Música de Cuba

Presented by Yamari Lewis

Cuban music is heavily influenced by the Spanish and African groups that have inhabited the island for hundreds of years.◦With the music, came dances and

instruments. At this time, the genre was called Afro-

Cuban music. Through the addition of other instruments,

rhythms, and cultural development, modern Cuban music was formed.

General Background

Claves Maracas Guiros Cowbell Bongos Conga Drums Batá Drums Pianos Basses Trumpets

Trombones Saxophones Synthesizers Guitars (Electric and

Acoustic) Violins Flutes Shekeres

General Musical Instruments

Percussion instruments provide backbone to Cuban music.

Claves are used in the clave rhythm. They keep the tempo throughout the song.

Bongos and Conga drums have been traced back to the 1800s in Cuba and originated in Africa.

Percussion Instruments

Many music and dance forms derived from Danźon which is a distinctive Afro-Cuban music style that developed in the 1700s. It uses African rhythms and European/Spanish lyrics and instruments.

Son developed from Danźon

“Song and Dance”

Rumba◦ Guitar,flute, piano, drums, claves, and guiros

Mambo◦ Complicated rhythms◦ Piano, claves, trumpets, saxophones, trombones,

guiros, bongos, conga drums, Salsa

◦ Simpler rhythmically than the mambo◦ Claves, cowbells, conga drums, trumpets,

trombone, bass guitar, maracas, guiros, Cha-cha-cha

◦ Guitar, piano, violin, cowbell, claves, conga drums,

Popular Music Forms

The rumba became popular in the early 1900s. It has two quick side steps with one slow forward step. It has an erect torso and subtle hip movements.

The mambo appeared in the 1930s and 1940s. It combines son and swing.

The salsa became popular in the 1960s and blended the mambo and jazz. It has vibrant and energetic hip movements.

The cha-cha-cha was popularized in the 1950s. It has a rhythmic pattern that corresponds to the accented beats.

Corresponding Dance Forms

Performers

Some of the most famous Cuban artists, groups, and musicians include:

Perez Prado Celia Cruz Gloria Estefan Rey Ruiz Benny Moré

Specific Artists

Perez Prado is called El Ray del Mambo or the King of Mambo.

Around the age of 26, he moved to Havana, Cuba where he played with and composed for dozens of other Cuban artists.

He developed and popularized mambo from listening to the blended and syncopated beats of multiple musicians playing.

“Mambo is a movement back to nature, by means of rhythms based on such cries and noises, and on simple joys."

Perez Prado

She was the first female mega-star in salsa music.

Celia Cruz remains the most important woman in Afro-Cuban music in general.

She started out as a lead singer for a local musician group where she was popularized.

Over the decades, she worked with numerous popular Cuban artists which continued her international fame.

Celia Cruz¡Azucar

!

After migrating to Miami, Florida, Gloria Estefan started playing the guitar and singing at a young age.

Her mother gave her vocal lessons.

When she met Emilio Estefan, her future husband, they formed a band called Miami Sound Machine.

As she transferred over to a solo artist, she gained international fame. She sang in both English and Spanish.

Gloria Estefan

He is a well known Cuban salsa singer.

Rey Ruiz is also called the Elvis of Salsa.

He has international fame because of his mambo-like style and his boyish good looks.

Most recently, he performed at Chicago’s First Annual Cuban Pride Festival. (I was there!)

Rey Ruiz

He was referred to as El Bárbaro del Ritmo or the Master of Rhythm.

He was a self-taught guitarist and started out as a performer in Havana during the 1940s.

With a versatile singing style and charismatic personality, he gained international fame.

He had a gifted ear but could not read music.

(My mom danced with him on stage when she was about 4 during Cuba’s Carnival)

Benny Moré

When Santeria, the largest Afro-Cuban religion, was in its prime, music and dance were very important in the ceremonies and rituals. ◦ Santeria was Yuruban spirituality that was

disguised by Catholicism. As time passed, both music and danced

remained as a cultural element within Cuba.◦ They bonded the country together and provided a

sense of national identity.

Cultural Relevance

http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/cultures/cuba.html http://latinmusic.about.com/od/countrie1/p/PRO08BASIC.htm http://www.britannica.com/bps/search?query=Afro-Cuban+music&blacklist=662865 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/523208/Santeria http://

www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1481999/Latin-American-dance/279314/The-Caribbean?anchor=ref1093934

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1481999/Latin-American-dance/279314/The-Caribbean?anchor=ref1093934

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/145542/Cuba/233432/Music-and-dance http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/512675/rumba http://www.laventure.net/tourist/prez_bio.htm http://latinmusic.about.com/od/artists/p/PRO01CCRUZ.htm http://www.biography.com/people/gloria-estefan-9542436 http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/artistbio.asp?CTR=97728 http://

worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/artist/content.artist/beny_more_42205/en_US

All pictures are credited to Google Images and Biography websites. All music is provided by my mother~ 1st song- Quimbara by Celia Cruz 2nd song- Mambo No. 5 by Perez Prado

Works Cited