The Afro-Cuban Folkloric Musical Tradition: Complete Guide
Comprehensive study of Cuban folkloric music by veteran percussionist with deep cultural ties to Cuba. Includes detailed notation, cultural context, and 95 audio examples covering Yoruba, Bantu, Dahomey, Carabalí, Conga, and Rumba traditions. Essential for serious students of Afro-Cuban percussion and ethnomusicology.
This book represents over twenty years of intensive study and research into Cuba's folkloric musical traditions. Written by a veteran percussionist with deep family ties and cultural bonds to Cuba, it offers an insider's perspective rather than an outside observer's view.
The work provides detailed rhythmic and technical analysis of Cuban folkloric music while placing each tradition in its proper historical, cultural, and spiritual context. With 95 audio examples included as MP3 files, readers can hear the rhythms as they study the notation and commentary.
The book covers the major traditions comprehensively: Yoruba (including Batá, Bembé, Güiro, and Iyesá), Bantu/Congolese (Makuta, Palo, Yuka), Dahomey (Arará, Nago, Vodú, Tumba Francesa, Eliance, Gagá), Carabalí (Abakuá), Conga traditions, and the complete Rumba cycle (Yambú, Guaguancó, Columbia).
While designed primarily for serious percussionists, the book's extensive historical background and cultural insights make it valuable for ethnomusicologists, musicologists, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Afro-Cuban music at its source.
Table of Contents
Forward by Dr. Olavo Alén Rodríguez
1. Cuba - A Brief Social History
2. Yoruba: Batá, Bembé, Güiro, Iyesá
3. Bantu/Congolese: Makuta, Palo, Yuka
4. Dahomey: Arará, Nago, Vodú, Tumba Francesa, Eliance, Gagá
5. Carabalí: Abakuá
6. Conga: Conga de Comparsa, Conga Habanera, Conga Oriental
7. The Rumba Cycle: Yambú, Guaguancó, Columbia, Quinto
8. Beyond the Tradition
Includes: Glossary, Bibliography, Recommended Listening