American Roots Music: SALSA!

 

Let’s explore the genre of … SALSA! 

History

    So, where and how did Salsa begin? Let’s find out!

Salsa originally began in the Sierra Maestra of Cuba’s province… so, Cuba! When Salsa began, it was  considered then Cuban music of Bantu descent. This genre was the coming together of several other musical styles: Cumbria, Rhumba, Changui, Nengon, Kiriba, and Regina. Once Salsa reached Havana, it spread like a wildfire! The roots of Salsa (sauce) are in the son. The “son” that you will hear me talk about throughout this learning experience means “the Cuban sound”. The Salsa combines the the elements of Spanish guitar playing with rhythmic complexity and also the call and response vocal tradition of African musical sources. Afro-Cuban music actually spread throughout Latin America to Mexico. New York City then became the forge for its transformation into … wait for it … Salsa! 

So… What is Salsa? 

Musical Background

Some of the earlier music genres that fed into the Salsa were Cuban Son, Cuban Danzon, Rhumba, Guaracham, Cha-cha-cha, Mambo, and Son Montuno. What really gets interesting is how many musicians helped shape the Salsa into its own genre. Some of the earliest musicians come from Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil, as well as other places in Latin America. The Salsa was pioneered by Arsenio Rodriguez. In the Early 1940’s, there were more contributions of the orchestra led by Cuban emigre Machito (Frank Grillo) which blended Afro-Cuban styles with jazz and big band approaches. Another Afro-Cuban emigre Celia Cruz was a start dancer and evolved Afro-Cuban dance into the Salsa. Others who brought their styles along into the mix were Tito Rodriquez and Tito Puente a virtuoso timbale player and a vibraphonist and Eddie Palmieri a pianist who brought over progressive jazz. 

Here is a LONG video, but scroll through and give some of it a listen! 

(To view this video, you will have to click “Watch on YouTube”)

Moving onto . . . 

Instruments

There is a lot that goes on musically with Salsa music. When you listen to the music above, you hear an array of different sounds, different timbres, different instruments. This music has so much going on! Before I begin to break down the musical aspects, lets take a look at some of the instruments. 

Classic Instruments Include:

- Vocals                - Piano

- Trumpet             - Guitar or Tres (Cuban instrument similar to guitar)

- Trombone          - Saxophone

- Double Bass       - Congas

- Bongos               - Timbales

- Claves                - Cowbell

- Maracas              - Guiro 

Now for the more intricate aspects of Salsa music

1. Bell Patterns: The percussionists play the bell patterns on claves. The son or rhumba clave (2:3 or 3:2) are the most popular bell patterns in salsa music. 

2. Afro-Cuban Rhythms: Uses an array of Afro Cuban/Caribbean rhythms that trace their roots to Central and West Africa. 

3. Bass Tumbaos: Bass pattern based on tresillo pattern which means it can align with a 2:3 or 3:2 bell pattern. 

4. Spanish - Language (LYRICS!): Vocalists are known as Soneros. the lyric genre is known as salsa romantica which emphasizes love and romance in its lyrics. 

Sources: 

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Salsa. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/art/salsa-music#:~:text=The%20roots%20of%20salsa%20(Spanish,decades%20of%20the%2020th%20century 

MasterClass. (2021, November 2). Guide to salsa music: A brief history of the salsa genre - 2022. MasterClass. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-salsa-music