First, a little history of music in Cuba.
Music is an important part of life in Cuba. The sounds are mostly inspired by west African and European music. The son cubano is a style of music created from the highlands in eastern Cuba during the 19th century. It combines Spanish guitar, melody, and lyrical traditions with Afro-Cuban percussion and rhythms. Cuban music has made major influences worldwide, particularly in Latin America, the Caribbean, West Africa, and Europe. Popular genres include rhumba, Afro-Cuban jazz, salsa, soukous, and Spanish fusion genres like flamenco.
This merging of music from different kinds of cultures. African slaves and Spanish immigrants brought their own forms of music to the island. The percussion instruments derived mostly from African slaves. They imported things like bongos, congas, and bata drums regularly heard in Cuban music. The greatest instrument the Spanish contributed was their guitar. Other instruments from the earliest Cuban music are the clarinet, violin, and vihuela.
Today, Cuban jazz in enormously popular both on the island and across the world. The world famous salsa loosely resembles American jazz, but the dance was largely influenced by Afro-Cuban forms. Rumba and timba are another two prominent sounds in Cuba. When traveling, there is no shortage of place where you can experience live music and dance the night away with locals and your fellow travelers.
For Your Playlist:
Yissy Garcia – Te cogio lo que anda
Doble Filo – Repatmoferiando
Obsesion – Los Pelos
Krudas Cubensi – Todavia
Gente de Zona – Mi Habana
Sierra Maestra – El reloj de pastora
Buena Vista Social Club – Chan Chan
Celia Cruz – Quimbara
Orishas – Represent
Los Zafiros – Ha venido
Carlos Varela – Una palabra
Nesty – Habana
Candido Fabre – La Habana Quiere Guarachar Contigo
X Alfonso – Interrogante
Camila Cabello – Havana
Santana – Samba Pa Ti
Omaro Poruondo – Si llego a besarte
Silvio Alejandro – Dios, my familia y yo
Ramones – Havana Affair
Descemer Bueno – Nos Fuimos Lejos
