Songo music
Encyclopedia
Songo is a type of Cuban music originating in Havana
which combines elements from the rumba
, son Cubano, and other contemporary afro-American styles like jazz and funk. It was developed in the early 70's by percussionists and bands such as Changuito
of Los Van Van
, La Ritmo Oriental, Los Latinos, Los Reyes 73, Grupo Irakere
and others.
Many Latin musicians have described the songo as a very soulful type of music; for instance Juan Formell says that "it is the synthesis of a personality, of a way of being and feeling the music, a sum of cultures and a way of making a musician into someone polyfacetic and original."
When playing a songo, the drummer always plays a basic foot pattern called the tumbao, and builds on top of with the hands. The tumbao is played with the bass drum on the fourth beat and the off-beat of the second beat of the 4/4 time. Percussion in the songo is played in a primarily linear fashion, meaning that no two drums or cymbals are played at the same time.
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
which combines elements from the rumba
Rumba
Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no...
, son Cubano, and other contemporary afro-American styles like jazz and funk. It was developed in the early 70's by percussionists and bands such as Changuito
Changuito
Changuito is a Cuban percussionist.-Biography:Quintana was born in 1948 in Casablanca, Cuba. As a child he played professionally in bands such as Havana Jazz , with his musician father, and with La Pandilla de los Cabezas de Perros...
of Los Van Van
Los Van Van
Los Van Van is a Cuban band led by bassist Juan Formell, it is one of the most recognized post-revolution Cuban bands, while Juan Formell has arguably become the most important figure in contemporary Cuban music....
, La Ritmo Oriental, Los Latinos, Los Reyes 73, Grupo Irakere
Irakere
Irakere is a Cuban band founded by Armando de Sequeira Romeu Music Director and composer, and by pianist Chucho Valdés in 1973...
and others.
Many Latin musicians have described the songo as a very soulful type of music; for instance Juan Formell says that "it is the synthesis of a personality, of a way of being and feeling the music, a sum of cultures and a way of making a musician into someone polyfacetic and original."
When playing a songo, the drummer always plays a basic foot pattern called the tumbao, and builds on top of with the hands. The tumbao is played with the bass drum on the fourth beat and the off-beat of the second beat of the 4/4 time. Percussion in the songo is played in a primarily linear fashion, meaning that no two drums or cymbals are played at the same time.