Essay on History of Rumba, Merengue and Salsa

The Brazilian Samba began in Paris and spread to America in the early twenties. The older, more conservative crowd stuck with ballroom dance as the young, eccentric generation began to emerge in what many called “animal dance.” Dance styles like the famed “Charleston” and the “Lindy Hop” (a.k.a the Jitterbug), formed from a blend of ballroom and African American influence. The “Lindy Hop” later emerged into many different styles of swing dance and carried on for generations to follow. To many, dance became a competitive sport. Nightclubs and community centers held dance marathons for those who believed they could hold their own on the dance floor. Dance brought people together in an unspoken, electrifying way unlike anything else before. As music influenced the dance phenomena, dance began to influence popular music as well. Numerous songs and genres were developed off of names of dances and choreography. It was completely changing the world around

In the 19th Century, Merengue was being introduced in saloons and ballrooms everywhere on the island. However, this new music found its opposition among Europeans at the time. The custom style of dancing at this time was the Tumba, a cultural dance of the time which was danced in groups. The Merengue was embraced and accepted by the Dominican people and evolved within the country according to region. An example of this is the region of the Dominican Republic known as “El Cibao” has taken its influence from merengue and specified it to a particular sound and style influenced by that region a style which has been come to be known as “Perico Ripiao”. This dance eventually came to be revered by many as a sound relative to the Dominican Republic, it showed nationalism and was used to unify Dominicans.

the great Afro-Cuban percussionist; Danilo perez, a master pianist and composer originally from Pnama; Arturo Sandoval, trumpeter, composer and music educator originally from Cuba; Mongo Santamaria, an Afro-Cuban conguero, bongeuro and composer; David Sanchez, saxophonist and composer; Chucho Valdes, an Afro-Cuban virtuoso pianist and composer; and Bobby Sanabria, a Bronx, NY-born Nuyorican percussionist, composer, educator, bandleader and expert in the Afro-Cuban musical tradition. Indeed, many Latin jazz classics such as "Manteca", "A Night in Tunisia" and "Guachi Guaro [Soul Sauce]" were composed by Gillespie and his musical

Salsa is primarily originates from the Cuban son, it is a fusion made up of the Spanish canción guitar as well as the use Afro-Cuban percussion, which is submerged with the various North American musical styles such as jazz. Salsa also occasionally incorporates a various influences fused of rock, R&B, and funk.[6] All of these non-Cuban elements are grafted onto the basic Cuban son montuno template when performed within the context of salsa.

What I found interesting about salsa is it grew out of the wish to move away from the norm of Latin music that was already placed at that. The early form of salsa, Latin Boogaloo, allowed young Puerto Rican musicians a chance to express themselves

The main aspects that have changed: the instrumentation, the style, the tempo, and the dance movements. The time signatures of the two types of cumbias are the start of where the change begins. The basics of Colombian cumbia are described as, “Its essential elements, the tambor drums and enormous gaita flutes, combine to give the music a rolling, infectious 2/4 beat… (Morales 253) .” In Mexico, “the cumbia is a very popular modern dance in 4/4 from Colombia… (Nevin 137)” Jackie Garcia, born in Mexico but raised in the United States, says when listening to the two types she can tell them apart by the speed of the music. “The Colombian cumbia and Mexican cumbia are different because the Colombian cumbia goes a lot faster. It’s marked faster by the tempo compared to the Mexican one (Garcia, Jackie).” Not only has the tempo changed but also the instrumentation which leads to a style variation, from very rhythmically based feel to a lighter, smoother feel. “The Colombian music is heavy on the tambora, a type of drum, while the Mexican style emphasizes trumpets and horns (Wisner 65)” With the style change also brings a difference in dance technique. The Colombian cumbia was heavily influenced by the African and indigenous peoples, giving the dance focus in the hips, with a swaying movement. The Mexican dance may get confused with other genres such as salsa, because the main aspect of the

Before the popularization of Son, Cuban music and dance was largely influenced by Europe. Compositions in the early period closely resemble songs from middle-class Europe. These genres include: the creole, canción and danzón (Moore 17). While these genres were seen as the model of Cuban expression at the turn of the century, the Afrocuban music known as “Son” would soon become (and remain) the paragon of Cuban artistic and cultural expression; the previous genres paled in comparison in terms of popularity. Fusing African, Indigenous and European elements, Son exemplified the transculturation that so many of the elites in Cuba were promoting as Cuba’s identity; however, the most prominent elements in Son music originated from Africa, which did

With time, the Caribbean’s artistic culture moved on to express its African Influences in Puerto Rico with a style known as Bomba. Bomba is widely it known as the Puerto Rican counter part to the Cuban Rumba. Another music style that is popular in Puerto Rico is Seis Zapateado. Seis Zapateado is popular with lower socioeconomic classes and while it does contain some African influence, it contains stronger Spanish ties due to its large use of string instruments rather than percussion. Interestingly enough when comparing the two music styles, it is evident that the Bomba never gained as much traction amongst high-class citizens like Rumba did. The Rumba and the Bomba have their similarities, but a final distinction worth noting is that in the Bomba dance, the partners never actually touch.

In the feature article “En conga, bonga y campana : the rise of Colombian salsa,” the writer states that Salsa is a popular dance music developed in the Latino barrios of New York City in the Latino barrios of New York City and urban centers of Puerto Rico during the 1960s and 1970s. In addition, the writer states that the term “salsa” literally means “sauce,” a culinary metaphor that evokes images of a spicy concoction somewhat mirroring the music’s own hybrid origins and infectious appeal. In “The Early Years of Colombian Salsa” part, the writer states that contrary to the relatively recent emergence of most Colombian salsa bands, the roots of Colombian salsa can be traces back to the 1960s. Then, the writer discusses development of salsa music

Argentine tango, the second music described, does not appear to owe much to pre-Columbian roots (which are not very firmly defined within the culture, apparently), nor does tango seem to draw from African sources. Its musical style, as well as its instruments, are strongly European; the auditory flair and accompanying dance seem to hail from Spain, while some of the instruments are more widely European in origin (accordion from Germany, etc.).

According to Saldivar, ``la bamba`` originated in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz. ``It`s a Jaracho song-a type of music mostly played with a small guitar and a harp. It`s fiesta music-party music. Kind of like an old-time disco. Every child in Mexico grows up with `la bamba.` ``

Samba is by far the most famous and widely known music genre in Brazil. Samba’s origins are in West Africa, mainly Angola and Congo. The musical style migrated from West Africa to Brazil through the slave trade. The word “Samba” is derived from the Kimbundu (Angolan) term “semba” meaning “invitation to dance.” Its roots stem from the Congolese and Angolan “circle dances”.

Music is something that fills most people with joy. The magic that music carries with it is what allows us to enjoy and dance too. Music is the bit that motivates us every day to continue living life with rhythm and flavored. The Caribbean defined taste, rhythm, and passion. Caribbean people are known worldwide for the tropical, for the passion in which, they transmit each time they dance. Latinos are music lovers, lovers of rhythm, lovers of "pachanga". Leon Rose is a London-born Caribbean salsa dancer, instructor, and choreographer who share the same passion and charisma as most Latin people; he is recognized as one of the best salsa dancers in the United Kingdom.

The music and dance of the African diaspora, formed to varying degrees on African musical traditions, include American music and many Caribbean genres, such as soca, calypso (see kaiso) and zouk. Latin American music genres such as therumba, conga,

From this came a mix of cultures and eventually the creation of the Tango. Although it can't be proven that this is its exact origin this is the theory that is most logical. The relentless rhythms that the African slaves, the candombe, beat on their drums (known as tan-go); the popular music of the pampas (flatlands) known as the milonga, which combined Indian rhythms with the music of early Spanish colonists; and other influences, including Latin. Some say the word "tango" comes from the Latin word tangere (to touch.) It was the dance of sorrow. It speaks with body language. More then just frustrated love, it is also said to speak of death and pain. It was the perfect dance for social outcasts; it epitomized their feelings about their life.