Latino Music 1 Chapter 11
Tito Puente Biographical Notes 2 Early Life Born in the barrio of Spanish Harlem in 1923 to Puerto Rican immigrants. Grew up there, absorbing myriad influences of trad. Puerto Rican music, Afro- Cuban music, American popular song, jazz, big band swing, Western art music Musical Training Learned big band drumming Joined Machito’s orchestra – learned how to play Cuban popular rhythms Acquainted himself with Afro-Cuban culture Formally trained in Western art music (studied at Julliard); could fluently read music Early Band Experience Joined Machito and the Afro-Cubans in 1942 Drafted into U.S. Navy; played drums & saxophone with the Navy band
Mambo King Informal rivalry between Puente, Machito and Tito Rodríguez. 3 Began in 1949 with Pérez Prado’s first big hit, “Mambo #5”, launching the so- called mambo craze of the 1950s. Epicenter of all this was the Palladium Ballroom in New York City Original “Oye Como Va” His most popular song (originally a cha cha chá) From his 1963 album El Rey Bravo Santana’s “Oye Como Va” and Tito Puente Released in 1970 on the album Abraxas; the album sold millions of copies This is a rock-infused cover version that rose to #13 on the Billboard rock chart - it far surpassed the popularity of the original. Tito Puente made more money (far more) thanks to royalties from Santana’s cover than he did from any of his own recordings. It also revitalized his career at a time when Latin music in general (and Cuban music particular) was on the wane.
King of Salsa Salsa was a 1970s New York “invention” of an Afro -Cuban dance form that is 4 virtually identical to son . Salsa was something of a marketing gimmick to create a phrase that was more catchy than saying “Latin dance music”. Puente was reconfigured as the “king” of salsa; he didn’t have much use for the term but he recognized its promotional value! Puente as Pan-Latino icon Pan-Latino identity: recognizing uniqueness of different Latino nationalities and cultures while building bridges between them. Puente was held up as a unifying symbol: Puerto Rican, Newyorican, master of Cuban music, innovator of Latin music, musical traditionalist (remember his Julliard training?), musical experimenter, entrepreneur, WWII veteran. Later Years Although he inspired other musicians and activists to politically engage, Puente was not very politically active. Musically, he continued to adapt to each era. His music took on a more multicultural than a nationalistic course
The Roots of Latin Dance Music 5 Briefly discuss the early history of Spanish colonization of Cuba. Columbus and Spanish fleet land on island, 1492 Amerindian people, such as the Taino, are all but wiped out during conquest Spanish settlers began arriving in Cuba in 1511 and established large sugar cane plantations. They forced African slaves, an estimated 5,000,000 in all, to work the plantations. Majority were either Yoruba or Congolese. Most arrived between 1790 and 1860 (much later than counterparts in British colonies). What two types of traditional, neo-African music developed in Cuba? ritual drumming associated with Afro-Cuban religion of Santería traditionally performed on a set of three drums (low, medium, high pitched) called a batá. Stringed bells are attached to lowest-pitched drum. Style of playing is intricate, interlocking, complex polyrhythms. Lead drummer improvises, other two drummer play ostinatos
secular, social dance music of traditional Cuban rumba also uses set of three drums (low, medium, high pitched) played in a complex, 6 polyrhythmic style. Modern conga drums are descendants of the original rumba drums (ngoma). Claves play the characteristic rhythms, singers perform call and response and there is usually dancing. Turn to p. 224 and listen to the following four clave rhythms. How did these forms influence the development of Latin dance music? Santería promoted a flourishing of neo-African music in Cuba. Rumba, particularly with the clave rhythm, established the foundation for most Cuban dance music. List the characteristic features of rhythm, form, and instrumentation in each and compare/contrast the two styles. Santería example Rumba example Define creolized dance-music styles. blending of musical elements of Spanish and West African derivation
Identify and describe several major dance-music forms. Contradanza (no description) 7 Danzón: essentially becomes the national dance of Cuba and eventually evolves into the Danzón-Mambo (a highly Afro-Cubanized version of the original danzón) and the Cha Cha Chá. The cha cha chá was actually created to appeal to non-Cuban dancers, especially Americans, since it was easier to hear/feel the beat and its tempo was a bit more relaxed. Discuss how these creolized dance-music styles became important symbols of the emergent Cuban national identity. This music’s popularity grew at the same time that anti -Spanish rule sentiment was growing. The music symbolized an identity in which whites, blacks and mulattos all had a place. The fact that this music was becoming internationally popular was also a tremendous source of pride. What is the instrumentation of the charanga ensemble that typically performed danzón music? wooden flute, two (or more) violins, piano, string bass, guiro, pair of drums (forerunners of the modern timbales). Maracas were also often used.
Which elements of Afro-Cubanization were present in the danzón-mambo? Include discussion of instrumentation, rhythms, textures, etc. 8 Use of conga drums, complex and syncopated rhythms, layered ostinatos (within the mambo sections, violins would play ostinato figures along with traditional rhythm instruments) Soaring, improvised flute solos were another element. How did these influence later styles of music and ensembles? directly influenced the most successful and influential Latin dance-music phenomena of the early 1950s, big band mambo and cha cha chá.
Musical Guided 9 Tour Latin Percussion Rhythms of the Cha Cha Chá, 227 Audio Musical Guided Tour
“El Bodeguero,” Grupo Cimarrón de Cuba 10 Listen to a contemporary version of Jorrin’s “El Bodeguero,” noting use of these clear rhythms, moderate tempo, and use of singing.
Big Band Mambo 11 Big band instrumentation Adopted/adapted from model of American big band swing and jazz. Typical lineup included 2 to 5 players each on trumpet, trombone, saxophone; plus piano, bass and 3 or more percussionists (with singers possibly, depending on the arrangement). Percussion section features 3 types of drums used in Cuban son bands: timbales, conga drums, bongo drums, as well as other Latin American idiophones (cowbells, claves, güiro, maracas, etc.)
Musical texture featuring layered ostinatos throughout the band All instrumentalists were assigned short, recurring patterns (ostinatos, or riffs ), repeated over and over, often with variations, layered one atop the other during 12 the course of a mambo arrangement. Reflective of earlier Cuban son and danzón-mambo styles – created a tight, composite rhythm Driving, Afro-Cuban percussion rhythms Syncopated, interlocking rhythms, all growing from the root rhythm of the clave; reflecting the characteristic Cuban rhythmic styles of rumba and son . Jazz influences Reflected in harmonies (chords and chord progressions), rhythms, and arrangements of mambos, as well as highlighting of extended, improvised instrumental solos. Fast tempos and highly energetic playin g Mambos tempos were upbeat and music was exciting, energetic and eminently danceable (though not easy to dance to) Absence, or at least limited use, of singing Little emphasis on singing and song texts (unlike the son ). Any singing that existed usually consisted of short, often meaningless vocal interjections. This enabled mambo to appeal to Latino and non-Latino audiences alike.
“Sambia,” Machito and the Afro -Cubans 13 0:00 - 0:19 Jazz-inspired introduction 0:19 - 0:26 Saxophones present a riff 0:27 - 0:35 Saxophones repeat it with trumpets and trombones “answering” phrases in call-and-response fashion 0:36 - 0:52 Intricate texture of layered riffs created by saxes, trumpets and trombones together Tito Puente: “Mambo Gozon” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un5vmaN3LMM Comparisons “Sambia” vs. “El Bodeguero” - note differences in rhythmic features and instrumentation. “Sambia” vs. “Amapola” by Xavier Cugat - Do you agree or disagree with the categorization of Cugat’s sound as “watered - down”? Why or why not ? How does “Babalu” by Desi Arnaz compare to these other works?
“ Oye Como Va,” Tito Puente 14 Discuss the multicultural upbringing and eclectic musical background that shaped Puente’s identity . Discussed at beginning of chapter study. Describe the role of the Palladium Ballroom in the development of Latino music in the 1950s and 1960s. The major bands played there, battling for supremacy as each tried to outdo each other. The other very important role the Palladium played was in multicultural interaction. In a time of segregation, the Palladium was a place where ethnic and racial barriers melted on the dance floor. Although “Oye Como Va” may be considered a cha cha chá, what characteristics differ from the standard cha cha chá as described earlier in this chapter? Slightly faster tempo; funky, syncopated rhythm; big band instrumentation; minor key; harmonized vocals
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