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The origin of 'Salsa'
Confusion as to the classification
of Latin and Afro-Caribbean music can be attributed
more to marketing strategies rather than to actual
musical differences.
After the Revolution in ’59 when many Cuban musicians were exiled in the U.S., a separation in the musical development in both
countries began taking place.
This separation caused
an impassioned debate on the terminology used to describe Cuban music in the U.S.
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The word 'Salsa' led to great controversy
since its creation in the beginning of the 70’s.
Many Cuban musicians insisted that salsa didn’t
exist and that it was actually the Cuban Són
dressed up for commercial purposes. But Salsa ended
up creating such a worldwide impact that it was
finally given legitimacy.
However, it must also
be kept in mind that Puerto Rican musicians (and
musicians from other Latin American countries) had
a considerable hand in the preservation and development
of this music in the U.S. and that their interpretation
actually created something new and different to
what was being played in Cuba.
................................................................................................................... New sounds and styles
While in New York during the ‘60s, the Latin
music scene continued more or less along the lines
of the traditional music of the pre-revolutionary
stage in Cuba, the musicians that had remained on
the island began experimenting with new sounds and
styles coming from the U.S.
They began mixing in elements of jazz, fusion and rock with popular dance
music and began to stray from the limitations imposed
by tradition in order to serve the dancing public.
In the 70’s the invented "Salsa" word had hit the East Coast of the U.S., at a time
when this sort of music was experiencing enormous
popularity peaks as well as notable growth within
the record industry.
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Thus,The development of various music styles that
emerged during these last decades can be clearly
observed. In general terms, the Post revolution
Cuban music (which includes dance music, jazz, new
troubadour and the Timba),
jazz and Latin Fusion (including Latin rock, a style
developed mainly on U.S.’s West Coast) can
be categorized as East Coast Salsa.
When exploring the various aspects of this evolution
with the music actually being played, it is fascinating
to observe the independent development of each instrument within the different groupings and in particular,
how specific patterns are created within these styles.
As was mentioned earlier, many of the structural
changes or developments with the more modern styles
have affected mainly percussion instruments, while
the piano has maintained its role based on the foundations
of the Son and
its variations.
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It's all about rhythm
One thing that should not be forgotten is that when
talking of Salsa or one of the many musical styles
of Afro-Caribbean origins, one is talking of rhythms that were all made to dance to. The importance of
dance in the Caribbean is nothing new and since
the arrival of the Spaniards all the chronicles
and traveler’s texts were filled with references
to the festive and dancing culture of the Latin
Americans.
For Cubans especially, music and dance has always had a very special place in society.
Evidence of this can be found in the innumerable
essays, articles and reports written by researchers
who study the subject in detail.
However, the second
half of the 19th Century can be considered as the
crucial stage in the crossing and realization process
of musical and dance genres originating from Africa
and Europe.
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Creating of more modern styles after 1850
During this same period and as a result of the influence
and authority exerted by the waltz, the polka and
the Contra-Danze (Country Dance), dancing in partners became the most popular style in dancing salons.
Cuba entered the 20th Century, dancing Danzón,
the direct offspring of the Habanera and the Contra-Danze.
Since then, nothing has stopped
and in Cuba every so often, it seems that a moment
arrives in which dancers get bored of one type of
music and search for another to entertain them and
get them dancing again.
At first, as was just mentioned,
it was the Danzón; then once that became
tedious and monotonous, the Danzonete was incorporated
to the end of the song in order to make it less
structured and more lively and relaxed for dancers. Then, in the beginning of the 30’s, came the
eastern Són. But once again dancers grew bored and it was necessary for musicians to rehearse
new beats and rhythms.
That is how the Mambo came into being in the 40’s, the Chachachá in the 50’s, the Pachanga in the 60’s
and so on until the Songo arrived in the 80’s and the Timba in the 90’s.
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