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Glossary · C
Glossary
Index
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Cabildo
The cabildos are mutual assistance societies that
rejoin Afro-Cubans since the 17th Century, where
social, cultural and religious functions mix.
Some cabildos come from secret societies similar
to a black freemasonry, such as the abakuá
society.
Cadena
One of the figures of the contradanza.
Cajón
Resonant wooden crate used as a drum in the yambú
(an early form of rumba),
which is played with the hands.
 Campana
or Cencerro
A handheld bell played with a wooden stick. Used
in the popular orchestras, in is a Hispano-American
imitation of the Ekón,
the abakuá.bell.
The powerful and rustic bell produces various
different sounds, depending on where it is played,
and has a characteristic and recognizable sound,
making it easy to identify in a salsa
orchestra.
Caracoles
These shells, known as cauris in Africa, are used
for fortune telling and soothsaying in the santería.
Cariaco
Ancient Afro-Cuban dance.
Caringa
Folkloric Afro-Cuban dance and song, also called
zapateo.
Cedazo
One of the figures of the contradanza.
Chacha
Instrument similar to the güiro,
but made of metal.
Chachachá
With a style descending from the danzón,
the chachachá surfaced in the early 40’s,
triggered by the Arcaño y sus Maravillas
orchestra. Among the musicians of this rhythm,
some of the most prominent include the Lopez brothers,
Israel and Cachao (with Coralia), Antonio Sanchez,
Félix Reina, and a violinist originally
from Candelaria (Pinar del Rio, Cuba) but living
in Havana: Enrique Jorrín.
One of the cha cha’s innovations consists
in the considerably increased level of importance
given to the choruses by the musicians, creating
the type of answer-call which is so common in
today’s Latin music. According to Jorrín:
"I asked the orchestra to all sing in unison.
With this unison three things were achieved: the
words were heard more clearly, more powerfully
and besides the voices of musicians who weren’t
really singers were disguised.
In the cha cha the singers are the musicians themselves".
This music also points out the difficulty the
dancers had with the danzón-mambo,
as the steps don’t fall on the beat, rather
on the syncopations. What Jorrín does is
take this formula and simplify it so that the
melody is based on the beats and the accompaniment
on the off-beats; ever since, dancers can rely
on the melody, which serves as a reference. Among
the most important musicians that devoted themselves
to the cha cha are Chicho O'Farril, Pérez
Prado, Tito
Puente, Charles Aznavour, Rubén
Blades and Willie
Colón.
Chambelona
Popular traditional song of Cuba, having been practiced mostly at the beginning of 20th Century.
Chanchamele
Afro-Spanish dance of the 17th Century.
Changuy o Changüi
This old variation of the son
was born in the Guantánamo region; it was
taken up again by Elio Revé during the
60’s.
Charanga
Sometimes called French charanga, this type of
orchestra or music group appeared in the early
20th Century. In the beginning the charanga focused
essentially on the danzones,
until the appearance of the cha cha chá.
With the cha cha it became very popular due to
the replacement of metal instruments by violins
and the Cuban ebony flute. A charanga is made
up of timbales,
güiro,
conga, piano,
double bass, violin and flute. The Colombian version
of the charanga also includes an accordion.
Clave
Two cylindrical pieces of hard wood that are hit
against each other: this simple percussion instrument
is the pillar of all Latin music as it provides
the rhythmic timing, the principal pulsating beat.
Cobo
Large sea shell, used in the making of a wind
instrument.
Cocoye
or Cucuye
Traditional Afro-Cuban dance and music used in
the carnivals, particularly in Cuba’s eastern
region
Columbia
Traditional Afro-Cuban dance. The columbia is
one of the 3 parts of the rumba
(along with yambú
and the guaguancó).
This slow dance is accompanied only by percussion
and is danced only by men.
Combo
Type of orchestra or musical group that developed
in Cuba toward the end of the 50’s and propagated
during the 60’s. The orchestra was formed
by various sections (wind, string, percussion,
etc) but with only one instrument per section:
a reduced orchestral formula, adapted to the small
clubs of Havana.
Comparsa
A musical gathering, dance and parade in which
groups of dancers participate with choreographies
and costumes, usually with a leader.
Conga
Large drum of African origin, very much used in
salsa. Mostly
appearing in pairs, they are played by a standing
conguero who uses his hands to beat on them. The
term is also used to refer to a Cuban Carnival
dance. It is also the name of a salon dance which
had its moments of glory during the 30’s.
Congo
A Congolese native.
Conjunto
This type of orchestra arises in Cuba toward the
mid 40’s, playing a repertoire including
the son, the
bolero and
the guaracha.
It is made up of a piano, a double bass, bongo,
conga, güiro,
maracas,
clave, a wind section of
up to four instruments (generally trumpets) and
a guitar, accompanied by one or two singers. Sometimes
the tres replaces
the piano.
Contradanza
This ancient dance form born in Cuba, traces its
origins back to the contradanse introduced into
the island by the French toward the end of the
18th Century. In the early 19th Century, the dance
changed due to the influence of the Island’s
black population, where it became contradanza.
The dance is made up of four movements: paseo,
cadena, sostenido and cedazo.
The first two are slow while the sostenido and
the cedazo have a faster tempo. In time the contradanza
lost its group characteristic and became a dance
for partners.
Controversia
The controversia is a type of punto
where two singers rival in a sort of sung and
improvised poem. This poetic duel is cousin to
the "dozens" of North America and of
the "toasting" in Jamaica and rap.
Corneta China (or Cornetin
Chino)
This type of oboe with a piercing sound was taken
to Havana by Chinese immigrants. Since then it
has been incorporated into the instrumentation
for carnival.
Coro de Guaguancó
Specialized rumba
choir, very much used in Havana during the 19th
Century.
Cuarteto
Group of four musicians: a singer-guitarist, a
tres player,
a botija
player and a singer-player of the clave
pattern.
Cuatro
This instrument is a tres
reinforced with a double string in the lower notes.
Frequently used in the Oriente, it is greatly
used in the son.
Cumbancha
Wild, noisy and unruly improvised celebration.
Cumbe
African dance the cumbancha derives from.
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