Salsa is a popular Latin social dance that is taught and performed across the world. Consisting of eight beats, rests are on beats four and eight with the rest being danced on. Historically, it is a relatively modern genre of music and dance which has undergone considerable development from its early roots, incorporating and celebrating a plethora of cultural and musical influences.
Salsa’s foundation is drawn from lumba rhythms, a combination of African, Caribbean and South American rhythms created in Cuba. This allowed people brought to the island during the slave trade a way of maintaining a connection to their homelands. From this, the dance and music style known as Cuban Son emerged. Cuban Son uses traditional African drumming beats in combination with the ring of a clave (often considered the key element of Afro-Caribbean music – including modern salsa).
Musicians celebrate Day of Cuban Son
Musicians celebrate Day of Cuban Son
Havana, May 8 (Prensa Latina) The Day of the Cuban Son, a date declared as a tribute to that musical expression, also recalls on Saturday the birthday of two of its great exponents: composer Miguel Matamoros and singer Miguelito Cuni.
Both musicians contributed to the transcendence of the genre. According to Maestro Adalberto Alvarez, this May 8 makes the representatives of the father of all styles of popular dance music in Cuba visible. Classical artists, jazz musicians, singer songwriters and even dance and theater professionals supported the decision that Cuban son had its day, because it runs through the veins of Cubans and it is part of our DNA. Each province will have its own autonomy, working lines and visual identity, he assured.
In 2001, Keko Virán travelled to Cuba to meet Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer and Cachaito López – his idols from the legendary “Buena Vista Social Club” and to embrace the essence of the country and the people that inspired the rich, earthy roots of modern salsa music.
The trip inspired the formation of Australia’s premier Latin band, with a nod to the Buena Vista through its strong Cuban Son foundations. ‘The idea was to create a small musical group to research and promote rhythmic Afro-Latin styles and have a whole lot of fun with it along the way.’
As if channelling the very essence of Cuban street music, Keko fronts the energetic and talented group of musicians. Theirs is the only traditional Cuban Son band to be recognised by a Cuban Ambassador in Australia.
By Mary Alouette
Not long ago I did something I never imagined I would’ve done. I booked a month-long trip to Cuba to dive into the unknown, learn Cuban piano and percussion, paint, practice Spanish, unplug, travel, relax, and challenge myself to see if I really could go after a wild dream.
I ended up writing a Cuban jazz album and hiring a 6-piece Cuban jazz band to record it, collaborating with Cuban and American hip hop artists on an album and filmmakers on a documentary, and performing at Havana’s coolest cultural venue, Fábrica de Arte.
What unfolded showed me that it’s possible to create experiences in your life beyond your wildest dreams.