included Spanish,Portuguese, French, and some north-ern European influences. Elements ofboth sacred and secular music werepresent in their melodies, harmonies,pollphony in the vocal music, andcertain verse-chorus and chant songstructures. This was basically the musicof the European (Spanish) courts andlater these elements directly influencedthe development of the Son and theDanza Habanera which led to theDanz6n. (Apart from the Rumba styles,the Danz6n and the Son are the mostsignificant musical forms in the devel-opment of Afro-Latin popular music.)Another form of folkloric Europeanmusic also made its way to these re-gions. This was the music of the peasantclasses, that of the Spanish workers thatcame to these regions as laborers.Though a step above the slaves in thesocial hierarchy, they nonetheless werepoor peasants-campesinos-butbrought with them their own music,primarily in the form of songs. Thesesongs-ra?? ciones or trouas-also laterdirectly influenced the development ofthe Son (and later other popular musicstyles) with their lyric style and l'erse-chorus structure-the decima andestribillo--which became the lyricstructure of the Son. The accompani-ment to the cancionzs of the campesinoswere played on stringed instruments(early guitars) also brought by theSpanish to these regions. These instru-ments later directly influenced thedevelopment and use of the Tres-asmall guitarlike instrument with threesets of strings (two per set) that is thekey instrument of the Son. These earlySpanish guitars also influenced thedevelopment of the Cuatro (like theTres but with four sets of strings andmore indigenous to Puerto Rico) andlater the six-string guitar styles. Certainpercussion instruments such as bassdrums and snare drums were broughtthrough the European military andevolved and rvere integrated with

certain folkloric styles. An example ofthis is in the Comparsa's use of thebombos (bass drums) and cajas (snaredrums) during the Cuban Carnavalparades. These parades initially evolvedfrom the European military paradesthat took place during festivities. (TheBr azilian Carnaval parades evolvedfrom the same source.) Other folkloricEuropean instruments included thep andereta ( tambourine ) -an extremelypopular instrument in the Basqueregions of Spain as well as in Portugaland France. (This instrument found isway and greatly influenced certainPuerto Rican folkloric styles as well. ThePanderetas became the hand drumused in the Plzna.) Another folkloricSpanish songstyle that greatly influ-enced the Rumba styles was the Fla-menco and the Rumba Flamenca. Last,but certainly not least, the Spanishbrought their language, which becameand remains the primary language ofLatin America except for Brazil.

The African slaves brought withthem predominantly vocal and rhyth-mic elements as well as drums andpercussion instruments. (The majorityof the instruments were not actuallybrought, but recreated over time by thedisplaced slaves. Many were simplyimprovised or created from whateverwas around them to use for performingtheir music.) These early instrumentsand those that were recreated over timesenred as the origin for the majority ofthe instruments lhat are now an inte-gral part of Latin-American music. TheSpanish initially brought African slavesfrom their colonies in northwesternregions of Africa. Later, as slave tradingto the "new world" increased, manywere also brought from central regions,in particular what is now Zaire. Thisgreatly expanded the variety of Africancultural practices present in the region,with the Abakud, Dahomean, Congo-lese, and Yorubaland cultures all nowpresent in the geographical area. Bothsacred and secular elements are alsopresent in the African contribntions.

t7

The call-and-response vocal styles anddrumming of the Yoruban people (frompresentday Nigerian regions) influencedmany Cuban song forms-particularlythe Rumbastyles, and the relieious musicand dance of this cul ture is sr i l l verypresent in Afro-Cuban folkloric music.Simultaneous duple and triple meterinflections as well as the layering ofvarious rhythms over an ostinato pulse,are some rhythmic characteristics ofAfrican music that are very much thestructural foundation of many Afro-Cuban rhlthms. Many percussioninstruments of African origin-variousshakers made of weaved baskets, rattlesand shakers made from gourds, singleheaded conga-like drums, some double-headed drums and scraper-type instru-ments-gave way to the development ofthe sheker6, cowbells, conga drums,shakers, bass drums, wood sounds, claveand the like. African musical culture wasthe most influential in the developmentof the styles of Cuba and Latin America.It has survived more intact, and is moreprevalent in these regions than in anyother area of the world away from Africa.

Indian influence, as mentionedbefore, was less apparent. Nonetheless,contributions in the area of flutes,.certain vocal styles, and certain percus-sion instruments such as rattles andshakers made from gourds and someweaved basket shakers can be traced toIndian roots. Although not as prevalentin the Cuban musical snles that arepresented in this text, Indian music isquite present in many western (Arnazo_nian) regions of South America, espe-cially in Brazil and in many of theAndean regions ofEcuador and peru,as well as some Caribbean regions.

All of these cultural elements com-bined to form the basis of the musicalstyles presented in this book. The stylespresented are the most prevalent stylesin Afro-Cuban music, and some of ihesehave also had a large effect on musicthroughout the world. Their influenceand integration into American sryles of

jazz, funk, R & B and other popularmusic is so great that it is almost essen-tial that all musicians become familiarwith them. It can safely be said that inthe present day, Cuba (along withBrazil and American popular music)has had the greatest influence onpopular music throughout the world.Cuba and Brazil-along with Africa-have also had the greatest influence onall types of American music.

The cultural integration of theSpanish and the African resulted inmany new song forms. These includethe religious and ritual song forms ofthe Santeros and Batddrummers, manyfolkloric styles rhat developed into whatare known as Rumbastyles-the RumbctGuaguanc|, Yambil, and Columbia, whichare folkloric song and dance styles, theCongawhich accompanies the Carnavalmarch and dance called Comparsa, theMozarnbique, Pil6n, Songo, Bembd, Guiroand Abakud. \A4rile these styles have atremendous presence in the Cubanculture, are performed and studiedregularly by Cuban musicians and en-sembles and are present in the minds ofany serious musician that has any aware-ness of Afro-Latin music, they are moreeclectic in nature. Although some-likethe Mozambique, Songo, Guaguanc6 andsome generic versions of Sstyles-havebecome quite popular over the years, theyhave not had the universal exposure thatthe Son and its derivatives have.

The most influential style in theevolution of Cuban popular (dance)music and its spread throughout theworld is the Son. It is the root and prede-cessor of most AfreCuban popular danceforms. From it spawned many other stylesthat later partially comprised the musicalcategory known as Saka, as well as theLatin-Jazz styles of the rg4os, the danceorchestras of the rgbos and the LatinBands (Saka and Orquestas Tilticas) of therg6os, which continue to the present.

The Sozdeveloped through a marriageof Music a Cam,pesina--$panish peasan r

I8

music-and the musics of the African

slaves. Its origins can be traced back to

the second half of the nineteenth

century in the eastern Cuban province

of Oriente. Slavery in Cuba was nearing

its end-at least on PaPer-and a

further integration of the Spanish and

the African cultures began taking place'

The predecessor or original Son was the

Chaigui. Rural street bands performed

this vocal music derived from the Span-

ish canciones, accompanying them with

the early form of the tres, the marim-

bula.-anAfrican derived thumb piano

similar to a large Kalimba built onto a

large wooden box with an open hole for-

resonance-the clave, guiro, maraca and

bongo. These six instruments-with the

vocals-played the fi rst Sons- Changui

style-and created what later became

ttie Sextetoensemble. These Changui

groups initially played their music for

iudiences comprised primarily of their

own people, but during the later part of

the r 8oos they continued to develop

and gain PoPularitY, and from the

Changuis came the established Son

groups. (Although the Son grouPs

U.gutt to develop a new identity at this

poittt, some Changui groups maintained

the original traditions and a small

number of them exist to this day-most

notably the GrrPo Changui' TheY

maintain the original instrumentation-

including the marimbula and the

original approach to the music') In the

Son groups the marimbula was eventu-

ally replaced with the string bass (an-

other instrument called the Botija-a

clayjug used to transport olive oil-was

also used as a bass instrument before the

string bass), a regular six-string guitar

also came to be used and musicians

began to expand and develop the style'

Is popularity continued to grow and by

the turn of the twentieth century the Son

develop the style, the Corneta China

(later replaced by the trumpet) was

added forming the Septeto ensemble' The

Septeto I'lacional dz Ignacio Pifi'eirors

another landmark group in the develop

ment of the Son.

The Son stYle is characterrzed bY a

verse-refrai n ( fu cima-estribillo) vocal style

in which the verse (the decima which is a

ten line and eight-pulsed form) is sung

and followed by a refrain. Then it goes

back to the verse and back to the refrain

(creating a simple ABAB form), but no'ir'

the refrain is repeated in a call-and-

response fashion. This approach and

form led to the montuno section of later

arrangements of the Son styles' Other

distinguishing characteristics are the

instrumentation (primarily that of the

sexteto and septeto ensembles), the clave

and layering of tn" rhythmic patterns of

the clave, percussion and tres and the bass'

During this period another significant

musical event took place-the spawning

of the Danz6n. The slave rebellion in

Haiti took place in r 79r, and with slaven'

eliminated in Cuba earlier in this same

period, a large number of Haitian slaves

and working- class poor migrated to the

. eastern Cuban province of Oriente' Haiti

had been colonized by the French and

the same developments that have been

described thus far pertaining to the

Spanish and African integrations in-Cu!a'

were practically paralleled in Haiti b-v the

Africin and French. These Haitian slaves

brought with them their music and

cultuial practices which were now a result

of the mirging of the French and African

cultures (some Africans from different

regions of Africa than those brought to

CriUa Uy the Spanish), and a ne\{ level of

integration began taking place' \Iusical

style"s brought ty these people in-cluded

the Contred,anse, Mermgtu, Turnba Frantesc'

Vod,uand' Gagd'.These were all to

influence the develoPment of Cuban

styles. (There are grouPs in this reglolr

that still maintain the initial nzditions

tha[rvere born in this Penod' most

notablv the GruPo Locosia' )

was being played in the Cuban capital of

Habana. By the rgzo's it was an acknowl-

edged national style' The Sexteto Haba-

,r.io ,u^ a premier ensemble of this style

and the most notable individual pioneer

of the Son rl'as bassist Ignacio Piieiro' As

musicians conlinued to experiment and

The (French) Contred,a,nse (developedin Haiti during the eighteenth centuryand then brought to Cuba during theslave rebellion of r 7gz) was first devel-oped in Cuba as the Danza, DanzaHabanera (or Habanera) and finally theDanz6n. Early groups interpreting thecontradanzas consisted of woodwind andbrass instruments, strings and a percus-sion section with a Cruiroandthe TimbalzsCrioll,os-Creolz Ty nt p ani---+rhich wereEuropean concert q.rnpani. These werethe predecessors of the timbalns. (Notethat except for the guiro the instrumenta-tion is basically comprised of Europeaninstruments.) \Ahile the Son was developing and becoming very popular amongthe lower and middle classes of Cuba,these danzas were gaining popularityamong the Cuban upper class. By the latenineteenth and early twentieth centuries,these sryles were being played in theballrooms and dance halls of the highsociety. Groups which became known as(hquestas Tipicas performed the Habantra,Ritmo fu Tango and the Contradanzaandcontinued to develop the instrumenta-tion and compositional style. The earlyrgoos gave birth to the Charanga Fran-cesa. These were smaller versions of theOrqucstas Tipicas. They made significantcontributions and developments inestablishing the compositional andarranging approach and in standardizingthe instmmentation of this style. Theyincorporated rvooden flutes (and laterthe standard flute), string section (violins& cellos), string bass, guiro, and pailitas (asmaller version of the European tyrnpanithen making theirway to becoming thetimbales). (The addition of the pianotook place in the late r93os and early'4os.) These ensembles and instrumenta-tion became known as (hquestas Tipicas(now called Charangas) and were thetraditional interpreters of these styles.Between rgoo and rgz5 these groupsgained extreme popularity in the ball-rooms of the aristocrary and paved theway for another most significant development in Afro-Latin music. (A mostnotable and "must-check-out" group ofttris tradition is Orquesta Arag6n.)

The basic form of the Danz5n is anABAC form with the A section (calledthe Paseo), the B section (the principalflute melody), a repeat of the Paseo-another A, and the C section (the trio.a soli of sorts for the strings). In the latcr g3os and early '4os a bassist by thename of Israel "Cach6o" Lopez, whileplaying with a group called Arcafi.o y susMaraaillas, (a group led by flutistAntonio Arcafro), developed a Dsection to the Danz6n called the NusuoRitmo, creating an ABACD form. Thissection was a vamp or improvisationalsection. A cowbell was added to thetimbales and a conga drum was addedto the ensemble. These instrumentsinitially were played only during thissection. This lluno Ritmo helped spawnthe Montuno section of present daySalsa arranging, as well as the Mamboand Cha-Cha styles.

The Son and Danz6n, while cer-tainly having common threads ofcultural influence in their evolution,developed in separate worlds (althoughthey did have some chronologicallyparallel developments in that bothbecame established and recognizedforms in the early twentieth century).The Son evolved in the streets and ruralareas, and the Danz6n in the ballroomsof the high society. Now there was to beanother integration of cultures. Notonly were elements of these two styles tomerge, but a third culture and musicalstyle had entered the picture-Jazz andSwing and the scene in NewYork. Thisled to the birth of a new type of Cubanor Afro-Latin group that was not only aproduct of its own culture but was beinggreatly influenced try the swing and bigband orchestras of Duke Ellington,Count Basie, Chick Webb, and the like.The new Conjuntos and Orquestas thatresulted from this influence created theMambo dance craze of the rg4os thattook over NewYork and elsewhere.BeBop was developing at a rapid paceand gaining popularity-especiallyamong musicians. This too melded withAfro-Cuban music in NewYork to form

20

CuBop. All the while the folkloric songforms-the Conga, Rumba and reli-gious,/folkloric styles-continued toevolve and influence developments inCuba, but these had yet to gain the

widespread popularity of the Son andDanz6n. But before continuingwiththese developments in New York let'sintroduce another significant elementinto this picture.

Punnro R.rco wes A coLoNY oFSperN uNTIL r 898 wnrrv IT BEcAMEINDEPENDENT. ONE YEAR LATER IT WAS

MADE A coLoNY oF THE UNrrnoSrerns. ON rnr wHoLE Puerto Ricanfolkloric styles have not had as great aninfluence in the development of spe-cific Afro-Latin song forms as theCuban songstyles. This is due in part toa lack of African and Hispanic integra-tion in the early forms of this PuertoRican music. A clear line can almostalways be drawn between the upper andlower economic classes of any society,and Puerto Rico. being no exception,has always maintained a wide gapbetween its haaes and haue-nofs-withthe haues being mostly whites of Spanishdecent and the haae-nots being mostlyblacks of African descent. This kept awide gap between the early forms ofPuerto Rican music, which tended to beeither heavily Spanish-influencedferyns-valieties of the danza, ritmotango, aquinaldo----or heavily African-influenced forms such as the BombaandPLena. Though the upper classes re-ferred to all African-derived songstylesgenerically as "bomba," there is aspecific musical style called Bombavithvery strong African roots, and it is a

mainstay of Afro-Puerto Rican folklore,along with the Plnna.In the '40s and'5os both styles were adapted for dancebands and gained wider appeal. Theyalso became more influential in otherstyles of Afro-Latin music.

Puerto Rico has been tremendouslyinfluential in its contribution of manygreat composers, instrumentalists andbandleaders, who became some of thegreatest interpreters of the Cubanstyles-many of them fi rst-generationNewYorkers. In the rg2os the UnitedStates granted Puerto Rico citizenshipstatus, and thus began a tremendousinflux of Puerto Ricans to the New Yorkarea. Most settled in or near Harlem,and in turn began another integrationof musical cultures. These communitiescontinued to grow and provide one ofthe largest audiences for Afro-Latinmusic. Later, after the Cuban missilecrisis and the resulting embargo againstCuba, when all the movement betweenCuba and NewYork ceased. thesePuerto Rican musicians and band-leaders were almost solely responsiblefor the continued flourishing of Afro-Latin music in NewYork, and whateventually became known as Salsa.

THn DoprrNrceN Rl,pusLIC LIES oN

THE EASTERN HALF OF THE ISLAND

CALLED Hrsperilole, wITH Harrr covr-

PRISING THE WESTERN HALF OF THE

rsL{ND. Haiti rvas colonized by the

French, while the Dominican Republicby the Spanish. The proximity of thisregion to Haiti accounts for theFrench/Haitian influence in the devel-opment of the music of the Dominican

2'

7

Republic-particularly the Mermgue-its most popular songstyle. This quick Idance style exhibits influences from theFrench Contredanse and Polha. Theoriginal Merengue groups used theaccordion, guiro, and a drum called thetambora. Today's groups include hornsections and sometimes feature theat-rics and dance by the performers. Notonly is the merengue one of the mostpopular dance forms in the Caribbean,

but, due to the large population ofDominican immigrants, it is also ex-tremely popular in NewYork's Latincommunities, as well as throughoutworld. \4/hile this style has nor beeninfluential in the development of theother styles addressed in this book, it isderived from many of the same souand is an integral part of the Latinmusic scene today.

IN NewYonx Crry rHn CanresraNIMMIGRANT POPULATION _ PARTICU-

LARLy rrrn CueA.N eNo Punnro-RrcaNT-cnEATED A HAVEN FoR TRADr-TToNAL Arno-LarrN MUSTcAL FoRMS.Not only was NewYork a spawningground for significant musical develop-ments inJazz, but it was also the centerwhere the integration of the Afro-Cuban and AmericanJazz forms tookplace. In the tgzos many Cuban andPuerto Rican people migrated to NewYork and settled in NewYork City's EastHarlem, which came to be known as,E/Barrioand Spanish Harlem. This areaplayed a vital role in the thriving devel-opments of Afro-Latin music, its inte-gration withJazz, and its reaching thelarge audiences it has enjoyed since theearly part of this cenfury. It wasn't longbefore the music these people broughtto NewYork began to gain widespreadattention.

In the rg3os a Cuban song called ElManisno (The Peanut Vendor), writtenby Mois6s Simons and performed byDon Azpiazu, (the leader of the HaaanaCasino Orchestra), brought widespreadattention to Cuban music. Many newLatin bands began to appear, and withthe concurrent fascination with apopular dance hall dance called Rumba(not to be confused with the folhloric Rumbas\les), a Latin music movement hadbegun. With this music being predomi-

nantly music of the blacks and Latinsbut now also being devoured by thehigh society of NewYork, the issue ofsocial class entered the picture andcreated a division between the musicalstyles. \,Vhile the uptown bands wereplapng a more traditional version ofthe Latin styles, bands like the XauierCougat Orchestrawere catering to thedowntown, upper-class, non-Hispaniccrowds. (This same scenario was mir-rored in theJazz big band scene, withthe white groups playrng for the upper-class white audiences and the blackgroups playing the black clubs.)

During this same period many LatinandJazz musicians began crossing overinto each other's musical territories.Significant collaborations took placebetween Latin composerJuan Tizol-composer of Caraaan-and DukeEllington, as well as between CabCalloway, Chick Webb and the innova-tive Cuban arranger Mario Bauza. Inthe rg4os, the group Machito and hisAfro-Cubans surfaced with Bauza asmusical director. This group had atremendous impact on the Latin musicalcommunity with it's powerful rhythmsection, horn section andJazz influencesbrought to the group primarily byBauza's arrangements. This group pavedthe way for the Mambo and what came tobe known as LatinJazz-the two majormusical innovations of the rg4os.

22

T:ne Mambo,which was originally the lished Latin orchestras in NewYork

montuno or vamp section of the Son played this as a serious new style' it also

style-the Estribiito-and the D sec- had many watered down commercial

tion-Nusuo Ritmo----rtf the Danz6n, offshoots which diluted the style and

became a songstyle itself. This created spawned stereotypical Hollyrvood

the Mambo d.ance,and this fast became imitations and the like' Aware of this

the new Latin music craze.This re- situation, many Latin musicians began

mained so through the '50s when two looking to other musical forms to work

of the most influential bands of that with. (During this period the.Merenrye

period were formed-the bands of style also be_ga1 to gain popularity')

timbalero Tito Puente and vocalist Tito While Afro-Latin musical styles were

Rodriguez. These bands set a precedent certainly well established at this point'

for what the new Latin orchesiras would they weren't resting on their-wide-

be. This began a period where the spread popularity, and new develop.

leaders of bands modeled after these ments were just around the corner'

bands were great instrumentalists, or

the groups iould feature great soloists, As the sixties rolled in so did an-

and the music, although ifwould always other dance craze-the Charangaanc

feature vocals and sorigs that appealed Pachanga. Charlie Palmieri's Charanga

ro rhe general public, it*uy, fexured Duboney is informally credited with .

instrumental solos in the forefront. setting off this movement' It wasn't long

before other prominent leaders like

while these events were taking Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto

place, another landmark integratlon of created Charangas (also playing a faster

lryl.r'*u. happening in Newiork-the Pachangadance style) and-dozens of

^..ging of iiro-lufrn styles and_BeBop other bands followed' With the excite-

music. The resulting style was called ment that this new style generated one

cuBop,with its bigg"est'and most would have thought it would last longer

significant "*porr.i,

being Dizzy rhan it did, but as with the previous

Cilespie. His Carnegie HIU concert in crvzes created by the Mambo and Cha-

rg47 introducing Cuban conguero Cha, the momentum died' With the

Cni"" pozo markid the birth of a new gaining popularity of each_new *"1:-

style that has remained a major musical ment, so came a certain diluting of the

for." to this day. This movement styles and this led to a resurgence-or

continued into the lg5os with new really a return to-the Tipico style'

LatinJzzzbands fo.riilng under the_.- (Ti,picois a term used for the typical or

direction of instrumenta-listleaders like traiitional sound') The early r96os

Mongo sanramaria and cal Tjader. marked the beginning of the embargo

These bands always featured outstand- against cuba, and the interaction of

ing drummers like Armando Peraza musicians that had lived so freely for

and mainrained the precedent for high almost fifty years all but died' The mid-

level instrumental p..fo.-unce. The sixties found many new bands as well as

poprrturiry of the Lno*bocontinued the already established bands modelling

through the rg5os but a new style was themselvei after the old Son groups and

soon to come to the forefront' trying to recaPture the feel of an earlier

time. While this was a steP back to a

In cuba the charangagroup previous era, the music was not withottt

Orquesta Aragonpop..turi,.i thi Cha-- modern elements and the influences of

cha (alsofrom the Nuevo Ritmo of the the integrations it had gone through

Danz5n), rvhich quickly became an- since the turn of the centrrn'. These

other one of the most popular Latin new "traditional" snles par-ed the rtar'

dance snies for both the Latin and non- for rvhat rvould in the rqTos become

Latin public. \\-hile manv of the estab- the music cailed Salsc L lfortttnatel-'

23

these events would take place withoutthe influx from Cuba for some years.

Saka itself is not a rhythm or asongstyle but a term used to describethe hybrid of styles that had come roexist. (The term is the Spanish word forsauce and is tlpically used to describe ahot or spicy sauce.) This became rhegeneric term by which the generalpopulation of the world came to knowLatin music. To a non-musician and anon-Latin, (and even to many Latins),this term encompasses the total scopeof this music. But within the musicalcommunity, and to any true aficionadoof the style, it is too generic a label, andthere quickly came to exist severalmusical derivations within the category.These essentially amounted to differentapproaches to playing the various Sakastyles. One approach was more tradi-tional, more reminiscent of the earlybands of the movement, with theinstrumental performance having moreof an edge, solo instrumental features,and the lyric content dealing more withthe scene on the streets and everydaylife. Another approach was morecommercial and with no solo features inthe instrumental performance. Theband only played an accompanying roleto the vocals. The focus was on thesinging and the persona of the singer,with the lyric content being moreromantic and pop-oriented. Still an-other is a more progressit,e ,1azz-ori-ented approach, rvhere there is aprevalent role of instrumental perfor-

mance and improvisation, and theblending of the styles is more far-reaching (although this approachstraddles the Salsa and Latin-Jazzlabel'Salsa lived particularlywell in the rg7,-*and '80s, and continues to enjoy a ver,large and culturally varied audience.

Another significant movement tha:took place in the instrumental arenaand runs parallel with both the rumbastyles and the Jazz-oriented jam sessior-are the descargas. The term translatesinto the word "unload," and essentiall-,the soloist in a descarga is doingjust th,:with their musical ideas. These descar-gas were vehicles for experimental ancimprovisational performance, as well aifor experimentation with differentinstrumentations and combinations ofmusicians. They were often impromptt:and unrehearsed, though many greatrecordings were made, and took theform of both full band as well as exclu-sively percussion jams in the CubanRumba tradition. Bassist Israel "Cachdo"Lopez is a must to check out, as are an\'recordings of percussion groups.

Another level of integration tookplace in the late sixties and seventieswith the merging of the Latin styles ancthe rock and funk styles prevailing atthe time. This integration created theLatin-Rock and Latin-Funk styles ofgroups like Santana, Malo, Azteca andthe like. All the while, Cuban musicianscontinued to develop their styles andapproaches separate from all of this.

Ovnn rHE LAST THREE To FouRCENTURIES THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THIS

MUSIC HAVE TAKEN US FROM EUNOPN

wEST To rrrn New Wonto, BACK ToArnrcA, AND THEN wrsr again, to theCaribbean and South and CentralAmerican regions, then north to New\-rrk and to other urban Latin music

centers such as San Francisco andMiami. The developments that tookplace in the rg4os and '5os in NewYork, Cuba, and elsewhere happenedwith the direct and active contributionsof Cuban musicians, AmericanJazzmusicians and Puerto Rican and otherLatin musicians in Ner,vYork. Unfortr-r-

N

nately, the United States severed allinteraction and exchange with Cubaback in the early sixties and this led totwo separate tracks of development inAfro-Latin music-what was takingplace in NewYork and the Caribbeanwith Salsa and other related styles, andwhat was continuing in Cuba. For thelast thirty years the paths didn't reallymeet except for the few musicians thatwere already in the United States, orthose who chose to leave Cuba, andwho were steeped in the Cuban folk-loric styles. \Alhile significant developments continued in the United Statesduring this period, many very significantones took place in Cuba over the lastthirty years. This brings us full circleback to the point of origin of most ofthese musical styles.

The further development of thedance (Son) styles described earliercontinued in Cuba, but what happenedthere that didn't happen here in theU.S. was that many of the folkloric stylesthat were earlier described as eclectichave been incorporated into much ofthe mainstream music. This has led tonew approaches to those older s$rles aswell as the birth of many new ones. Ithas also led to new approaches on thetraditional percussion instruments aswell as adaptations of many of therhythms and percussion styles on thedrum set. Furthermore, many Cubanmusicians have managed to keepabreast of many of the significantdevelopments, musicians, and comPos-ers ofJazz, Rock, Funk and Fusionstyles, and integrated some of thoseelements with the folkloric Cubanstyles. It seems that many Cuban musi-cians are much more familiar with ourmusical vocabulary than we are withtheirs. This has led to many innovative

and unique approaches to the drumset, percussion, and really all instru-ments, as well as composition andarranging styles. Fortunately, throughtouring in other nations and a commit-ted following of this music, manyAmerican as well as European musi-cians have kept abreast of the furtherevolution of these styles and the musi-cians and ensembles responsible forthem. A new awareness and interest inthis folkloric Cuban music is very muchalive. As the influence of Afro-Latinmusic and the current interest in theculture and traditions of the folkloricstyles continues to grow, we can safelyexpect to see the continuing trend ofthis music as one of the most evolvingand influential musics in the world.Along with the present-day globalembracing of music from other regionsof Africa, the world's entire musicalcommunity will undoubtedly hear stylescontinue to evolve and develop.

In summary, it would be impossibleto list all of the musical styles of Cubaand the Caribbean and present theirprecise origins and development, asmany are even unknown. To present indetail those that are known wouldrequire a multi-volume work and alifetime of study. While I encourage thein-depth research and study of theculture and its many different musicalstyles, the purpose of this presentationis to learn the most popular andinfluential of the rhythms, songstylesand percussion instruments, and how toapply them in your musical situations;so we move ahead to the musicalexamples. For those interested infurther study and research there is a listof reading material and other resourcesat the end of the book.

25

Gult of Mexica

- __

Province of

--- -------j\ Ya@le

\ chtnnel

u=-xtco ,/

( Haiti

ru. . )

-\J-'

Trrn porro\,\''rNc N,IAPS sHo\\, Cuee.

rrru CenrngEAN, AND orHER REGTONS

op LerrN Alrpnrce lNl Alnrce rHAT

ARE RELEVANT TO THE MATERIAI, PRE-

SENTED IN THIS BOOK. IP YOU \\' 'ERE TO

do further research on these musicalstyles and cultures, you cor-rld pick anyof the highlighted regions in Africa andwork towards the regions in Latin

America and the Caribbean or start inLatin America and lvork backwards.Either way you look, you'll find that allof the regions shown h61s-2nd rrr2n.others not shown, (since Europe shorticbe included here, particularly Spainand Portugal)-have common threadsrunning through much of their musica-cultures.

cufi al Mexi@

JAMACAAl- Republic

g.vtrcew a*o J

BUIilF

HONOUFAS

,.:1

i q Laerden d,eua

Nailh Pacltic Ocean

Cafibben Sea

coLoMBrA )"w$!"L,--,r;-"-lt\

76

r'

How you sHouLD APPRoACHLEARNING THIS MATERIAL DEPENDS

LARGELY ON YOUR TECHNICAL PROFI-

CIENCY ON THE PERCUSSION INSTRU-

MENTS AND DRUM snr, and on whetheror not- you have any prior exposure tothese styles. It should go withoutsayrng, but I'll say this anyway: Youhave to have your basics down beforeyou can make this material soundright. Learn your basic hand and sticktechniques, coordination, foot tech-nique, reading, counting in varioustime signatures, and more than any-thing, work on your time . Without thetime you have nothing!

ffyou are primarily a drum set player,you should focus on learning the percus-sion instruments and rhythms first. Asmentioned earlier, the more you canincorporate and draw from the percus-sion and traditional rhythms, the moreyou will play the style with an authenticsound. \Alhen you're actually playing, thechoice becomes yours, but having thisknowledge under your belt will enableyou to play this way if you want or needto. If you are primarily a percussionist,then you may already know some or all ofthe material in the first part. You shouldreview it and then work on the drum set.If you don't have basic drum set skills, youmay need to do some other technicalstudies since some of this materialrequires a considerable degree of hand-foot coordination and stick technique.

If you already play on an intermedi-ate to advanced level, you should getfamiliar with this material from a moretraditional perspective. Practice it,memorize the patterns, and practiceimprovising with it. Get recordings-there is suggested listening throughoutthe text-and learn how this materialrvorks in the actual music. Your next

priority should be to find plalnngsituations where you can apply thismaterial.

If you are more of a beginner or arecoming to this music for the first time,my advice is to get a good teacher toguide you. If you don't know how thismaterial is supposed to sound, youneed someone to hear you play andtell you if you're on the right track. Itis also very important that you listen torecordings of these styles. The record-ing provided with this book should beyour primary guide for how theseexamples should sound. Next, listen tohow these rhythms take place in actualrecordings and live performance.

A few things to keep in mind: Themusic itself will almost always tell youwhat can and should be played. Hence,patterns, variations, and articulations-other than those in this book-willenter into the picture. In an improvisa-tional idiom, other factors-particu-larly those of interplay between themusicians-will also dictate what toplay. However, many situations willaccommodate and may even requirethe types of rhythms presented here sothese should be memorized as thebasics. Listen to the recording pro-vided and as many recordings and liveperformances as you can, and findperformance situations in which youcan apply this material. Your actualplaying and experimentation will beyour best learning experience. Whenyou do get an opportunity to play thismusic with people who really know it,keep your eyes and ears wide open.These will be your most valuable lessons.Pick their brains whenever the situationallows. \Arhen practicing, think music notexercises. \A/hat you're striving forprimarily is a good authentic feel.

28

PARI I

79

The fottowing is o /ist of the more common percussion instruments from Cubo. You must be

completely fomilior with these instruments to funaion in ensernbles thot ploy Cubon styles.

Some of these instruments ore olso referred to by other nomes. Some of these olternote nomes

ore listed in the glossory.

I

CIove

Guiro

Morocos

Cowbells

l. Guotaco

2. ComponolCencerro -

3. Mambo Bell -

4. Cho-Cho Bell -

5. Chorongo Bell -

6. Sortenes

7. Broke Drums -

7. Agogo Bell -

Congas-Tumbodoros -

l. Quinto

2. Segundo

3, Tumbo

Bongos

Poir of potished wooden sticks used to ploy the rhythm coiled Aave'

Scrotcher mode from o gourd ond ployed (scroped) with o stick to

produce rhythm. The Dominicon (Merengue) version, the Guiro, is

mode of metol ond scroped with a metal Afro<omb.

Poir of dried hide or gourd rottles filled with pebbles, seedt or rice

used to produce rhythm.

Ihe predecessor of the cowbell, it is o hoe blade struck with o lorge

noil or spike.

Also called the Bongo Bell or Hond Bell, it is the bell ployed by the

Bongo ployer during the Montuno section of on orrongement ond

mounted ond ployed by the Polito player during some Rurnbos.

The lorge mounted bell on the Timbales ployed for the Mombo style

ond during the Montuno section of orrongements.

The smoll bell mounted on the timboles ond used for the Cho-Cho,

Guojiro, ond similor styles.

Ihe smollest of the mounted timbole bells, tt is used for the "Tipico"

Charango style.

A poir of metol pons (frying pans) welded together and used os bells by

the Comparsos during the Cubon Cornovol.

Auto broke drums used os metolpercussion sounds by the Comporsos

in the Cuban Cornivol.

Smo/l be//s welded together on o flexible metol rod troditionolly used by

the Comporsas during the Cubon Carnovol.

Note: Ihe nomes of eoch individuol drum sometimes vories within

difltrent sty/es.

The highest-pitched ond smo/lest of the set of three drums. The solo

drum in Rumba and other folkloric ensembles.

The middle-size ond middle-pitched drum of the set of three congos. It

is colled the lres Golpes in the Rumbo.

Ihe lorgest and lowestpitched of the set of three drums.

Poir of smoll high-pitched drums emonoting from the Chongui ond Son

trodition os the originol drurn of these sryles.

Poir of tunoble drums mounted on o stond ond ployed with thin dowels

ond some hond (finge) strokes, developed in Cubo but emanating

from the European tymponi ond Timboles Criollos brought to Cubo

after the Hoition revolurion of 179 L Ihe set almost olwoys includes

30

Timbales

Timbolitos

Timbolones

Cuchoras

Palitos

Gua-Guo

Quijado

Tomboro

Cajones

Coscorq

Bat6 Drums

I. ly6

2.lt6tele

3. Ok6nkolo

Sheke16

Cuotro

Botijo

cowbells, woodblocks, ond o cymbol.

Like the tirnboles but smoller ond higher pitched. Usuolly odded to the

larger poir of timboles to moke o set of four ond used mostly for

soloing ond improvised voriotions.

Like the tirnboles but lorger in diometer ond with o dee1er shell' They

con be tuned much lower and odded to o regulor poir for o set offour

or tuned on the higher side ond witt provide o much bigger sound thon

the regulor poir. Used mostly in lorger orchestros.

The boss drum. Also the nome of the second note of 3-2 Rumbo

clove-the "ond" of beat two.

olJ. OLJ. )l] J J rllLiterotty o poir of spoons originolly used to play Rumbo ond other

folkloric styles.

Poir of sticks os wel/ os the rhythm played by the sticks. fhe sticks ore

used to ploy the GuoGuo.

A thick bamboo log mounteid on o stond ond ployed with the Palitos'

Used to accompony the Rumbo ond other folkloric styles'

The jowbone of o donkey or mule ptayed by hitting the lower part of

the jowbone ogoinst the top and producingthe clottering sound' Used

for percussive effea ond punauoting possoges. Predecessor ofthe

p resent-doy V ib r o-SloP.

Two-heoded borrel-shoped drum of the Merengue style of the Domini-

con Republic. Either hung around the ployer's neck or ploced on the

lop ond ployed with one stick and the hond.

wooden boxes originolly used to play the Rumbo ond other folkloric styles.

Nome of the shelt of the timboles, the term used to describe ploying on

the shell os well os the nome of the rhythm ployed on the shelL Also

referred to as Poilo.

Two-heoded hourgloss-shop ed Socred drums originoting from the

Yoruban peop/e of Nrge rio ond used for Sonterio ceremonies'

The lorgest ond lowestlitched of the three Botd drums ond the leqd

drum of the ensernble.

The middle-size ond middte-pitched drum of the three Bot6 drums'

fhe smollest and highest pitched of the three Botd drums'

Lorge gourds (colobosh) with beods wropped oround them ond ployed

by shoking, rottling, ond striking the bose of the gourd' In the Yorubo

trodition olso colled Agb6. Originolly also called Guiros, they were

instruments used in the rhythm colled Guiro.

Form of the guitor with a smoller body ond three sets of two strings'

The originol Tres hod three sets of three strings. fhe tuning is G below

middle C. middle C ond the G obove.

Similor to the fres but hoving four sets of two strings' More indigenous

to Puerto Rico.

Clay jug used to import olive oil to the "New World" regions by the

Sponish. Itbecome one of the eorly boss instrurnents of the Son

troditions.

Large wooden box with o hole and a katimbo-like thumb piano piaceC

over the hole. The originol boss instrurne nt of the Chongui ond So" '

ond currentlv still used bv the troditionol Chongui ensemb/es'

Morimbulo

3l

I

You uev HAVE To ACqUAINT YouR-

SELF WITH SOME CONCEPTS THAT MAY BE

UNFAMILIAR IN ORDER TO GET THE RIGHT

souND. Soun eru oF A TEcHNICAL

NATURE, others are more interpretive.

\Alhen you strike a drum' or any Partof a drum set or percussion instrument,

you have at least three considerations

that will affect the tJpe of sound you'll

get. One is what part of the stick you

are playing with-the tip, the shoulder,

or the butt end. The second is what

type of stroke You use-an uPstroke,

downstroke, open stroke, dead-sticking

stroke, accented, unaccented, loud,

soft, or ghosted. Third is what part of

the surface you strike. Virtually any part

of the instrument can be played-notjust the usual parts. Try experimenting

with this. You may hear yourself playing

sounds you've never played before.

Getting the right sound and feel in

these styles requires the use of these

various stroke tFpes-particularly dead-

sticking, use of the shoulder of the stick

on the ride cymbal or hihat, and rim

shots and buzz strokes.

The same m1'riad of sounds are

available on instruments that you play

with your bare hands. The shape of your

hand, what part of the hand strikes the

surface, and what part of the surface you

play all create different sounds. It is

necessary to develop control of all the

various sounds in order to make the

patterns you play feel right and to have a

broad variety of sounds at your disposal.

In terms of musical concePts' the

way you feel and play each particular

sn4e rvill be different, but there are

some general things common to manv

Afro-Cuban styles-or at least to styles

of a given region. Styles played with the

Son Clave (i.e. Sakastyles), while they

may be different song forms, share

certain characteristics between them, as

do folkloric styles played with the

Rumbaclave (i.e. Rumbastyles). This

holds true for styles played with the two

I Claves as well. There will be more

specific details on each style in its

respective chapter, but here are some

general feel factors to keep in mind'

It is important to feel the Pulsecorrectly before actually playing any-

thing. Duple meter styles are either felt

infour: cl ) ) ) J ll (Cha-Cha, Guajira,

Bolero) ; in tuo: 0l J J l l (Mambo' Son);

or in one:01 . l l (some Rumba stYles,

even though the Pulse is in two, are

actually felt in one). This is also the

case for most styles played with two I

Claves. Additionall/, styles in com-

pound (most commonly triple) mete,r

must be felt in a way that you can feel as

well as project both theduqle and triple

phrasing-feeling this: $ | .l-fl Jfl ll ano

inis: ! | n nll simultaneously. This also

holds true for some styles in duple meter

because the simultaneous articulation of

the duple and triple meter is one of the

fundamental rhlthmic elements in many

of these songstyles-both in the "writ-

ten" parts as well as in improvisation'

There is another Primary rhlthm to

learn to feel both infourand in two.

Following is the same rhythmic inflection

written in both in duple and triple meter:

DupkMetere or 0l i . J . l I t . J. i l l ;Tr ipteMarngl ] )1. l . ) t . l l .Practice feeling a basic pulse and sort of

32i;il1

"falling" into this note. Once the pulseis firmly established inside your body,you must focus on the feel of each style.Phrasing certain parts in a very "laid

back" or very "on top" way, or slurring a

group of notes in the plaYing of a

rhythm, are all integral to the correctinterpretation of each style. It is also

very important to develop the ability tohear all parts, as well as their variations

and improvisations, while playing yours

and interacting with the ensemble.

The clave rhythm also presents a set of

notes to bear in mind for phrasing' In the

Son clave there are three combinations to

be particularly aware of. Thae sa'mz cancepts

ako apply to the $ counterpart of this claae.

The first is the Bombo Note:

0l J. ( ) )J J l l J J i l l . This isthenote emphasized bY the bass drum in

the Rumbastyles. This note is also

sometimes played on each of the two

bars of the clave phrase as follows:

0l l. J. t I l. J. t l l. Whether it is actually

stated or not, it is alwaYs felt.

The second is the Ponche ltlots'

0 l J. JLJ (J) l t J J i 1 l ' Thisnoteisa

strong target point used both as a ca-

dence or a beginning or takeoffpoint for

phrases. It is also a prevalent accent point.

The last is the following combination:

0l J. (J. J) l t J J l l l ' I t issomet imes

called the "conga" or "tumba6." This

functions like the Ponche ly'ole does alone,

but nowwith a lead-in from the "and" of

beat two. It is also a prevalent rhythmic

combination in the general phrasing.

The Rumbaclave also has several

combinations to be particularly aware of,

some identical to the Son clave. These

same concepts aP\ll to the $ counterpart of this

claae as well.The first is the Bombo Note

0l J. ( ) )J. ) l l J J t l l , thenoteemphasized by the bass drum and

sometimes played on each of the two

bars of the phrase dePending on the

stvle being played. Wethn actually stated

or not, it is alwa$ felt.

The second is the lasl note of the -fintbar$l) . JLJ. ( ) ) l f J J I l l ' Thisnoteis a strong target point used both as acadence for phrases, a beginning or ,takeoff point, and a prevalent accent. It

also must "layjust right" for the rhvthmto swing correctly.

The last is the combination:

Ol J. (J)-.1. )) | t J J i ll. This func-tions the same as the "tumba6" in theSon clave, and is also a prevalent rhythmin the general phrasing.

Keep in mind that the Son clave:

0l J. ( ) )J J l l J J I levolvedfromthisclavevar iat ion:$l . l ) rJ l rJ J. l i ,and in like fashion, t]l,e Rumba clave:

0l J. JLJ. ) l r J J t , l l evolvedfromthis clave var iat ion: $ lJ ) l )1r. t .1. l lThis is a very important relationship.The real phrasing of these claverhythms is not a strict interpretation of

either of these notations. It actually falkin the cracks between the two, with the

duple and triple rhythm haPPeningsimultaneously as mentioned earlier.

When playng any pattern, be aware

of how each note is supposed to sound,both in terms of how it is struck-andits resulting tonal quality-as well as its

placement in the time. No pattern consists

of notes which are all struch the same' ltis a

combination of different stroke t'?es-

some accented, some ghosted, somedead strokes, and the like. There is also

a certain slur to some groups of notes. a

way of stretching the timz that you must

become completely familiar with.

One of the easiest ways to immediatelr

start phrasing traditionally in any sb'le is

to learn its cliches. These are tyPicalpatterns that you hear played constanth'

in a given style. Memorize these, leam

how and where they are used, and lrork

them until you've personalized them.

Through the listening 1'ou'11 do to learrr

the cliches,you'Il graduallv begin buildinqyour own stylisric r,ocabulan''

33

fgure I

"La CLAVE Es LA LLAvE, LA LLAvEES LA cLAvE.,, TrrE crevE, IS THE KEY,THE KEY IS THE CLAVE. TTTTS STATNMENT

BASICALLY SUMS UP THE ROLE OF THERHyTHM cALLED Cr-avn in Afro-Latin

music. The word clave literally means"key" in Spanish and this is preciselywhat the claue rhythm is-the rhythmickey and fundamental building block ofall of the Afro-Cuban songsqdes. Thevarious clave rhythms are played on theinstrument also called clave. This is apair of sticks Qftgure 1) made from awide variety of woods-sometimes verycarefully crafted and polished andsometimes just thrown together to sen/ethe purpose of playing the rhythm. To"play clave" means to play the rhvthm aswell as the instrument. If the instru-ment is not available, then the rhythmis played on virtually any wood sound.

One stick is held in one hand with thehand cupped (f,gure 2).The cupping ofthe hand acts as a resonance chamber. Bynot grasping the clave with the fingers,the sound will not be choked. Thenatural sound of the wood should echo.The other hand holds the other stick andstrikes the rhythm against the first.

To many students of this music theclave rhythm is the great enigma. There

figure 2

is so much terminology and informa-tion that has come to be associated wittrit-much of it erroneous or at bestunclear-that it seems to confuse ratherthan to aid in understanding it. Tofurther compound matters, it is also atopic of contention between cultures orschools of playing certain styles, eachmaintaining that theirs is the "right" wal-and that others simply don't know hon-to "play in clave." This makes it evenmore difficult to get clear information.

The concept of Clave (both therhythm and the instrument) has de-scended from generation to generationthrough various African cultures, andits influences can be found in all musicwhere African culture has had a pres-ence. It is present in the Spanishrhythms of the flamenco s\tles, (pre-dating any New World explorations b.r-the Spanish), and in practically all ofCentral and South American andCaribbean musical styles. Because thedevelopment of styles in the Caribbeanand Latin America developed throughthe integration of the African and theSpanish, the clave's significant presence isa given.

In Afro-Cuban music, as we knorv ittoday and have known it for ser-eral

34

decades, there are four clave rhythms,two in duple meter, i o.0, and two in

$ meter. The two variations in duplemeter are called the Claae de Son andthe Claue d,e Rumba. Each of these has aparallel version in $ making up the fourclave rhythms. The two $ uariations are thepredecessors of the Son and Rumba claaes.The Claae de Son and the Claue de Rumbaemanated from the two $ patterns. Inthis text we'll be dealing with these fourclave patterns and examining how theyfunction in musical styles-in ensembleperformance as well as in compositionand arranging-and how to "PlaY inthem." To better understand this, it isfirst necessary to look at some theory, aswell as examine the origins and develop-ments of these rhythms into the formsand applications that exist today. Hope-fully, through this methodical break-down, any mysteries about the clave andits functions will be cleared up.

We'll begin with the two ! claves.Starting with a string of eighth notes (in

$ ) along with some accents, we'll derivea specific rhythmic pattern (commonlyknown as the Afro $ bell pattern) andthe two Ivariations. (Note: This is notto say that these two clave patternsdefinitively came from this bell Patternnor vice-versa-although this is prob-ably the case. This is also not to say thatthis is the definitive origin of clave-although some version of this scenarioled to its inception. Since this pattern isa familiar one to many musicians andcorrelates so fully with the clave pat-terns, it provides a solid starting pointto illustrate specific concepts andfundamentals of the four claves we'll beworking with.) This bell pattern ispresent in many African rhythm styles.In Cuba it is used in Batd drummingtraditions as well as in many other !rhythm styles, and was originally playedon the Guataca-a hoe blade-struckwith a large nail or metal spike in stylessuch as the Bemb6. Rumba Columbirt'andmany others. (More on all of this later.)Now look at the following examples:

gLlth Note Accents

@with BosicBell Pottern

The accent Pattern in the string ofeighths above spelled out the basic bell

pattern. Notice that the notes in this

basic pattern are the notes of the twoclave patterns. The difference betweenthe two claves is in the notes on beats 5and 6-one clave uses the first of thefivo notes and the other the second.(Note: Eaen though ue are looking at this

"in six," i.t is not felt or played this way.We'lI get to the pulse shortly. For now just

mahe sure you understand how the notes la1.The rest of Lhe notes are exart$ the same.)Play the bell pattern in one hand andeach of the clave patterns in the other.Make sure you understand the relation-ship between these two parts and canplay them together smoothly.

35

I aove 2

\ I\\

Next we move to the Son and RumbaClaves. We'll use the same approach toarrive at these. In the following examplesnotice how the duple meter eighth noteshave the same accent relationship as theones in $. The same is the case with theAfro $ bell pattern and the duple meterpattern. This relationship between thetriple and duple rhythms is very signifi_

As with the $ clave examples, all ofthe notes are in the bell pattern and theonly difference between the two clave

cant so make sure you understand thisclearly. Although we are now looking a:this "in theory," in actual performaniethe simultaneous coexistence of thesetwo rhythms (three and fwo, or threeand four) forms the fundamentalcompound meter relationship that ispart of the essence of this music.

rhythms is one note. The first exampleis the Son clave and the second theRumba clave.

36

With all of these rhythms now estaLrlished, let's look at one final butveryimportant relationship-that of the $claveswith the corresponding Son and Rumbar,ariations. After snrdying the previousexamples, and when you take note of howthe rhythms line up, it is easy to see howone pattern relates to, and evolved from,

the other. Again, there is the compoundmeter relationship shown on the previ-ous page (with the eighth notes and thebell patterns). Also keep in mind thatthough this looks one way when notated,in actual playrng the interpretation ofthe rhythms falls somewhere "in thecracks" between the two meters.

With all four clave patterns nowestablished, let's look at how they arefelt and played. This is the next impor-tant element to grasp-the pulse. There

are two basic pulses to practice playingthese rhythms with: "in one" and "in

two." To play these patterns "in one"means to play one pulse, or beat, Perbar. The following example shows oneof the two $ claves and the rumba clave

with a pulse "in one". Notice thatregardless of which clave you play, thepulse stays the same and the feel of thepulse stays the same. The only differ-ence between the two is that in the firstset you have six subdivisions (notes) foreach pulse, and in the second you haveeight. The eighths are shown under-neath each set of examples to make thismore clear.

trFl"trc Ptlt"-% one"-one pulse (beot) per bor.

Practice plapng the clave as well asthe eighth notes while tapping a strongsingle pulse per bar. Practice thefollowing: Play the clave or eighths withone hand and tap the pulse with the

other. Next, play the rhythms with the

hands and play the pulse with your feet.Work on making this groove thenpractice going from one clave to theother and back without disrupting thegroove. Do the same thing with theother two clave patterns.

37

iosic Pufse -3\n 1v16"-1wo Pu'ses (beots) Per bar'

The following examPles show the

pulse "in two"-two beats per bar'

Again, keeP in mind that the Pulse

" ' 'E$j ) t )1?i J 1l

The previous tlvo examples show the

fundamintal pulses of this music' The

only remaintng basicpulse would be "in

four." This is used for the slower Son

styles like Cha-Cha and Guajira, but

once the first two are grasped playing

"in four" is relatively simple' All other

more comPlex (comPound) struc- .tures-tlvo against three, three agarnst

four, eight a[ainst thlss-21s derived

from these bisic rhythms and the first

two basic Pulses.

The following examples illustrate

the most fundamental comPound

oulses-that of two and three and three

and four. Note that they are actually

present in the patterns already' These

e*amples show a written comPound

pulse or PolYrhYthm which can be

otuv"d verbatim' But keep in mind that

inii a.tpt. and triple meter relationship

doesn't change as you move from trip't

to duple meter and back. Practice thet*

in thssame way as the last set of examporo"

exists in all aspects of this music, both --

in the specific instrumental parts as \\c'1"

as in the variations and improvisation'

In the first examPle we have the fir::-

of the two $ claves (along with one note

added at the end, creating another

common $ bell pattern which is based

on a subdivision of three even notes Pc :

measure). It is shown with the pulse "ir-

two." This establishes a "three over tlro

compound Pulse' In the second ex-

u-pi" the "tlvo" pulse is subdivided in

trati. ttris establishes a "three over four-

compound Pulse. Both of these are

extremelY common in this music'

Practice playrng these between your

hands as well as between Your hands

and feet. Start by repeating only one

measure and then work towards playint

the two-measure Phrase.

''

With the foundation of the fourclave rhythms now established, we'll

introduce more specifics about each

and examine how they are applied in

actual musical situations. But beforedoing so let's look at some importantaspects common to all four types. The

clave is a two bar phrase with threenotes in one bar and two in the other'The bar with the three notes is referredto as funte----strong-and the bar with

the two notes is referred to as debil-weak. The two bar patterns maintaintwo conceptual qualities to be aware of.

First, the strong and weak bars establish

a pattern of tension and resolution-the three side creates an "up" and the

two side "brings it down." Second, the

three side and the two side set uP a

pattern of call and response-the three

side calls, the two responds. This in

itself is a tension-resolve pattern. Before

moving further, go back and play each

pattern bearing this in mind and feel

this effect in the rhythms. Keep in mind

that this isn't rhythmic theory. If youhad never been specifically told this,butjust played the pattern and main-

tained an awareness for how it feek to

play it, you wouldy'elthis-maybe not

in these terms, but you'd know it by feel

and that's all that matters. Rememberto establish a strong pulse in your body

before plapng the pattern.

Continuing rvith the two-bar phraseidea, most of the instrumental patternsplaved in this strle are trvo-bar phrasesrepeated as timekeeping patterns. (If

they're one-bar phrases then there issome rhythmic turnaround that putsthem with the clave somervhere alongthe line.) As I'm sure you've heard, eachpattern must sync with the clave. Hou'do you do this? No problem! There issomething specif ic in each instrument 'spattern that not only makes it sync withthe respective clave rhythm, but eachinstrument's pattern maintains thesame call-and-response tension-resolvecharacteristics in and of itself, as de-scribed in the previous paragraph .Consequently, there is a key element ineach instrument's rhythm that tells youhow it syncs with the clave-melodiesincluded. Therefore, in learning anypattern it's important to know not onlythe pattern and its correct interpreta-tion, but what element in the patterncreates this sync with the clave. Whileyou'll learn this through studying, alsotry to develop-and then rely on-yourmost basic instinct of feelwhen you play.Chances are you'lI be much closer withthis than with analysis. Let's look at onefinal and important topic before gettingspecific about each clave rhythm. This isprobably the grzyest area for most people.

ln the course of teoching these styles I consistent/y heor the following guestions:

l. Whot is 3-2 and 2-3 clave?2. How is one or the other estob/ished?3. Whot determines the direaion to begin with?4. Does it olways stoy the sdme once o direction is estob/ished?

5. Why does it sound likeone section of a piece is in 3-2 and onother in 2-3?

6. Are the Son ond Rumba cloves interchongeoble?7. How do I know which one to use28. Con I reolly get lots of hot dotes playing the clove?

9. So how do I lookploying these things?

i

I3ej

rI

Ihe onswers to olt of these questions ore reolly quite simple:

l .Thesomerhythmployedstort ingoneitherthef i rstorsecondbor '2. By the orrongement of o Piece.3. The melody.4. Yes, in troditionol orrongements.

5. Becouse you're not fomilior with it'

6. Sometimes.7. The porticulor style ond ensemble determine this'

8. Yes but the leod singer will olwoys get more'

9. Very cool butyour steps cou/d use some work'

Now that that's all cleared up we'll

get into a little more detail. The topic

"t Z-Zversus 2-3 clave requires expla-

nation from a couPle of different

perspectives. Working from the

traditional to the contemporary we'll

examine the concePt thoroughlY'

Traditionally speaking there is really

no such thing as 3-2 ot 2-3 clave' The

clave rhythm is the clave rhythm and

starts from the beginning, (the bar with

the note on beat one), con[inues this

way throughout, and the music is

played with al l the parts corresponding

in itt. way they should' So one can safely

assume that the clave exists in only one

direction and never changes and if you

were dealing exclusively with folkloric

songstyles this would be true and correct'

For examPle, a traditional Rumbaor

Bala ensemble is never going to say'

"...lets play this tune. Should we do it in

3-2 or 2-3?" for the simple reason that

the tune only works one wa,i-with the

clave, and the tune, and the rhYthmic

parts all starting at the beginning, and

lverything syncing with the clave' The

thing that becomes confusing for the

unfamiliar ear is that even though every

part has a beginninu, it doesn't ctlluay^stan

playing at its beginning; and so if

there are staggered entrances ofthe

instruments or vocal or melodY and

harmony parts, or a PIaYer comes in

halfivay through the first or second bar

of a pattern, or enters with an impro-

vised I'ariation, the unfamiliar ear

sometimes interPrets this as a new

clortnbeat. ol a prilse not being rvhere it

really is. This then is believed to be 2-3

instead of 3-2 or something of the sort'

This is simply not the case and through

assimilation of these styles this will (or

should) no longer haPPen. There is

nothing wrong with being at this stage

when yon ut" first learning a style' Justkeep in mind how critical it is to have

this information straight and try to

develop the right concepts and use the

correct terminologY.

However, once commercial arrang-

ing-especially for popular dan ce-of

these folkloric and other styles came

about with the Sorz and Charanga

groups, and also mixed wfiltjazzand,

ottrei idioms, the concept of 3-2 and

2-3 began defining itself'

Let's continue with the traditional

area and examine another quest ion:

Does the music determine the positiotl

of the clave or the clave of the music?

This is really a variation of the old

"which came first, the chicken or the

egg?" question, and I really hate this

q.t"ttio.t since it requires some philo-

sophical speculation, and nothing

selves the purpose of creating confu-

sion morelhan phi losophical specula-

tion, but here goes. I'll give a four pafi

answer with three of the four Partsbeing pretty easy-meaning they won t

subject me to the wrath of an angered

Inspector Clave from the Clave Police-

and the third being the philosophical( i .e. confusing) one: up for as m.an)

interpretations as there are muslclans'

40

Part I: \\4een traditional, folkloricensembles develop or create newmaterial it is based on traditions andthese traditions are strictly adheredto-whether consciously or not. Thesetraditions are ingrained in these musi-cians and in this case it can be said thatthe clave (and the tradition) is deter-mining the music (melody) and henceall of the other parts. Let's look at acouple of examples of folkloric-type

melodies to illustrate this. Note thatexample 7 is written with Sozl clave andexamble 2with Rumbn,clave. In the caseof both of these melodies, either onecould be played with either clave, butthat's not always so and which one touse has to do with the ensemble that'splaying, the style being played and thecomposition itself. Notice how therhythm of the melody syrcs with therhvthm of the clave.

4l

Notice that each of the two previousexamples is a four bar phrase repeated,and note how everything begins andcontinues completely aligned. Now, thisis not to be interpreted as a musicalstyle in which the rules of clave create astrict and inflexible scenario and thateverything is always in two-bar phrasesand completely square. Quite thecontrary, this music is steeped in impro-visation and personal interpretation.It's just done within the context of theclave and the resulting vocabulary. Let'stake the second example from theprevious page and assume that this isthe beginning of the tune (the

melody), and let's assume that theensemble (in this case percussion) wasplaying for eight bars before themelody entered. Let's also say that thesinger would take the melody andrephrase the rhythm so that he entersbefore the downbeat shown in theprevious example. There are no pickupnotes added (though this could also bethe case); only the melody notes arerephrased. Let's say he starts on theeighth bar-one bar before what'swritten in the previous example. Thenhis melodywould look like the follow-ing. The rhythms are phrased to syncwith the clave.

tGlE

o7t7

nt t ^ ,^^

'71

) )

Notice that the tune remains in theoriginal clave position. Also notice thatin bar six the rhythm is varied again.(These variations take place in all theinstruments within the confines of agiven songstyle.) Now, just because themelody entered in the second bar ofthe two-bar clave phrase, that doesn'tnow make it the first bar of the phraseof the tune. Let's say that now this eight-bar melody is repeated again. Thesecond time it repeats, the singer couldchoose to sing the rhythms of theexample from the previous page or anyother interpretation as long as it linesup rr.ith the clave. So the conclusion:

This is what I mean bv the clave (and

the tradition) dicuting the music. Theclave rhythm existed long before thesemelodies came to be, since it hasexisted for generations, and I wrotethese melodies two minutes ago, but Iwas writing in the Rumba tradition sothe melodies had to work a certain way.Again, any one of a number of rhythmicinterpretations of this melody wouldwork. fu in any style, if you know it well,you have a lot of room to interpret.

Part II: When a composer or playerdecides to write, arrange or perform anew piece in the Latin commercial/dance

42

tradition (as in Salsa), then thosetraditions are adhered to. But the

composer may well create a piece that,

by uirtue of the rhythm of the rnelody, dic-

tates that the clave be played in 3-2 or

2-3, whichever the case may be. Let'slook at a couple of examples to illus-trate this. The rhythm of the melody ofexam,pLe 4, in and of itself, without any

arrangement for an ensemble, specificalhoutlines 3-2 clzve. Exampk 5, a shortexcerpt from a popular Cuban folksong, a Son called "El Maniser6"-"flsPeanut \,rgnds1"-specifi cally outlinesand implies 2-3 clave. Look at theseand the previous examples and takenote of how the rhythms of the melodyand the clave rhythm line up.

- l

€rrr-.F-ra--

AJ

n

7

) )

LJ

d/

n ) )

,.r

) )

THE PEANUT YENDOR(El Monisero)

Music by MOISES SIMONS@ 1928 Edword B. Morks Music Co. (Renewed)

A[ Rrghts Reserved Used by Pernission

{3

In an actual arrangement, the rhythmsection might play a rhythmic unison withthe three bars of introductory melodyand then play time when the melodystarts. Or it may play time from thebeginning for two bars, and then playthe rhythm of the third bar of the intro,and then play time again at the fourthbar with the melody. Or it may lay out

for the intro and make staggered en-trances, or whatever. A real arrangementwould be considerably more involvedbut regardless, the clave would work likethis. In exam.plc 7, we take a four-barrhythmic cliche and use it as the intro.duction. This rhytllm happens to imply2-3 so the whole thing starts and contin-ues in 2-3 when the melody enters.

lntro

AJ /

n ,L) - - )

f t -

-u

f l

) -^)

@ElMonisero(ThePeonutVendor)in2-3CIavewith4.borintro

THEPUNUT YENDOR(EIMonisero)

Music by MOISES S,A4ONS@ 1928 Edword B. Morl<s Music Co. (Renewed)

All Rrghts Reserved Used by Permission

So here's the conclusion to Part II.In this scenario the tradition is dictatingthe creation of the material, and this inturn is dictating the direction of the clave,and consequently of the entire ensemble.

the clave and the tradition, but there isstill the liberty-as in the examples inPafi II--+o decide which clave and whichclave direction to work with along withall of the other creative decisions.

Avery common practice amongboth Latin andJazz musicians is toadaptJazz standards to Latin idioms.Let's follow along this path with acouple of examples. Say you're in a Jazzgroup that wants to play some tunes in

Part III: When an arranger or anensemble decides to arrange or per-form or in some way adapt a piece thatdid not emanate from the Latin tradi-tion into one of the traditional styles,then the piece has to be molded to fit

A

r

oJ'

n L) )

1.

)--)

--r+

45

a traditional Latin groove. You're goingto take the tune "On Green DolPhin

Street" and arrange it so you can play it

l ike a Mambo or a Songo. The melodY

rhythms of the tune "Green Dolphin

Street" are not in and of themselves in

any clave, so you have to adjust the

rhythms of the melody-Part of the

arranging process-to put it in clave,

along with whatever introductions,interludes, and endings you arrange.

The resulting arrangement can be very

elaborate or it can be a quick throw-together. Here are two examples of "On

Green Dolphin Street." The first in 3-2

ON GREEN DOTPHIN STREETMusic bY BRON,SI,AU ,CAPER

A1947 (Renewed 1975) METRO-GOLDWYN MEYER lNC.A//R'ghts Controlled by EMI FEIST CATALOG INC. (Publishing)

ond WARNER BROS. PUBLICATIONS lNC. (Print)A/l Rights Reserved

and the second in 2-3 clave. Once youknow the idiom, this is something youwould do naturally-just simply impro-

vise. Anyone in a band could startplayng a rhythm or the melody and

everyone would know how to play theirrespective parts. Or one person in theensemble might say "...let's play suchand such a tune in2-3," knowing that it

works well in that clave, or itjust may be

a preference, since it might workeither way if handled correctly, andeveryone knows what that means andhow to make it happen in that particu-lar clave.

46

Green DolPhin Street in 2-3 Clove

ON GREEN DOLPH'N STREETMusic bY BRON,SLAU

'CAPER@tg47 (Renewed t975) METRO-6OLDWYN MEyER INC'

Al,Rfhts Controlled by EMI FEIST CATALOG 'NC'

(Publishing)

ond WARNER BROS. PUBLICATIONS INC' (Print)A/,Rghts Reserved

So here's the conclusion to Part III:

In this tlpe of scenario, you basically

have the choice of not only the clave

direction but which clave-Son, Rumba

or $--andwhich of the manY rhYthm

styles you want to play the tune in' Tlt .

key here is that once you have established

whatyou are going to do, you then must

do it with all the elements of that particu-

lar tradition intact. In practical terms it is

perfectly all right to say "'..let's play . ̂iFootprints" as a Songo in 3-2'" But if

you say this just make sure you know .how to play Footprints, a Songo, and in

3-2 Clave. What You would notsaY is

"let's play a Rumba Ctuaguanc| in 12'"

This would be incorrect terminologr" and

worse yet an incorrect perception' since

Guaguanc6 and all its pars correspond

with the clave in a very specific rvar-and

it's not referred to as L2 or 2-3' So

unless you're referring to some nontrzdi-

tional adaptation, this would definitelv

get you a visit from Inspector Clave'

47

rt

Part IV: As you should see from theprevious examples, it's pretty clear whatthe role of the clave is in these variedscenarios. Nonetheless, there still seemsto be lots of room for discrepanciesabout clave and the approach to playingand writing in it. There is one majortopic that we didn't touch upon here butwill address in detail throughout laterparts of the book: improvisation. Whenyou improvise in any of these songstyles,your improvisation must also be in6l2ys-rnsnning your phrases, articula-tions, and cadences must slrlc with theclave. This is an area where big stanceshave been taken-probably becauseimprovisation is such an interpretive andsubjective thing that can be influencedby so many elements. Furthermore, eventhough I've defined very specifically thefunction of the clave in these examples,the first question was still not reallyanswered. Did the melody come fromthe clave or the clave from the melody? Iguess to really answer this you'd have tothink about generations-old Africans (orwhatever they were at that time in therelated regions) going about their daysand try to determine whether they sangfirst or clapped first, or did they kind ofslide into both simultaneously, and whenwas the rhlthm they were clapping ortapping actually identified as clave. Thevoice was really the first instrument andpercussion followed-by virtue ofstriking things in the environment. Thatis a fact. So it's logical to say the melodycame first, but I don't think anyone canreally answer this definitively nor do Ithink it happened like this. A saferspeculation is that it was more of anevolutionary process.

Dr. Fernando Ortiz, the foremostauthor, musicologist, and historian ofthe Afro-Cuban culture, says in hisauthoritative multi-volume work, laAfricania de La Musica Cubana, that theconcept of clave actually developed inCuba. One could certainly concur thatthe concept of clave as'it exists in Afro-Latin music developed in Cuba. But thereare manv African cultures whose music

contains some form of clave rhythm andinstrument, and they are not plapngAfro-Latin music. They're playing theirmusic and they were an original sourceof the Afro-Latin developments ages ago,so it might be safe to assume that thiselement was intact prior to their arrivalin the New World regions. This iscertainly not to disagree with Dr. Ortizbut only to point out the many views thatcan be taken on this subject and howunanswerable this part of the questionreally is. Fortunately, what you do needto know to play this music is very answer-able and is in this book, and it's waitingto be gotten to, so let's move forward.

On the more practical side, continuewith the following section to furtherhelp you get this clave business insideyou. Also practice playrng all of thepreceding clave patterns while tappingthe suggested pulses. It is essential thatyou can project a strong pulse. Ifyoudon't have a strong pulse and sense oftime fixed inside you, don't even startplaying-even if you can play in clave.There is one thing that supersedes theclave and that is the pulse. This musthappen before anything else. Focus onthis first and then start to work on thespecific rhythms. Play all of the rhythmsas written and then play them all againstarting on the second bar. This wayyou're covering practicing the clave inboth directions.

Also practice tapping the rhythms ofthe tunes with one hand while tappingthe clave with the other hand or yourfoot. Then play these tunes on somemelody instrumsnf-piano, guitar, horn,marimba-while tapping the clave withyour foot or free hand, or program theclave on your drum machine, or recordit somehow and play to it if you don't yethave the coordination to do both partsat once. While it's relatively easy to seethe rhythms line up on paper, its an-other to hear it and respond to it imme-diately in a musical situation. Now let'slook at some specifics of each of the fourclaves and some terminology.

48

The Son Clave came to exist with themusic of the Changuiand Son grouPs.Since-as mentioned in the BachgroundInformation section-the Son style is oneof the most influential in the develop-ment of Afro-Cuban music, it onlyfollows that all of the styles that werederived from the Son (and Charanga)styles use the Son Clave. Consequentlythe Guajira, Cha-Cha, Bolero, SonMontuno, Mambo and many others areall played with the Son Clave, althoughdepending on the arrangement and theensemble they might also be playedwith the Rumba Clave.

Here is the Sore Clave pattern writteninltinne and in the 3-2 position. It canalso be written in I time or f time. Youmust be able to feel and play it at temposfrom very slow to very fast and with boththe f and ! pulses-the slower stylesbeing in four and the faster in two.

There are several key points aboutthis clave that are important to know.

Beat two-and on the three side of theclave is called the Bombo (bass drum)note, as this is the note the bass drum ofthe Rumba styles emphasizes. (ThisBombo note element applies to all fourclave variations.)

Beatfru,rof the three side of the claveis called the Ponche (punch), as this noteis a strong accent point, take-off point,target point, and cadence point. Theseare both illustrated in exam.plz 1. (Thisalso applies to all four claves but func-dons differently in the other three. It is inthis clave that the Ponchewas defined.)

Exampb 2shows another key point tobe aware of. This is referred to as theConga rhyhm (by Dr. Fernando Ortiz),and it is also referred to as a tumbao--although the term tumba6 is also used asa name for a conga dmm pattern as wellas a generic term for a repetitive patternplayed by any rhlthm section instrument.Irrespective of the names, you must beaware of these aspects of the clave.

ffitr

IGM

These notes maintoinHere it is shown with

their function regardless of whieh position the clove is in.the clave written in the 2-3 position.

Congo orTumba6

Conga orTumbo6Bombo

49

The Rumba Clave developed withboth the secular and sacred styles ofCuban drumming but did not have apresence in popular dance music untilthe r g6os. Today it is the prevalentclave rhythm in most Rumba styles aswell as in many commercial and Latin

Jazz instrumental styles. It has onemajor rhythmic difference from the Sonclave in its delay of the last note of thethree side of the clave. But, while thislooks like a simple and subtle differ-ence notationally, it creates an entirelynew feel and swing to the clave rhythmitself, as well as the styles played with it.Rumba Clave (and the styles played withit) not only maintains many rhythmicconnections with is African I predeces-sors, but due to its unique swing, it hasalso been a takeoff point for many funkand related styles. Both the Son andRumba clave also have a strong pres-ence in the music of New Orleans

though not specifically treated as claverhythms. \,Vhile in some commercial orhybrid styles the Son and Rumba claverhythms may be interchangeable, intheir most traditional uses they are not.

Following is the Rumba Clave no-tated in both the 3-2 and 2-3 positions(examples 1 {t 2).The Bombo noteis t}:,esame-the and of two of the three side-but the ponche note is now delayed tothe and of four. This gives you the targetpoint atthe four andbwtthe ponche ofthe Son clave is the more traditionalponche. The Conga or Tumba6rhythmmentioned earlier also takes on anotherlight in the Rumba clave. While theConga rhythm from the Son clave is alsoused while in this clave, the use of the

four and,instead of the fourhas broughtabout a number of r.ariations. Furtherpoints about this last note of the three sideas well as other clave concepts will follow.

l#/,!@ naaa

In conclusion here are the twoAfrican $ clave variations. They are eachlisted in both the 3-2 and 2-3 positions.As mentioned previously, the functionof the Bombo note and other key points is

essentially the same in these patterns.Examptn J is the I parallel and predeces-^sor of the Son clave and example 4 is the Bparallel and predecessor of the Rumbaclave .

t #]@ il;@

50

Here we look at some other essentialareas related to the clave. First let'sfinish up on a couple of topics alreadypresented. With regard to the BomboNote,while we've already identified thisspecific note in each clave rhythm, keepin mind that the Bombo is an instrumentitself-the bass drum-and plays many

variations in its patterns in the varioussongstyles. These will be addressed at

length in the chapter on this instru-ment. -fhe Bombo note in the clavepattern is just one essential note that isnot only played by the bass drum bzl isan inflcction that can be articulated anfloremphasized 4 ony instrument, and it ckarlyidentifi,es the three side of the claue. Hereare the Sonand Rumba claves with theBombo note. The exact same thingapplies to the I claves.

lfiCtor" with Ponche Notes.' @rr"ve with Ponche Notes:

rFtD{

hjiltg

l r

I

| : \ l \ | |

L, r ; l . , . ) l lr t l

With regard to the Ponche Note,let'slook at three very common varieties-the first tlvo were already presentedwith their respective claves. The third iskind of a result of the first two and a

very common rhythmic inflection' All

three are used with the Son clave.Theoreticallv onlv the second and third

are used with the Rumba clave but allreally work with either clave if they'replayed correctly. They occur with beatfour. of the three side of the claveregardless of the position the clave isnotated or played in. Here they happento be notated in the 2-3 pbsition. Thesame applies to the two I claves.

5l

F

Let's look at one final set of rhyth-mic relationships to close this section.Looking once again at the basic Sonclave, we'll look at an alternate notationto arrive at another rhythm style andrhythmic articulation, and cover someterminology at the same time. Thefollowing example is the Son clavenotated in ! meter with the use ofbeams all the way through the threeside. The first bar of this clave is knownas the tresillo-the triplet. When written

in fr time it is not literally a triplet, butremember this clave's evolution fromthe $clave. The first three notes (firstbar) of that $ rhythm literally spell atriplet. A very common phrasing orarticulation in both the interpretationof written rhythms as well as in improvi-sation is to play between these twowritten rhythms so that the interpreta-tions are sometimes literal and some-times stretched or pulled so they're inthe cracks between the two.

@-TheTresitto

Iresillo

fillt -rhe cinquitto

Now let's take the bar line away andexamine another important phrasing to beaware of. This is still the exact same claverhythm, but now let's stretch and pull thingsout a little. If you stretch and try to place thenotes in an equally spaced fashion youtransition to this quintuplet.

Continuing with this transition, let's takethe same clave rhythm-again without thebar line-and stretch the notes so they lineup to create this next rhythm. This ! examplehas the bar line missing and is really two barslong, so let's make it a one bar rhythm in f.This rhythm is called the Cinquillo-thequintuplet-and if you stretch it when youplav it, it may sound like a quintuplet or itmav be phrased somewhere in between theeven and odd groupings.

t2

Since everything in this style must work inclave and the clave is a two bar rhythm, let'sput this back into a two bar phrase. Here aretwo notations. The rhythm is still referred toas the Cinquillo, but it also clearly outlinesthe three side of the clave. Listen for it in therhythmic phrases of all instruments andmelodies. You'll hear it constantly.

This Cinquillo is part of the Baqueteo thattbe Timbalero plays in the songstyle calledDanz6n (to be discussed in its own section).Here is the basic pattern.

,n?,[IJ-f] I - i l

rn?,lTy.l l,trl J-l l l

This concludes the section on theclave. A tremendous amount of infor-mation was presented here and thissection is the key to your understanding

and playing this music correctly. Studyit and practice it carefully. May the claaebe zaith you and more importantly, mqy,tou be with the claue.

53

figure 1

Trm wonn PALIToS LITERALLY

MEANS ..LITTLE STICKS,'AND THE PALI-

TOS AREJUST THAT_TWO STICKS USED

TO PLAY VARIOUS RHYTHMIC PAT-

TERNS-MOST COMMONI.Y USED iN thc

Rumba stylesYambi, Guaguanc6, andColumbia. When the term is applied inthese styles it refers to both playing thep a,lito s-the instrument-as well asplapng the p alitos rhythm-whateverspecific pattern is called for in theparticular piece that is being played.This is identical to saying "play clave,"in that the term encompasses both theinstrument and the rhythmic pattern.The Palitos are traditionally played onan instrument called the Gua-Gua-apiece of bamboo mounted on a standthat produces a hollow wooden sound.(Gua-Gua is the name of a bus or van inCuba-and Puerto Rico and otherLatin American Islands-and thisinstrument sort of driaes tlne ensemble,hence the adaptation of the name.) It isalso played on any wood sound such as

f,gure 2

a woodblock, shell of a conga drum,shell or rim of the bombo or large tom-tom, jam block, or anything that pro-duces a round, hollow, wooden tone. Incertain pieces or in sections of certainpieces the palitos are also played on acowbell which is either mounted orstrapped to the side of a bombo ortumbadora (conga drum). This oftenhappens in a section that has built-inrhythmic activity and intensity. Some-times the rhythmic pattern is also'changed to a more active or rhythmi-cally complex one. The switch fromwood to metal along with the change in

pattern increases the volume as well ascreates more intensiry.

The patterns of the palitos areclosely tied to the clave. Generally, oncea pattern is begun it is kept constantexcept for perhaps an arranged changeat a specific section. In traditional stylesthe palitos player does not improvisewithin a piece, but may introduce somevariations of the pattern. In nontradi-tional styles these patterns are excellentas improvisational motifs, especiallywhen used in LatinJazz styles on thedrum set or percussion and in soloingin these s$zles.

The palitos rhythms can be playedwith either the Son or Rumba clave, but

',.' !i{

hr

are most used in the Rumba styles andconsequently heard with the lrmba clave.

Following is the Rumba clave withthe basic palito rhythm (with no accentsfor now). All of the two-handed palito

combinations are derived from thisrhythm. Play this rhythm in one handand the clave rhythm in the other. Alsokeep in mind thatyou should be able tostart these on either bar to accommodateboth the 3-2and2-3 clave positions.

@

The following are two-handedcombinations based on the basic pat-tern above. There are a couple of thingsto notice and practice. There is anaccent pattern (usually in the righthand) that outlines a specific rhythm.\Afhich accent pattern is used dependson the musical style being played andthe rhythmic effect desired by the

player. The first three examples containthe most common accent patterns. Thefirst accents the rhythm of the clave, thesecond accents the basic Rumba rhythmof the bombo. The third is the mostcommon for comping in the Son styles.The remaining patterns all containcommon variations.

Clave

Accent Pattern outfines the Clove rhythm:> :> :> :> :>

*'r leJ Jl ,JrllJ J J-J-ll l lAccent Pattern outlines the bombo rhythm.

:> :> t> :>

- r - r r r -

Tt> :>

' *,r ne J Jl ,rJ lJ J J-fllll55

>:>

with #1 creating the least and #3 themost. The slur markings in #3 meanjustthat. Each group of four notes is slurredtogether. Refer to the audio recordingfor the correcl interpretat ion.

@CIave

>> :> l>

r - r lH

> :> >

r ' l f . . ' ] r - r l l fT ' - ' l

H

6 #' neJ,[ l , . [7 l . l J J l7 l l

>:>7#

8 *'r ne I Il .,JlllJ j lT,lll

ex

The following are another variety oftwo-handed patterns. Patterns two andthree are extensions of pattern one.Notice how they line up with the clave.Each of the three patterns createdifferent degrees of rhythmic intensity

56

' " "Hei , . lJ , ) 'J J i r ) l l

:> :> :> :>

:> :> :> :>

RH

LH

The following are yet another varietyof two-handed patterns. These patternsare for one player playng both thepalitos and the bombo (bass drum,discussed in the next chapter). Thereare many possibilities when combiningparts of different instruments. Thefollowing are some common ones forthis combination. In each of the pat-terns the bombo note of the clave (theaccented and open-tone and of two on

the bass drum) is struck by reachingand playing the note on the head of thedrum. The rest of the pattern is playedon the wood sound. This type of combi-nation can be done with a gua-gua anda bombo but is more commonly doneby plalang the entire pattern on abombo or large tom-tom. The woodsound is played on the side or the rimand you reach in and hit the head forthe bombo note.

t4.

r{

:{

t>>

RH

UI

RH

LH

The following are palito rhythmsplayed on the gua-gua in many I feels.Depending on the sett ing, arrangementand ensemble it might be used in aRumba Columbia, Abakud or any of a

;>>

number of styles. Pattern #1 is the basicpattern, pattern #2 shows a differentinflection of the same pattern. Patterns3 and 4add some grace notes (flams) tothe pattern.

t7.

t8.RrILH

l94.RH

LH

20A.RH

LH

-2-

57

The bombo is the bass drum ofthese Cuban styles and there are acouple of different types used fordifferent sryles. For our purposes we'llfocus on the specific patterns of eachstyle rather than the different drums,but there are a couple of specific drumsto be aware of.

The bombo used by the Comparsasfor the Conga rhythms of the CubanCarnaval is a flat and wide two-sideddrum that is hung around the player'sneck and played with a mallet or thickdowel and the hand. The bombo usedin Rumba can vary. The original bombowas the large Cajon-large wooden boxfrom the sets of three wooden boxes,Cajones-originally used to play the

Rumba. The RumbaYambf is still veryoften played on the cajones and stilluses the traditional bombo. The cajonesare played with the hands. For theRumba Guaguanc5 the drum can be alarge bass drum mounted on a stand ora large bass drum turned on its side andsitting on the floor with the playersitting on top of it and playng by reach-ing down to the head on one side-much like how the drums of the TumbaFrancesa are played. This is played with amallet or dowel and the hand. Todaymany groups use a large floor tom froma drum set and that seems to work quitewell for virtually all styles.

The first group of patterns are thefundamental patterns for the RumbaGuaguanc6. There are also improvisedvariations played as the energy andintensity of the Rumba progresses.These examples are written in the 3-2clave position. The "+" indicatesclosed,/muted tones played by mutingthe head with the hand and playingclosed tones into the head with themallet. The "o" is for open tones.

This next exampleRumbaYambri. Again

is played for thethere are varia-

tions that are improvised by the player.This is traditionally played on the C{on.

3.

5t

These patterns are for the Conga deComparsa and are also used for theMozambique. (More on this later.)Which of these patterns is used andwhen depends on the musical setting-the ensemble, instrumentation, geo-graphical region of origin of the piecebeing played, and musical arrange-ment. Again there are the basic time-

Following are two patterns for theMozambique. This rhythm evolvedfrom the Conga de Comparsa and wasdeveloped primarily by Pello El Afro-

The following is another combina-tion from some Mozambique arrange-ments of Pello El Afrokan. These createa much more slmcopated feel. Thesetwo and the two above could be ar-

keeping patterns and the variationsimprovised by the player. The firstpattern is the most fundamental andthe second the most common variation.The last five are sometimes played aspatterns themselves but usually for asection of a piece or more often used asvariations to the more basic patterns.(Written in 3-2 clave.)

L

kan. There are now many variations ofthis sryle. It very often has these twodifferent Bombo patterns playngsimultaneously.

t3.

ranged as the Bombo parts for twodifferent sections of one piece. Also, allof the Conga/Comparsa patterns abovecould be combined with any of thesefour Mozambique patterns.

t5.

59

THs cownnlI-s oF run Alno-CuseN

STYLES COME IN A WIDE VARIETY OF

SHAPES AND SIZES AND A WIDE VARIETY

OF BELLS ARE USED-SOMETIMES SIMUL-

TANEOUSLY_FOR THE VARIOUS STYLES.

\{rhile many bells exist, we will concern

ourselves with only the following bells

and their respective Patterns.

o Guataca-Hoe Blndec Cam|ana-Cencerroc Mambo-Timbal,e Belko Cha-Cha Bellso Charanga BeIIs

' Com'Farsa Bells- Sartmes

Pictured at the toPleft, f,gure 1

shows the Guataca-literallY a hoe

blade that is struck with a nail or a

spike. This was the first cowbell or

metal sound used in Afro-Cuban music

and is still used today in folkloricensembles. Also pictured are fourvarieties of the Guataca's descendents,the large cowbell commonly referred to

as the Cencerro or the CamPana(grande) or-in Salsa Orchestra termi-

nology-the Bongo Bell-since it is the

bell that Lt'e Bongocero (bongo player)

plays during the Montuno section of an

arrangement. This hand-held bell is

also used in the Cuban Carnaval'sConga de Comparsa rhythm as well as in

Mozambique style.

Figure 2 shows several varieties of the

Mambo Bell-also called t}.e Timbale Bell.

This bell is usually mounted on the

timbales and is played by the Timbalno

during the Montuno sections (and

sometimes other sections) of an ar-

rangement. This is one of the timbale's I

60

f.gure 3

f,gure 2 figure 4

three rid,e sounds-the other two beingthe sides of the drums (called Paila orCascara) and the cymbal.

Figure J shows three varieties of theCha-Cha Bell. This is the second-to-smallest bell and is used almost exclu-sively in the Cha-Cha and other slowerstyles like t}:'e Guajira. The quarter notepulse played on this high-pitched bell is

one of the signature sounds of thesestyles.

Figure 4 shows the Charanga Bell.This is the smallest and highest pitchedbell we'll deal with and is used almostexclusively in the CharangasLyle.

Now let's move on to how they areplayed and what's played on each one.

Tll'e Guataca (pictured at right) canbe said to be the father of the presentday Afro-Cuban cowbell and its rhyth-mic functions. It is literally a gardenhoe blade played with a large nail orspike. It began as an impromptuinstrument created by slaves workingthe fields and adapting to maintaintheir musical traditions. While notcommon in popular music settings,many traditional folkloric ensemblesstill use it for is very distinct sound.The most common patterns played on it are those we know today as the basic Afro $bell patterns. The two most common patterns are shown below in both the 3-2and 2-Z clave directions. (A wealth of these patterns are presented later in thissection.) Today these patterns are more commonlv played on the Cenceryo.

@ Afro I Bell Pottern variation I in 3-2 and 2-3

B.

@ Afro I Bell Pottern voriotion 2 in 3-2 and 2-3

6l

'Ihe Cenceno (pictured below) is thedescendant of the Guataca and all ofthe Afro I putt..ttt that were played onthe Guataca are now generally playedon this bell-along with many otherpatterns and styles. Originally theCencerro was exclusively a hand-heldbell and continues to be used as such,but today it is also often mounted foruse in percussion setups and on thedrum set. Our primary discussion andpractice with this bell will be with thehand-held method. The bell is held in

one hand and struck with a large stickwith the other hand. The hand holdingthe bell also does some damping on thebackside of the bell to produce openand closed tones (see fgzres 1 and 2) .The index finger of the hand holdingthe bell is used. When it is held againstthe bell it muffles the tone, and whenheld away it allows the bell to ringproducing the open tone. The openand closed tones correspond withcertain strokes in certain parts of the bellas well certain notes of the patterns.

f.gure 1: Index f,nger muting the bell f,gure 2: Index fi.nger not muting the bell

There are three basic strokes neces-sary to play the bell's patterns correctly.They are illustrated in figures 3,4, and5 on the next page. The first (figure 3) isa stroke on the mouth of the bell withthe side of the stick. This stroke isgenerally open-the finger unmutesthe back of the bell and the tone rings.This stroke can also be muffled or semi-muffled. The second (figurt 4) is astroke almost in the center of theneck-the base area approximately twoto four inches from the bottom end ofthe bell. This tone is generally muted.The index finger presses against thebackside and the ringing of the tone isdampened. The third (figurt 5) is astroke in the same base area as stroketwo but on the right edge of the bell.This tone is generally also muffled or

sometimes half-muffl ed, meaning theindex finger lets the tone ring a littlemore than the muffled tone. This thirdtone is the least essential of the three.Most patterns can be and are playedwith only the first two, but when apattern calls for two notes to be playedconsecutively as muffled tones in theneck of the bell, playing them as twoseparate tens5-6ns in the center andone on the edge-gives the pattern anice flavor and a differe_nt swing. Inaddition to the two Afro I patterns listedwith the Guataca on the previous page,the most common patterns played on thisbell are examples 1, 2 and Jon thefollowing page. Many other patterns arepresented later in this chapter as well aslater in the book, but you have to havethese basic ones down first.

62

Ii

We'll use the following notationcode: 1a, Lb, 2, and 3 to identify thestroke types. Note: This notation puts thelnwr pitch aboue the line and the higherpitch below it, but it mirrors your holdingof the bell as you play.

I o-Apen stroke on mouth of bell.(figures 3&2).

lb-Muffled stroke on mouth of bell.(figures 3&l).

2-Muffled stroke on neck of bell.(figures 4&l).

3-Semi-muffled stroke on edge of bell.(figures 3&l).

g

g

E

Keep in mind that these patternshave many variations and subtletieswhich are an integral part of the correctsound and feel. Also keep in mind thatcowbells are like cymbals in that no twoare alike. Each has its own sound and

personality, which is also a consider-ation in selecting bells for a particularsongstyle and ensemble.

figure 3

figure 4

f,gure 5

Following are several variations foreach of the basic patterns presentedthus far. Remember that each variationis based on the basic pattern andtheclave, so stay aware of this as you prac-tice them. Also remember that once apattern is started it is pretty much keptconstant until a change in section orrhythm within a piece calls for it.Whichever it is. there must be a musical

reason for a change. These patterns areusually not played ad lib. They are a \-en'strong and present texture and aregenerally responsible for a stronggroove achieved through repetition ofthe same pattern.

First we' l l start wirh the ! patrernsand then we'll move on to the duplemeter combinat ions.

63

tb.la.

2a.

These patterns can and are alsoplayed on other bells like the timbalebells or the African Agogo bells and canbe played on any bell if the musical

3-2 Clove Position

2b.

situation warrants. Also depending onthe musical situation, these patterns canbe played on the mouth of the bell, onthe neck, or any combination of thetwo.

2-3 Clove Position

3b.3a.

4b.4a.

qh5a

6b.6a

64

7b.

The first group of patterns arecommonly referred to as Bongo Bellpatterns since they are the most com-mon patterns played by the Bongocero

during the Montuno section of anarrangement and during the highdynamic solos.

la. Son Clove in 3-2

When there is nototion under the potterns, the key is os fol/ows (some os key intro-duced on previous poge): lf there is no notation, then the top line is the mouthond the bottom line is the neck mirroring your holding of the bell as you

Ploy.Io=Open stroke on mouth of bell.Ib=Muffled stroke on mouth of bell.2=Muffled stroke on neck of bell.3=Semt-muffled stroke on edge of bell.

3-2 Clove Position 2-3 Clave Position

lb. Son Aove in 2-3

2b.

la23la23la23la23

65

3-2 Clove Position

These next patterns-the same asthe basic Palito or Cascara patterns-arecommonly used during percussionsolos. They are generally played on themouth of the bell. First practice thepattern without the accents. When youcan make that groove try playing theaccented notes on the mouth and theunaccented notes down towards the neck.

2-3 Clove Position

How much distinction you can makepartly depends on the tempo and yourtechnique. At very fast tempos youbasically play the whole thing on themouth. At slower tempos you can bringthe accents out more. Even when youplay the whole thing on the mouth, theaccents are an important inflection. Theyshouldn't disrupt the flow of the pattern.

These patterns are more syncopatedvariations that function the same as thelast pattern. You can use these forpercussion solos or during the Mambo orMontuno sections of arrangements. Sincethey are more s).ncopated, not all musi-

cal situations will accommodate them.When they're used also depends on whatthe timbalero's bell pattern is. Reminder:thp tDp knc is th,e Inwer pitch and. is playedon thc mauth of thc bell. The bottnm lbrc, thchighn pitch, is played on the neck.

, @

2-3 ctavePosition3-2 Clave Position

la.

2a Note.' Audio exomble 20 storts on the second bor.

3b. Note.' Audio exomple 3b storu os written.

u

3-2 Clave Position 2-3 Clove Position

4b.4a.

rn* j J-l ,J-rll,)J J-l-,-]ll rne v)J J-I'] lJ J-l.,-|7ll

The following patterns are variouscombinations for the Conga de Com-parsa and the Mozambique. They areplayed on the Cenceno but in theirtraditional form are played on other

rypes of bells (depending on the situa-tion). For example, those for theConga/Com.parsastyles are played on aninstrument called Sartenes-rnetal panswelded together-when played in theCuban Carnaval parades. For all practi-

cal applications though, all of thesepatterns can be played on the Cencsrro.These patterns are most commonlyplayed with the Rumba Claae.In yourphrasing of these rhythms you not onlyhave to keep the clave in mind, but theBombo note-the and-of-two on the three-sifu of the clauein order to project theright feel. Reminder: The top line isplayed on the mouth of the bell. The bottomline is played on the nech.

3-2 Clave Position 2-3 Clave Position

la. Rumbo Aove in 3-2

2a. Bosic Congo

lb. Rumbo Aove in 2-3

4b. Bosic Congo Voriation

5b. Eosic Congo Voriotion With Pitches Reyersed

l l

2b. Bosic Congo

3a. Bosic Congo With Pitches Reversed 3b. Bosic Congo With Pitches Reyersed

4a. Bosic Congo Voriotion

5a. Bosic Congo Voriation With Pitches Reversed

67

3-2 Clove Position

5a. Eoslc Mozombique

7a. Bosic Mozombique Voriotion

8a. Eosic Mozombique Voriotion

7b. Bosic Mozombique Variotion

8b. Eosic Mozombique Voriotion

More bell voriations for these two styres are in their respective drum set sections.

Now we move onto the Mambo/Timbale bells. fu previously stated, thesebells are most often mounted andplayed by the Timbalero in his setup.There are m.any patterns and variationsplayed on these bells, but we'll addressthe two most common here and presentthe rest later in the book. Figure I onthe following page shows a prettycommon setup of the Mambo, Cha-Chaand Charanga bells on a set of timbales,along with ajam block functioning asthe woodblock sound. Figures 2and 3show the plapng of the mambo bell. Itis virtually impossible to notate orphotograph all of the nuances ofplaying the patterns on this bell. Imentioned earlier that cowbells are likecymbals in that no two are alike insound. Playing a ride pattern on thiscowbell is like plapng a jazzride onacyrnbal with all its many variations andnuances. You don't play all of thestrokes with the tip of the stick; you playwith varying depths of the shoulder andyou certainly don't play all your strokesin one part of the cymbal. You playsome in the center, some on the edge,some near the bell, on the bell, and so

on. These same factors are a part ofplapng the timbale bell. Generally theopening of the bell faces to the right soyou have the entire top of the bell'ssurface to play on. Try using differentparts of the stick (timbale sticks ordowels, not drum sticks with beadedtips)-the tip, a little down the shoul-der, the whole shoulder-and differentparts of the bell-the neck of the bell,near the clamp, all the way to the edge,and the mouth. Notice how the tonechanges. Try playing some completelyopen tones where the bell rings, and trydead-sticking the bell so the tones aredampened. This multitude of soundsand articulations are essential to gettingthe right sound and feel.

We'll look at two very commonpatterns: first the Palitos pattern pre-sented in the last chapter, also known asthe Cascaraor Paila pattern, because itis the pattern most commonly playedon the sides of the timbales, (which arealso known as Cascara and Paila); Andsecond, a common Mambo patternplayed on this bell by the Timbaleroduring a Mambo songstyle or during the

68

Jigure 1 f.gure 2

Montuno section of an arrangement'

More specif'c d'etaik about the playing of

these patterns as uell as other uariat'ions are

presented' latn in the Timbales Section as

well as in the Songstyles Section' Both

rhythms are listed with the clave in both

th! 3-2 and2-Z positions' Also notice

that accents have been notated' In the

first pattern try playing the accented

notes as open tones (tones that ring

more), and the unaccented tones as

d,ead'-stickedstrokes. In general try to

make a tonal/timbral difference as well

as a volume difference between the

accented and unaccented notes' In the

second Pattern the oPen and closed

tones hive been specifically notated

3-2 Clove Position

along withthe accents.Even thoughthis is averyclose nota-tion of therhythm, youmust learnthe truearticulationby ear fromthe audiorecordingprovided*ith thi. book and, most importantly,

from listening to as many artists as

possible.

2-3 Clove Position

tb.la.

)

f,gure 3

59

Following are several of the mostcommon patterns from Son-derivedsryles. Applications of these patternswithin each specific style are presentedand discussed in Part IL For now, try tomemorize them all and get them togroove with all the correct inflections.Listen to some recordings and play thepatterns along with them to help you

3-2 Clove Position

get the right feel. fu mentioned on theprevious page, keep in mind the manyvariations in inflection that are playedwithin each pattern and the manynuances that each particular playeradds. Listen to the recording and to themasters for the true reference. Allexamples are presented in both claveoositions.

2-3 Clove Position

.:i i'il:r lf l.'i.f iir,t'i;;:r:t

and me:morize the

Exomples lo & lb ore here for review since they ore the two most common potterns.They were presented on the lost poge. Use these to stort procticing ond to get thegroove going. Three through fourteen ore o few common voriations.

3-2 Clove Position 2-3 Clave Position

70

>>>

3-2 Clave Position

>>

:> )>

| 0a. | 0b.

I la. I tb.

7l

3-2 Clove Position 2-3 Clove Position

'fhe Cha-Chaand Charangabells ate

the smallest and highest pitched bellsand are almost exclusively used for

these two styles and also the Guajira,Bolero and other slower, quarter note

pulsed f styles. (Most Charanga interpre-

tations are slightly faster and "in two"')

These bells are mostly played with the

shoulder of the stick on the mouth ofthe bell. Sometimes the stroke is dead-

sticked, producing a muted tone and

sometimes not, allowing the bell toring. In rhythmic patterns that consist

of more thanjust quarter notes, the tip

of the stick is used to strike moretowards the center toP of the bell.

\Mhich strokes and patterns are playedis dependent on the style and/or the

section of a particular Piece.

As shown in the timbale setuP of the

previous page, the Cha-Chabell is

usually faced directly away from the

player (with the mouth facing forwardand away from the player-towards the

audience) or facing left (opposite themambo bell) if the woodblock is not

used. The Clrarangabell is usually clipped

to the rim of the timbales with the open-ing of the mouth facing the player.

Figure I shows the stroke toward thecenter of the bell with the tip of thestick (this stroke sweeps forward to-wards the mouth stroke) , and f'gure 2

shows the stroke towards the mouth ofthe bell with the shoulder of the stick.

rtgurt

Ifigure 2

TV

The two most common Patternsplayed on these bells are the following:

ih. fi.rt is played on the mouth of the

bell with the shoulder of the stick' The

second is played with a combination of

two sounds and strokes. Play the quar-

ter notes on the mouth with the shoul-

der of the stick and the eighths on the

body with the tip of the stick. Since these

are one-bar patterns repeated, the patttm

itself does not spell out the claue so yu haue

to be aware of which direction the claae is in'

The final bells we'll mention are the

Comp ars a / Conga b ells. Durin g the

Carnaualparades the actual bells used

are called Sartenes (they are actually

frying pans welded together) ' Ag!9*

typ. 6.ttt ar.d brahe drums. Basically you

need two different pitches to play the

patterns. There are many varieties of

tells and many patterns that are layered

over the basic one. A cencerro is also

commonly used and the neck and

mouth are played for the two different

pitches. Here are two illustrations (f'gures

3 € 4)and a basic Pattern is written

below. (The Conga style is addressed in

detail in its own section. Other similar

bell patterns are also presented in the

Mozambique section since this style

emanated from the Conga tradition'

Additional variations were also pre-

sented earlier in this section.)

Top line notes on(figure 4).

the mouth of the bell-

the neck of the bell--

You could also mount the bell or

mount two bells to emulate thesartenes or brake drums and play the

following Pattern:

Bottom line notes on(ftgure 3).

figure 3 f.gure 4

73

CoNce DRUMS-oR

TuNaeenoRAS -AS THEY ARE

TR-A.DITIONALLY CALLED, ARE

DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF THE

CONICAL HAND DRUMS-

Merure Dnutrs-oF THECoNcoresn AlnIcaNs. Theyhave undergone many incar-nat ions s ince their incePt ion.resulting in an extremely widevariety of shapes, sizes, makes,and models, each producingits own distinct sound. \tVhilemany cultures throughout theworld use what we looselyrefer to as congas, none hastaken conga drumming to the technicallevels that have resulted from their usein Cuban folkloric styles, and all of thepopular Afro-Latin musical styles. Theiruse in styles connected to Bat6 ritualmusic and the folkloric rumba andcarnaval styles has taken the playing ofconga drums to an unprecedentedlevel, and their use in popular dancestyles has yielded a high level of perfor-mance and craftsmanship. To a seriousconguero or tumbador the playing ofthese drums is nothing to be takenlightly. The fact that the playng of theinstr-ument is physical goes hand-in-handwith the factthat the precedent forperformance includes a big, fat, andstrong sound. \Alhile without a doubt astaple of Afro-Cuban folklore, the congasbegan their trek to worldwide popularitywith their addition to the Conjuntof6rrn21-2n ensemble format derivedfrom the Septetoin the rg4os. (Also

added at this time were trumpets andmore vocalists that usually also playedmaracas and clave. More on these ensemblesin the Songstyles Section of the booh.) Congasare present in not only most Afro-Latinensembles and songstyles today but havebecome an accepted instrrrment in mostpopular music throughout the rvorld.

Though there are many sizes andtypes of these drums, we'll be dealingwith three sizes and types (and everyvariety of size will fit into one of thesethree). The three most common andfamiliar names for the three tlpes are-from largest to smallest-the Tumba,Conga (or Segundo), and Quinto. Each ofthe three drums is sometimes called by a'different name depending on the style itis being played in, and these namessometimes also correspond to therhythm played by that drum in that part.As explained earlier, if someone says"play palitos," you play not only the sticksand the gua-gua (or whatever instru-ment or sound is being substituted forit), but also the rhythm. Likewise, ifsomeone in referring to the tumbadorassays, "play tlte Tres Golpesi'you wouldplay the middle drum and the middlepart of the Guaguanc6 rhythm. If theysaid "play Salidor,"you would be playingthe low drum and the correspondingpart but only if referring to Guaguanc6.Ifyou were plapng for a Comparsa,, tlteSalidoris the high drum and its part.This can get a little confusing, but youget used to hearing certain names usedfor certain drums and parts, and that isall part of the terminology of this sn4e.

71

Tumba. Quinto. Segundo

-!

f,gure 1 f gure 2 figure 3

The drums are most commonlyplayed one, two, or three at a time andthe three drums together cover theprimary parts of all of the styles wediscuss in this book. Pictured in f,gures1, 2, 3, and 4 are the three most com-mon ways the drums are set up with

f,gures J and 4 being the two mostcommon three-drum setups. (Many

artists of the congas also usemany more drums for theirperformances.) Again, what eachdrum is called, and whetherplayed individually or in a set oftwo or three, depends on themusical setting. We'll establishsome common terminology toget things going. The Quinto isalmost always referred to as such,except when it functions as thehigh drum in the Conga/Comparsa, where it is called theSalidor (unless there is an actual

Quinto soloing, in which case thenext highest of the drums iscalled the Salidor and the Quintoremains as the Quinto). It is alsoreferred to as the solo drumorprimero, due to its role in theramba styles where it solos and isthe primary "interactor" withthe vocals and dancing. Themiddle drum is called the Congaor Segundo---+he most commonall-around n2ff1s5-Trs5 Golpes inGuaguanc6, and fubajadorin theConga / Comp ars a styles. The lowest

Jigure 4

and the largest drum in the set is calledthe Tumba--+he most common all-around nsmg-3nd the SalidorintheGuaguanc|.

If vou're plal'rng only one drum,then you could be playing any of thethree depending on the songstyle. Ifyou're playrng a set of two, then you'remore than likely going to be playing theConga and the Tumba.If you're plapngthree, then it would be the Tumba,Conga & Quinto. Setups are pretty mucha personal thing but illustrated aboveare the four most common drumarrangements. A one drum setup isobvious but you also have to hold thedrum correctly, so let's cover that now.

The Tumbadorais held in the instepor between the heels of your feet insuch a way that you can lean the drumslightly away from you and play on itwith both hands freely (figurt 1). You

f,gure 5

figure 5

75

also help hold the drum with your legsas it leans. This leaning away from youis to create space between the openingand the floor so the drum will resonatemore. (If you are playing on a carpetedfloor then you should place the drumson a wooden board large enough toaccommodate all the drums you areplaying. This especially helps theresonance of the drums you aren'tholding-the ones sitting directly onthe floor.) You must also hold themtightly enough-or be able to aPPIYenough grip with you're feet-to lift thedrum up several inches off the floor.This is commonly done when plapngI'a55 16ns5-to allow them to resonatemore-or when playing open tones-toget a pitch bend effect (figurn 5 €f q.

If you're plapng one drum youobviously hold that one drum. If you'replayrng a set of two-Congaand Tumbaor Salidor and Tres Golpes--+thatever youcall the two-then you generally holdthe smaller of the two and place thelarger one to your right assumingyou're right-handed. If you're playing aset of three then you generally hold the

Quinto and place the other two off toyour right as shown in figure three withthe Tumba directly right and the Se-gundo forward. The alternate setups forthe three drums could be to hold the

Quinto and place the Congaand Tumbaon either side of you, figure four-bothare common-or hold the Congavnththe Tumba to your right like a set of two,and place the Quinto to your left.

There's one final topic to touch onbefore continuing with the exercisesand that's the tuning of the drums.Again, this is a very personal and

subjective thing from player to playerbut there are a few guidelines you canfollow that stem from some commonpractices. First, each drum head shouldbe in tune with itself, meaning tltat ateach lug point the pitch of the drum isthe same. If you have a preference forlower or higher pitches that's fine, butkeep in mind that each drum size andhead has as optimal resonance areawhere the drum will speak best. Don'tchoke the sound by tightening toomuch and don't lose tone and reso-nance by tuning too low. Since weatheraffects the natural hide of the heads thedrums should be tuned for each playingand then the heads should be loosenedto preserve it for a longer period. Fortwo drums try some specific intervals-afourth is very common and gives you atonic-dominant relationship betweenthe drums. You can even try to tune togeneral tonal areas of a piece-as longas the harmony of the piece isn't com-plicated. If you're plapng a traditionalI-IV-V tlpe Saka style vamp then thisworks great. You can also try thirds,tritones, etc. Start with C and the Gbelow it and then work from there. Asyou move to three and four or moredrums, thirds and seconds becomemore common. For three drums youcan start with a fourth between theTumbaand Conga and put the Quintoasecond or major or minor third abovethat. Another very common three drumtuning is a minor third between theTumbaand Congawith the Quintoamajor second above the Conga. As youdeal with different musical situationsthe tuning issue will become secondnature. As always with any style orinstrument. listen to the masters for theultimate guidance.

I

The next essential component is theplaying technique. There are an infinitenumber of sounds that can be PlaYedon a Tumbadorawith some being essen-tial to the performance of specificpatterns and other being more decora-tive and more commonly used in solo

improvisation or for effects. Let's lookat the individual sounds and how toplay them. (Dneloping each of the aarioussounds is essential to getting the patterns tosound right. You can't play the pattnnswilhout hauing the technique down so don'ljum.p ahead.)

76

The basic sounds that you have tomaster to play the drums are the follow-ing: Heel-Toe Rocking Motion (sometimescalled the Marcha or Mnnoteo), Open Tones,Palm (Closed) Tones, Slaps-three types:Open Slaps, Closed Slaps and Muted Slaps,the Tapado Strohe, and Bass Tones. Othersounds include plaFng with the fists,

nails, chin, elbows, sliding groans,fingertips, plapng harmonics, playngwith sticks on both the head and thesides and anything your musical imagi-nation can conjure. Following is anillustration and specific instructions forthe development of each sound.

@

Played with the fingers ond polmtowards the edge of the drum. Thesetones should ring ond produce a niceround open tone. Proctice developingthese by londing the polm of your handon the edge of the drum ond lettingyour fingers bounce off the heod, Iettingthe tone ring. When you con get thesound consistently improvise somerhrqhms.

Ployed with the palm andlor fingers onvorious pans of the head-<enter, edgeor ony ploce in between-depending onthe sound desired. Ihese tones are mutedond don't ring. Practice playing thesetones in various parts of the heod. Slightlychange the shope ofyour hand fromtotolly flat and open to slightly cuppedond notice how the sound chonges. AlsoseeTapado underthe Slop lones.

@

Ployed with the heel of the hond on thecenter of the drum--+he stroke isoctuolly just slightly off center. Anothervoriation of the tone con also be ployedwith the entire hond flat on the heod. lfyou're ploying sitting down ond holdingthe drum with your /egg you can pick itup offthe floor to get more sound. If thedrums are on stonds then they're olreodyup off the floor ond this isnt on issue.

TI

Ployed by rocking between the heel ondtoe (fingertips) of the hond (olthoughthe true sound is reolly the entire polmof the hond for the heel strokeg ond the

fingers and polm for the tip strokes).Ihese tones ore muffled ond do notring. They ore the double strokes ondgroove timekeeper of the hand drums.As the groove timekeeper it is referredto os the Marcha or Mdnoteo. As thedouble strokes they ore used in so/oingand as voriotions in potterns. Procticerocking each hond individuolly until youget o strong sound ond some endur-once. Then stort ploying combinotionsbetween the two honds. The motion isoauolly os much bock and forth os it isup ond down. Keep your foreorm kindof parallel to the head of the drum. Thisshould almost hoppen naturolly if you'reholding the drum ot the right height.

Following are some exercise combi-nations to develop the Heel-Toe mo-t ion. Play slowly at f i rst concentrat ingon getting a strong attack and a goodsound from both the heel and tip of thehand, then work on the speed. Notice

that number eight has a differentalternating pattern-HHTT. This is avery common and very importantcombination-especially in the Rumbastyles. Make up exercises of your own tobuild more chops.

RRRRRRRRL L L L L LLL

RRRRRRRRLLLLLLLL

HTI

HTHTHTHT HTHTHT33

HTHTHT33

HTHTHTHTHT33

HTHTHTHTHT33HTHTHTHT

- - I

-I]

RRRRL L LL

R R R R RRRRRRL L L L LLLLLL

RRRRRR- - - - - -

78

6.

HTHTHTHTHT HTHTHTHTHTH THT33

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

R R R R RRRRRRL L L L LLLLLL

Finally we'll address the sound that

will probably take you the longest to

build up-the slaP. There are three

general varieties of the slap-closed, -

open and mrted-tapado. (Tbe taqado...

siroke-the word itself means "capped"

or "topped"-i5 2 unique stroke in that

it can be an accented sort ofslap tone,

but can also be a muted tone that still

rings the fundamental of the drum but

in i t<ind of "choked" or "covered"

way.) \Arhile these sounds do require a

lor of repetition to get right, they don't

require you to beat your hands to death

in order to get them. Force and loud

volume do not get you the slap-or any

other tone. The correct hand place-

ment and stroke and attack does the

trick. Endurance, Power and a big

sound come more from repetition than

short stints of bashing. You're better off

practicing each exercise slowly and

more softly-but for more extended peri-

od,s-than killing yourself for a couple

of minutes and then not being able to

play for a week. Some of the greatest

conga players have relatively soft

hands-not all of them-but those that

have practiced good technique gener-

ally do. You will develop some callouses

and you'll have to PlaY on the Pain a

little to develop the endurance and

technique, but remember, more repeti-

tions for longer periods, with less force

and correct hand placement and stroke

qpes, will give far better and quicker

results. Following are illustrations of the

correct hand positions for each of the

slaps and then some basic exercises' Later

in the book are some adr'anced exercises

for more technique, indePendence,

multiple instr-ument playng and the like'

7sl

The following exercises-as well asthe Heel/Toe exercises from the previouspage, others you acquire from otherplayers, and those you make up on your

61vn-sl6sld become part of a regularpractice routine that you should runthrough before playing the specificsongstyle patterns.

I

In exercises 1. 6. andT make oneexercise out of each sticking line andthen also practice alternating hands asyou repeat-i.e.: in example 1 yourvould first practice all Rights then allLefts and then repeat alternating

between two bars of Rights then two barsof Lefts. The same applies to numbers 6and 7 . Also notice that exercise B is adifferent Heel-Toe combination. This isalso a very common stroke combinationso focus on it quite a bit.

'the name ts wrttlen obwc

00

Before continuing on review and

practice the following exercises once

again. They are the same exercisespresented on pages 72 and 73. TheY

should be memorized and become Panof a regular practice and warm-uProutine. These will strengthen yourbasic chops and endurance.

HTHTHTHT

HTHT HTHTHTHTHT33

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRLL L LLLLL LL L L L L

5.

6.

HTH THT HTHT{T3333

R R R R RRRRRRL L L L LLLLLL

H HT

H HT

H HT

HTHTHT

R R R R RRRRRRL L L L LLLLLL

7.H T H T HTHTHT HTHTHTHTHTHTHT

3333

R R R R RRRRRRL L L L LLLLLL

8.

LLRRLL

In these exercises each line is one

separate exercise (to be repeated), so

each example is five separate exercises.

These exercises are great for develop-

ing the slap so don't bash. Focus on the

correct hand position and placementand do many repetitions at a comfort-able level. Your sound and enduranceand strength will develop with time.

os os os os os os os os

RRLLLLRRRR

RRLLRRRRRR

RRLLRRRRLL

RRLLRRt l

RR

RRLLRRLLLL

RRLLLLRRLL

RRLLLLLLRR

RRLLLLLLLL

8l

I

I

osososos o

OS POSPOSPOS P OS POSPOSPOSP

ooo2.

RRRRRRRRLLL L L L L LLLL L L L L LRRRRLLLLRRLLRRLL

RRRRRRRRLLL L L L L LRRRRRRRRRRRRLLLLRRLLRRLL

RRLRRLRRLRRLL L RL L R L L R LLRL L RL L R L L R LLRRRLRRLLLRLLRRRLLLRRRLLLR

RRLRRLRRLRRLL L RL L R L L R LLRL L RL L R L L R LLRRRLRRLLLRLLRRRLLLRRRLLLR

RRLRRLRRLRRLLLRLLRLLRLLRRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLLLRLLRR R L L LR RRL L L R

HTSHTSHTSHTS4.

RRLRRLRRLRRLLLRLLRLLRLLRRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLLLRLLRR R L L LR RRL L L R

S HTSHT SHTSHT S H TSHTSHT SHT5.

RL LRLLRLLRLLLRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLRRLRRRL LRLLLRRLRRRL LLRRRLLLRR

RLLRLLRLLRLLLRRLRRLRRLRRRLLRLLRLLRLLRLLRLLLRRLRRRLLLRRRLLLRR

HT SHTSHTSHTSr: [l][

Following are some moretechnical exercises that combinevarious stroke tlpes-Open

Tones, Slaps, Bass Tones andthe Heel-Toe rockins motion.

oossoos s oo

RRRRRRRRLLL L L L L LLLL L L L L LRRRRLLLLRRLLRRLLLLRRLLRR

RRRRRRLLLLLTRRRRRRRR L L L LLLRRL LRRLLRR

RRLLRRRRRRLL

a2

OHTSOHT S OHTSOHTS

RLRLRLRLLRLRLRLR

RLRLRLRLLRLRLRLR

RLLRLRRLLRRLRLLR

RLLRLRRLLRRLRLLR

5 Stroke Roll

HTHTS HTHTS

5 Stroke Roll

HTHTS S HTHTS

7 Stroke Roll

HTHTHTS HTHTHTS

8 Stroke Roll

HTHTHTSS HTHTHTSS

9 Stroke Roll

HTHTHTHT S

These next exercises are based on

the rudimental rolls-five throughfifteen stroke rolls. \Arhen played on

congas, or any instrument played with

the hands, the double strokes of the

rolls are played with the Heel-Toe

rocking motion. You can work uPenough speed and power pracLicingthese that you're almost bouncing yourhands-HTHT-as you do with sticks,

and get very fast and fluid rolls on the

congas.

l0 Stroke Roll

HTHTHTHT S S

| | Stroke Roll

HTHTHTHTHTS

12 Stroke Roll

HTHTHTHTHTS

13 Stroke Roll

HTHTHTHTHTHTS

6.

RRLLRLLRRL

8.3.

RRLLRRLLLRRLLR

RRLLRRLLLRRLLR

RRLLRRLRLLRRLLRL

RRLLRRLLLLRRLLRR

RRLLRRLLLLRRLLRR

LLRRLRRLLR

R RLL LR

RRLLRRLLLLRRLLRR

RRLLR LLLRRL R

RRLLR LLLRRL R

RRL RL LR L

RRLLRRLLLLRRLLRR

R RLLRL L RR L

RRLLRRLLLLRRLLRR

LLRRLLRLRRLLRRLR

RRLLRRLL RRLLRRI-LLRRLLRR L LRRLLR

7.7.

9.4.

t0. l5 Stroke Roll

HTHTHTHT HTHTHTS

- -

5.

t3

It has already been established that

tfr" tttyifr* of these two melodies by

Jrr"*tir".t speil out 3-2atd2-3 clave

."tp..,i""fy,but this is rarely how you

,""itfa hear these tunes played' There

wouid almost certainly be an arrang-e-

*".t,. In creating an arrangemenl' an

;;;;;-;; t'u, tniit'"rtY-within the

;;;il.t of the tradition and the

iJi--," create the music he hears'

L.t', tuk. the examPle of "The P"^l::

V""a"t" and give it a simple intro' and

now look at how You maY b" P1"I:9]1

*o aiff"r"nt clave positions in,difterent

oarts of the arrangement' \we u o(

iitirg ., the araigins as\ed of these'iiiioiri

i, d'etail in the iongstytes section' For'ir,

,, U 1"st look at houtrt relaLes to the

li*tl o:",e again' the rhYthm:f :h".t""i"iy *us fJr 2-3 clave so we'll just

*v,r'.1,h" :::gl"ilJ;?,""::l ;::,lslwe've determtnecr

that the addition of arranged material

may have you startine the piece' or a

section of the arrang"emettf itt 3-2 tluu"

because the rhythm of the arrangeo *:.'.'-

riat-whichin essence is a composruon

i,r"ff-.rf* for it' If that's the case then

in"it n.* you play it' andif.th^efl,^,^,uranger were to write everythtng to wur n

;';"-;, th"r, thut', how You PlaY it' Tnnu'will not change-no matter wnat-ls

that when You acuallY state the ttSl'

il".t "i,tt"'tune's

meiody written above

y." *tfipf"y 2'3 clave-oeriod' That

oart is not an opilon' If you don't' then

i"" -"t

get a r'isit from theClave'Pori... LI"t ut examPle 5' (KeeP tn

mind that these are condensed ex-

u*pf ., to il lustrate a point and not an

actual arrangement') In example 6- the

lit oa.t.,ioricalls fo'r 3-2 clave and.

;;;;;.; ' be three bars long' Notice

how bar three set's up the entrance of

,it"'-.i"ay in 2-3 tluu" tutt though

yo., ,rut,"a the Piece in 3-2'

3-2 Clave with 3'bar intro

THE PEANUT YENDOR(El Monisero)

MusicbYMO|SES SIMONS

@ 1928 Edword d' Morts Music Co' (Renewed)-

nfin gftu Reserved Used by Permission

Finally here are some technicalexercises which stress independencebetween the hands. These are good notonly for conga playine but for generalpercussion playing as rvell. Illustrated inthe photos are approaches for this. Youcan play the fixed rhythm with a stickon the side of the drum, or you canmount a bell or other instrument (aspictured below) and play it with yourhand, while your other hand plays therhythmic variations and improvisations.You'll also do exercises of this sort withone hand plaFng a fixed patterndirectly on one drum, while the otherplays rhythmic variations or improvisa-tions on the other drums. This isactually a way of playng certain folk-loric styles when one player is playing

several players' parts alone. Developingthis will also give you a lot of facility inplaying two or more different instru-ments simultaneously, as when you areplapng percussion on a pop type of gig,where various colors may be necessaryat the same time but there's only onepercussionist. You can try this by play-ing guiro and congas, bells and congas,shakers and congas, or any combinationyou can dream up. Also remember youcan rig things to play with your feet.

We'Il begin by using some simplepatterns working from the half note asan ostinato to more complex patterns.Take you're time with these. Gettingthese down the right way will really giveyou a lot of facility on the drums.

Practice the following with one handplaying the fixed rhythm line and theother plalnng the rvritten variations.Then switch hands and do it the otherway. You can start by playing theseexercises as in the illustrations above. Alsoincluded in this section are exercises forfivo drums where you play two differenttones-one as an ostinato on one drumand the written line on the other. Thekey here is notjust the rhythms but theplaying of the different tones.

The first four rhythms at the top ofthe next page are the fixed patterns-

the ostinatos-that you'll play with onehand while the other hand plays theexercises that fol low.

The rhythms of the four ostinatosare the Son Clave, Rumba Clave, theCencerro Bell pattern, and the Cascarapattern. The ostinatos for the I sectionare the S clave and the $ bell pattert .

If these ostinatos are too difficult foryou at first, try starting with half notesand then quarter notes as your first twoostinatos. Once you get it with thoseyou'll move to the others more easily.

&{

t . H

2' HT

l. Son Clove

2. Rumbo Clave

HTH

HTHT

HTHTHT

HTHTHTHT

HTHTHTHT H

HTHTHTHT HT

6.

This group of exercises focuses on the Heel-Toe motion ond independence

tTe honds. Ptoy eoch of the ostinatos obove with the rhythms below.

HTHTHTH

HTHTHTHT HTHHTHTH

85

HTHTHTHT HTHT

rt5.t3.

t6.14.

@Theseexercisesorewri t tensimpIyosarhythmictoblethotyoushouldmemorizelrnce this is aformuloyou con use to creote aweolth of technicol studies. Bosicollyyou shouldplay the following rhythms with one hond ogainst oll four ostinotos in the other. Repeot everyexercise many times until you are comfortoble with it ond then move onto the next one. ln theend you should be able to ploy eoch one os well os move from one to the next ond from onyone to any other one without ony disruption of the rhythmic flow. Use every stroke type withthese voriotions. ln other words, ploy through the entire exercise with slops, then with bosstones, and groduolly work with oll of the sounds. When you can ploy it through comfortoblywith oll the ostinotos in one hond and oll of these rhythms with any sound in the other, proctice

improvising rhythms os well os stroke types.

@FoIIowingisanexompIeofonimprovisot ionusingtheRumboCIoveos the ostinoto in one hond ond ploying the rhythmic line on one congo drum with ovoriety of tones with the other. You can olso ploy this on two drums ond of courseyou can toke i t wherever you wont. For musical examples of this / isten to the Quintoimprovisot ions in trodi t ional rumbo groups / ike Los Mufiequitos de Matanzos, LosPapines, Tot ico y Sus Rumberos ond the l ike. Mony more ore l isted in the SuggestedListening sect ion.

86

t. Sctave

3. SPottern

os os os

RRRRLLLL

RRLL

oo s s s

OS

87

@The^foI Iowingexercisesrepresentthesomeopproochosthelastgroupbut working in E. Use the some routine for these rhythms.

The following is o rhythmic toble in f , @r triplets if in o duple meter), tJse

some opprooch os with the last rhythmic toble. Play with one ostinoto in one handond these rhythms in the other. Use o/l of the different stroke types, then improvise.

ts

Following is on improvisotion using the previous $ rhythms' This

on two drums with either the some or different stroke types.

Agoin, refer to the listening list for exomples of this type of playing. Keep working

with olt of these concepts until you con ploy freely incorporating all of this moterial.

, - r r - t l I| 4:g | | 4:3 ' | 4:3 r ' 4 i3 '

89

The most fundamental, common,and familiar pattern on the Congadrums is a rhythm called Tumba6.Itisthe basic Conga drum rhythm forpractically all of the Son-derived styleswith the only basic difference in thepattern from style to style being thetempo. Played for the Guajira, Cha-Cha,Son (Son Montuno\ and Mambo--$romslowest to fastest- the pattern is essen-tially the same.

Patterns 1 and 2 are the basic one-bar patterns and patterns 3 and 4 havea slight variation. Since they are one-barphrases, the patterns themselves are notspelling out the clave rhythm, eventhough )ou are still in whateuer claveposition the piece is in. Consequently anyvariation you play must still be in claue.Since the styles this rhythm is used forcan vary drastically in tempo, the patterntakes place in both l and,i time. Here itis notated itr 3, brlt practice it at alltempos. Again, since these are one-bar

patterns you are not denoting the clavewith the pattern itseli but you must beaware of it nonetheless, since moving toa two-bar phrase requires slncing withthe clave, and any variation of thesepatterns must be in clave. Practice thepatterns starting in both the 3-2 and 2-3clave positions.

These first four examples are themost common one-drum patterns. Onlyone thing differs from pattern topattern, but that one small detail makesthe rhythms feel very different. PatternI is the basic Tumba6 with a slap onbeat2, open tones on 4 and 4+ and theMarcha (heel-toe rocking motion) inthe left hand. Pattern 2 is the same aspattern I except that only beat 4 is anopen tone. Patterns 3 and 4 mirrorpatterns I and 2 with the addition ofthe open tone on beat2+. Practice eachpattern until you have it down, thenpractice improvising phrases using allfour of them.

Bosic one-bor Potterns for one drum

Son Clove in 3-2

90

Nextwe move on to one bar Patterns

for two drums. Since they are still one

bar patterns the same situation with the

Itau" uppti"s as in the previou: eYTples

b.rt re-Lmber not to lose track of where

fo., ur" in the two bar clave pattern' This

is most imPortant as You move onto

combining the one bar patterns-to maKe

two bar (or longer) patterns and to -

improvising. Paiterns 1 and 2 have the

slap on beat2 with the oPen tone on

beit}+ on the Tumba' The difference

between the two is on beat four' Patterns

3 and 4 have the slaP on beat 2' the

open tone on beat 3 on the Tr'rmba and

th" op.tt tone variations on beat 4'

Pattein 5 is the basic one bar patterr for

the Son Montuno. Any of these patterns

can be used as variations for any of the

styles that use the Tumbao'

Bosic one bor patterns for two drums

oo

"A Caballo" Pottern

Rhlthms 6a and 6b are Patterns used

for a sryle called Cabalio-horse-

because the rhlthm grooves like a horse

rotting. This rhythm comes flrom a style

called Fachanga which came from the

Charanga style and ensembles' This

pattern is often called for in orchestra

u.rurlg"-"nts. On the chart (perhaps at a

bridge section) you might see a sectlon

*utt "d

o'A Caballo"-like a horse-at

which time you would play this pattern or

the two bar lariation on the next page'

SS

Bofero Pattern

RhythmpatternTisthebasicpatternfortheBolero_as]olrbal ladforrrr .HTSTHOOO

SP5l

P OH/SP OH/S

7.

9l

Practice all of the previous patternsat a variety of tempos-from Cha-Chatempo to Mambo tempo. \Arhen you'recomfortable with each, combine two ofthem to make a two bar phrase and use

the others for variations in the time feeland to make longer phrases. Make sureyou're able to go from any one to anyother one without disrupting the flowand the groove.

Two bar variations for two drums

Now that we've examined the onebar skeleton patterns let's start workingwith some two bar phrases for thesestyles that use the Tumba6 rhythm. Hereis where you really have to focus on thepattern you're playng and its relation tothe clave. A two bar phrase only worksone way with the clave. That is each barof the pattern corresponds with each barof the clave. You cannot reverse (invert)

the bars or you've crossed clave. This notonly applies to the pattern itself, but anyvariations to the pattern and any soloingalso needs to be in clave (that is, ca-dence with the clave correctly). All ofthis will become more sellevident as youplay more and listen more and gainmore vocabulary in this style.

Here is the Son Clave in both 3-2and 2-3 positions. Under it is the basictwo bar Turnba6 rhythm. The pattern isfor the Segundo and the Tumba. Notethat when the pattern goes down to theTumba it is with the three side and thebombo note of the clave. This is the waythis pattern lines up in clave. (To saythat it is never played any other waywould be extreme, but you shouldlearn it this way and get it down. Onceyou can play in clave then you can dowhatever you want.) Practice andmemorize this pattern in both clavepositions. Note: Vhen the pattern is firststarted the f.rst note is uery oJten an a.c-cmted open tone.

A. r \+iFe;--#+

\ l rc l lcr ' rYcl lc l lHTSOOTOO HTSTHTOO HTSTHTOO HTSOOTOO

Following are some common varia-tions of the Tumba5 rhlthm. Thq arezuritten in L3 claae. \A/hen you have them

under control, practice them starting onthe second bar so that you'll cover themin the 3-2 clave position as well.

To

92

HTSTHTOO HTSOOSOO

1

i

STHTO

HTOO

T HTOO

Use R to stort the pottern ond Lwhen you repeot'

TSTHTS

Use R to stort the pattern ond L when you repeaL

The possibilities for variations are

endless. Once you get the one and two

bar phrases Presented here in Yourrepertoire and you l isten to some music

in these styles you'll be able to impro-

vise variations pretty easily and what to

play in a particular musical situation

will be pretty clear. You almost invari-

ably use the basic Tumba6 rhYthm to

start and most of the time you just sit on

that and make it groove. Everything else

is just a slight variation. This is almost

always the case in typical salsa and

dance orchestras where the vocals are

the feature. There are many groups that

use more involved versions or mixtures

of styles arranged into the pieces and if

you're in an instrumental ensemble that

features more improvisation then of

course you're freer to experiment'

In the next section are listed specific

patterns for each stYle' Again the

variations to all of these styles are

endless and new approaches to all of

these are always being developed by

players and ensembles. Here we'll

examine the most common Patternsand variations. Everything else will

come from your own listening and

experimentation.

Again keep a constant awareness of

the clave as you play. A good thing to

develop is the ability to sing the clave as

you play the patterns. Learn the pat-

terns and then play the pattern while

singing the clave and keep singing the

clave as you start to introduce variations

and improvising. AII of the patterns

here are notated rn 3-2 clave but prac-

tice and learn them so you can start the

pattern on any side of the clave and

even on any beat of the Pattern. Re-

member these are the basic patterns

only. Listen and study individual plavers

and ensembles to develop your vocabtt-

lary. Also remember that all of the Son

styles are based on the one bar Tum-

ba6. The rhythms presented here are

two bar phrases in order lo shorr them

in a clave position'

o

oosoo HTSOOSOT

o

T

LLRRR

93

HTSTHTOT HTSTHTOO

LLRLLLRL LLRLLLRR

HTSOOPOO HTSTHTOO

LLRRRLRR LLRLLLRR

HTSOHTOO HTSOHTOO

LLRRLLRR LLRRLLRR

H T S T H O P O H T S T H OO O

LLRLLRLR LLRTLRLR

HTSOOPOO HTSTHTOO

LLRRRLRR LLRLLLRR

STPHSPOP OOPPSPOP

RLRL RL RL RLRLRL

*4

The traditional Charanga group'sinstrumentation had no Conga drums.It was added in the rg4os and theTumbadoras would play only during theMontuno section (the D Section,/Nuevo

Ritmo) of the Danz6n. This section andapproach later developed into the Cha-Cha style. Shown here is the basicrhythm-tumba5-for this section.

Shown here for the Mambo arethree different patterns. The first is thebasic two-bar TumbaS. This is theprimary pattern unless the basic one-bar Tumba5 is what the particular piececalls for. If this is the case then the two-bar pattern is what you would go to inthe Montuno section of the arrange-ment. The second example is a slightlymore intense version of the basic

pattern but functions as a basic groovejust the same. As long as the music callsfor it, the first tlvo are interchangeable.The third example shows a moremodern version of what can be played.This can be used as the basic pattern,but it is most commonly used as thepattern for the Montuno section whencoming from a basic Tumba6, as shorr.nin examples I and 2.

|. ln 3-2 clove position

3. In 2-3 clave position

B T S OO

This concludes the family of song-styles that use the Tumba6 as the basicand primary rhythm for the congadrums. Keep in mind that what waspresented here are some commonvarieties of the fundamental patterns.There are many variations that can beapplied to any of these patterns and toany songstyle-some slight and somegreat. These can be the result of anindiridual plaver's sqvle or approach to

2. In 3-2 clove position

HTSOOSOO HTSTHTSO

a style, or could be an arranging orcompositional concept. Also, manyvariations are quite often brought aboutthrough the development of a new styleor the evolution of an ensemble-aswas the case with the Charanga groupsdeveloping the Danz6n, and from therethe Cha-Cha, and adding the congas toits instrumentation in the rg4os. Thiswas a significant development for thecongas in these styles. As alrvavs, analvti-

HTSOOPOO HTSTHTOO

HTSOOSOO HTSTHSOO

- -

9s

cal listening will be your best source foraugmenting knowledge of these styles.

Next we move to the folkloricrhythms, beginning with the Rumbastyles. These rhythms are traditionallyplayed on two, three or four drumsalong with other instruments. (Refer to

the Songsryles section for completescores of all of the instruments.) Theconga parts to these rhythms are firstpresented as individual parts on theircorresponding drum; then a combinedversion is presented showing all therhythms (or a condensed version) forone player playing all the parts.

There are three Rumba rhythmstyles: Guaguanc6, Yambir and Colum-bia. Originally the Rumba was playedon the Cajones-wooden boxes in threedifferent sizes-that functioned as thethree congas do now. The RumbaYambti continues to be played that wayin folkloric settings. Presented here arethe rhythms for the Tumbadoras. Firsteach individual conga part for oneplayer playing each drum, and thencombinations for one player playing allthe pars. Note and memorize thenames of the drums in each of thesestyles because the rhythms themselvesare also called or referred to by the

name of the drum. The name Salidorinthe Guaguanc6 is a different drum thanin the Conga/Comparsa Carnavalrhythm. Also keep in mind that theserhythms are not possible to notate withtotal metric precision. The simulta-neous duple and triple meter inflectionand the improvisational language is bestlearned by analytical listening andaurally transcribing the performancewith the drums in front of you andreproducing what you hear until youhave the vocabulary under control.Don't hurry through this. It is verymuch a lifelong study.

The Guaguanc6 has a wide variety ofinterpretations both in its conga drum-ming as well as its other percussion andvocal parts. Presented here are the twomost common and basic approaches tothe Habana and the Matanzas stYles(one approach being from Habana, thecapital city and the other from Matan-zas, a province to the east of Habana).The rhythms notated for the Salidorand the Tres Golpes are the basicpatterns. These two drums get into veryintricate call-and-response Patterns(conversations) between them alongwith the continuous improvisation andinteraction the Quinto drummer haswith the singers and the dancers. Thisleads to numerous very intricate pat-

terns as the Guaguanc6 develops. Dueto the improvisational nature of theperformance it isn't possible to notateall of the specific playing. You learn thebasic patterns from notation and youlearn to play the rest from listening toother players and learning the stylethoroughly.

The first two rhythms presented inthis section are patterns the two drum-mers play to start the Guaguanc6-asan ad lib introduction. With this feelstarted, the Salidor "calls" the TresGolpes by playing its Guaguanc6 pat-tern and the full rhythm begins. Thiscall-and-response used to start the piececan be a very intricate and arranged

section or it can be very loose, with theGuaguanc6 patterns beginning rightwith the basic calls. (The Tres-Golpes isalso called the Tres-Dos.) The Salidor isthe largest and lowest-pitched drum.The Tres-Golpes the middle size andmid-pitched, and the Quinto thesmallest and highest-pitched drum. TheSalidor and Tres Golpes are usuallytuned a fourth apart and the Quinto is

a third up from that, but this can r-anbetween players and ensembles.

Here is the intro pattern for theTres Golpes. It is basically a series ofalternating heel and tip strokes. Youjust sit on this pattern and make itgroove until the Salidor calls you byplaying its basic patrern. Then youmove on to the Tres Golpes rhythm.

Here is the intro pattern for theSalidor. There are tvvo variations pre-sented. The first has a straight, duple-meter inflection, and the second atriplet inflection. Either can be used inan arrangement but many times thereal folkloric inflection is a combina-tion of the two, or falls "in the cracks"

between the two. The triplet infectionof this drum against the straight inflec-tion of the Tres Golpes creates a beauti-ful rhythmic tension. Notice that bothpatterns outline the clave with a strongbass tone on the Bombo note of thethree side of the clave.

HTBHT Pr_ 3 ___r r_ 3 _-___r HT P HT P

r_3-__r r_3______t

Next are examples of the threedrums scored out for one player oneach drum. This is the traditional way

this is played in the folkloric Rumbaensembles. You must have a thoroughfamiliarity with all of the players' parrs.

H

97

Example one is the Habana styleand example two the Matanzas style.

In these sryles the notes marked asSlaps (S) are played as what are calledTapado strokes. Basically they are slapsor higher pitched muted tones, but in

general they are not as accented as aSlap would be. Again, the inflectionsvary during the playing. Some slapswould be more muted and some moreaccented depending on the effectsought by the player.

Clave

Solidor

Ires Golpes

Quinto

Solidor

Ires Gofpes

Quinto

Following are examples of RumbaGuaguanc6 combinations for oneplayer on two drums. Some examplesare based on the Habana style andsome on the Matanzas style. Unlessyou're playng in a folkloric ensembleall of the patterns are interchangeable.

lmprovisation and interaction with vocals,dancers and the other two drummers.

2.

Notice that although the variationsbetween some patterns are slight,justone change of sticking or stroke typecan really change the whole feel. Geteach pattern down first and then workon mixing them up.

H

LL RLLR

SSB SPS

L L RL L R

O SO SPS

RLR LRL

Ad Lib

R LR L RL

HTHTHTHT

LL RL R

O THTHT

RLRLRLRL

Ad Lib

LR LRL

98

mI

\I

i

iIiSSB SOS O SO SOS

ssB sos o TS SO

SSB sos o TS OT

The complete picture for one playerwould involve a three drum setup alsoincorporating the Quinto drum andplapng all the parts by improvisingfigures on the quinto while keeping theGuaguanc6 going on the Salidor andthe Tres Golpes. Obviously this takesmore technique and you have to leavesome things out to put others in. Youcan begin working with putting the lefthand figures from the patterns aboveon the Quinto and adding improvisedvariations as you can fit them in. Gradu-ally you'll be able to play more solofigures. You can improvise on all three

SSB sos o s oo o s

s o s oo P s

drums and you don't have to keep everynote of the pattern going as you try toimprovise. When played in ensemblethe Guaguanc6 is a dialogue betweenthe three drums, the voice, and thedancers. \Arhen doing this by yourselfyou are creating that dialogue betweenall the drums alone. A more advancedversion of this would be to learn thewords to a Rumba song and sing theparts while you accompany yourselfplaying the Guaguanc6, and impror.isevariations on the quinto between vourvocal phrases. Also do this lith theColumbia rhvthm that follorls.

1,l

Ieej

H

T

The Columbia is the fastest of the

three Rumba stYles and is PlaYedin 8. Presented here are the rhythms for

the three conga drrrms and combina-

tions for one plaYer.

I

Clove

Solidor

Ires Dos

Quinto

Following are some examPles of the

Columbia rhythm for one player. Since

this results in a repeated one bar pat-

tern. the pattern itself does not denote

the clave. You must be especially aware

of what's going on with the other instru-

ments. Also work with incorporating a

third dr-r-rm into the Patterns.

4.

,ffi ,m

t00

LLRLRR

s oo

LLRLRR

s oo

L RL

Ad Lib

lmprovisation and intbraction with vocals,

dancers and the other two drummers.

H

The Yambri is the oldest and slowestof the three Rumba styles and is tradi-tionally played on the cajones-espe-cially when played by folkloric en-sembles-but can also be performed oncongas. The timbres of the congas are

t .

Clave

Solidor

Tres Dos

Quinto

much different than that of the cajones,so the groove isn't quite the same butthe rhythm can still be performed thisway. Here are the parts for the threedrums as well as combinations for oneplayer.

oo

lmprovisation and interaction with vocals,dancers and the other two drummers.

Here is an example of the Yambriwith adding a third drum.

These two terms are sometimes usedto refer to the same thing but they arenot. The Conga is a rhythm and danceassociated primarily with the CubanCarnaval celebration. The Comparsa orComparsas refer to the ensembles thatperform the Conga during Carnaval,and sometimes refers to the Carnavalparade itself. The Tumbadoras used in

rhythm for one player. You can also work

2.

this style are as follows: The high drumis called the Salidor, (unlike in theRumba Guaguanc6 where the lon'drumis the Salidor), the middle drum theCongaand the low drum the Rebajador.Sometimes in instrumental situationswhere improvisation and soloing plal- akey role, a quinto is also used and it plarsthe role of the soloist over the percuy

RLRLR

O THHTT

RLRLR

OO THHTT

RL LRLRLR LRLRL

Ad Lib

t0 l

sion ensemble. The first examPlerepresents the basic skeletal rhythms ofthe three drums. Keep in mind that

many inflections and variations areimprovised by each player.

t .

CIave

Rebajador

Conga

Salidor

Quinto

Following are examples of theConga/Comparsa rhythm for oneplayer. Once you have these undercontrol try combining two patterns orrepeating a pattern with a slight varia-tion the second time to create a fourbar phrase. This is also a very common

2.

lmprovisation and interaction with vocals,dancers and the other two drummers.

approach. Also add a third drum andplay the pattern over all three. You canstart this by playing all of the non-opentones on the Quinto and all of the openmelody tones on the Tumba andSegundo. Cradually work in morevariations.

R RLR L

ossoo

R

P

L R RL

SS P S

R RL R R

S S OO

R RLR L

s s oo

RL RL

OSSOTOTOSSHHTT

o

t0t

OT O SSHHO

The Mozambique is another Carna-

val rhythm that evolved from the Conga

and Comparsas. It was created and

developed by Pedro Izquierdo (Pello El

Afrokan) in the early r96os. Over the

years many adaptations of this rhythm

have developed both on the hand

drums and on the drum set, as well as

within the percussion ensemble and full

band settings. Some adaptations aremore folkloric and others containelements or influence from integrationwith other Cuban as well as non-Afro-Latin styles. The patterns below are all

for one player on tvvo drums and they

are written in 2-3 clave position.

@oo BPPS SSOHTOS

Many Mozambique Patterns were

actually either developed on three or

four drums, or over time came to be

played that way. Many are also four-bar

phrases instead of the original two bars'

Following are tlvo examples: The first

two orchestrated for three drums and

the last two for four drums. The posi-

tioning of the drums also becomes an

issue with patterns like this. In some

instances the pattern develops around

the player's personal choice in position-

ing the drums. Other times-like when

playrng an already established Pattern

or someone else's pattern, as in the

following, you position the drums in the

way they need to be to make the pattern

work. Generally you'll have a couple of

personal setups and you'll make small

adjustments to accommodate other

situations. Following are a couple of

suggestions for how to set up the drums

to play these next patterns as well as

some of the multi-drum patterns that

follow. Both of these three- and four-

drum setups are very common lith

most players. Patterns one and trr-o rvork

best with this setup.

t03

o

T

To

7.

The notation for pat-terns 1 & 2 is as follows: Thetop line is the Quinto-Drum #1. The middle line isthe Segundo-Drum #2.The Bottom line is theTumba-Drum #3. All ofthe stroke types and thehand combinations areabove and below the notes.

OTOTPHTS SSOHTOS OOOOPHTS SSOHTOS

OTOTPHTS OOOHTOS OOOOPHTS OOOHTOS

RLRLRLLR RLR LLR L RLRLRLLR RLRLLRL

Patterns three and fourare best played with thissetup. The notat ion is asfollows: The top line is the

Quinto-Drum #1. Thenext line down is the Se-gundo-Drum #2. The nextline down is Tumba l-Drum #3. The bottom line isTumba Z-Drum #4. Stroketypes and stickings areabove and below the notes.

OTOTPHTS SSOHTOS OOOOPHTS SSOHTOS

RLRLRLLR RL RLLR L RLRLRLLR RLR LLR L

OTOTPHTS OOOHTO S OOOOPHTS

8.

r04

Tumbo

,'^'

(,

Segundo [,Quinto

RLRLRLLR RLRLR

(z)V

Segundo('-,

Quinto Tumba 2

RLRLRL RL RLLR RLRLRLLR

OOOHTOS

The Pil6n is another folkloricrhythm. It is commonly orchestrated on

three drums set up like the three drum

t .

This rhythm has variations in

both duple meter (Q) and triPlemeter ($ ). These patterns workbest on three drums with thefollowing setup. The notation is

as follows: The top line is the

Quinto-Drum #1. The middleline is the Segundo-Drum #2.The Bottom line is the Tumba-Drum #3. All of the stroke tYpesand hand combinations are aboveand below the notes. (In 2-3 clave.)

Mozambique patterns on the previouspage. This rhythm is said to be a prede-cessor of the Songo. (In 2-3 clave.)

2.

@ffi

2.

3.

HHTTHHTO OTSOTOOT

Segundo

OQuinto Tumba

o

T

r05

I

The Abaku6 (a descendant of theAfrican Calabar culture) was originallya sacred fraternal all male society that,among other things, performed theAbacud rhythms in the course of theirworship or ritualistic ceremonies. Thefact that rhythms they play, or thatemanate from them would also becalled Abakud seems obvious, but thenumber of rhythms that fall under thiscategory is quite large, and even moreso if you account for all the differentsocieties, and all the varieties possible inthese rhythms. Sometimes the manyvarieties will be in the form of differentrhythmic variations in the drums them-

t .

Clave

Mid Conga

Low Conga

High Conga

Quinto*Optional

selves, but often the drum patterns willbe the same from one variation to thenext and it will be other elements-theother percussion instruments, the vocalarrangements, lpic content, and geo-graphic regions of origin-that definethe particular rhythmic variation, or aparticular group's or society's adapta-tion of the style.

These song forms and rhythmsgreatly influenced many Cuban secularforms, particularly the Rumba styles.The first example is a score showinghow three or four separate drummerswould play a typical Abakud rhythm.

lmprovisation and interaction with vocals,dancers and the other drummers.

Following are patterns for oneplayer on three drums. These work bestwith the drums set up the same as for

the Cha Cha Lokua Fun. The top linethe Quinto, the middle the Segundo,and the bottom the Tumba.

a

IS

oooo

o(r)s(r)oG) sG)o(r)s(r

RLRLR

os os

RLRLRL

osos

RL RL

Ad Lib

RLRL

t06 Stort pottern with the R and continue wrth #e L on reDedl

The Bemb6 is a folkloric festival withsinging, dancing and drumming. In atraditional setting there is only a solodrummer on a low tumbadora plapngimprovised material that interacts withthe vocals and dance along with theother percussion (similar to the way a

Quinto player functions in a Rumbaensemble). Other instruments includethe Hoeblade-the Guataca-andSheker6s. In more informal or collo-quial terms the word Bemb6 is also usedto describe a gathering or festivity thatmay be just an informal gathering,much like the term Rumba-whiletraditionally describing specific songforms and settings-is also loosely usedto describe a percussion jam session or

a parq/ or gathering. Consequentlythere are also rhythms commonlyreferred to as Bemb6 rhythms that aremore generic $rhythms that maintainthe flavor of the traditional Bemb6performance but are set for two, threeand four congas along with other percus-sion. Following is an example of asection of hand drums playng a Bemb6or folkloric $ style rhythm. Many of thesegeneric patterns might draw from other Ifolkloric styles as well and in the courseof playing one of these patterns therewould be elements of Abacud or Guiroor other 8sryles. Following is an exampleof this rype of rhythm. Note.' the audinacample is of only a singlc drum im,proaisingoaer a bell and shehnd pattern.

i

iI

Clave

Low Conga

Mid Conga

High Conga

The Guiro rhythm got its namebecause it was originally performed onbeaded gourds called Guiros-latercalled sheker6s. A bell and a single

conga drummer were first added andlater interpretations came to include allthree tumbadoras. Other percussion isalso sometimes added.

i

I

2.

LRLRR

HTOPS

L

H

R

TO

LRR

PS

LRLRL

os os

RLRLRL

os os

o s B oos o

t07