CLAVE CONCEPTS; Afro Cuban Rhythms

In order to understand Afro Cuban rhythms one must pursue an extensive study of the clave role and its relationship with the instruments, compositions and arrangements. For it is the clave rhythm that provides the foundation in this style of music. There are two major clave styles in Afro Cuban music the son clave and the rumba clave. They are both two bar rhythms, consisting of a bar containing three notes and another containing two. These rhythms can be approached two ways. In the !"# often refer to as the $forward clave$ and in the #"! refer to as $reverse clave$. The choice of the direction of the clave rhythm is guided by the melody, which in turn directs all other instruments and arrangements. In many contemporary compositions such as the ones recorded by Fania All %tars, &ongo %antamaria and 'uben (lades, arrangers ma)e use of both directions of the clave in different sections of the tunes. As far as the type of clave rhythm used, it depends on the style. *enerally son clave is associated with dance styles, while rumba clave is associated with fol)loric rhythms. The following shows both styles in the !"# variety. +ou will discover that the difference lies on the fourth beat of the first bar. In the son clave its on beat $four$, while in the rumba clave its on the ,and of four,. +ou should practice these rhythms clapping, while tapping -uarter notes with your foot that is beats $one, two, three and four$ then by tapping half notes with your foot that is beats $one and three$.

In the following example you will find the origins of the clave rhythm. In Cuba the clave pattern developed from various ./0 rhythms found in sacred and secular African music. Again practice by clapping the rhythm while tapping your foot, this time tapping dotted -uarter notes that is beats $one and four$.

The following example illustrates !"# son clave and its relationship with two other percussion instruments timbales and congas. First you will find the rhythm played on the cascara or shell of the small timbal for which I have mar)ed clear points of connection, and second the basic conga rhythm )nown as tumbao, which features open tones on the low drum on the $three side$ of the clave.

After practicing all the examples as written you should reverse them and approached all the rhythms in the #"! variety.

CLAVE CONCEPTS; Tito Puente's "Para Los Rumberos"

This article focuses on the importance of the clave in writing melodies, arrangements and in the direction of the rhythms employed by all instruments, for it is the clave pattern the one that provides the foundation in styles based on Afro"Cuban music. This article features a brief analysis of the main theme from Para Los Rumberos written by Tito 1uente 2please refer to cd Cuban Carnival by Tito 1uente and his 3rchestra " 'CA #!45"#"'67 and its relationship with the clave concept. Tito 1uente believes that the arranger is the most important person in the orchestra, for it is the arranger,s role to fit the composition, give it the correct timing and the correct clave direction, $very important those insignificant little stic)s$ he says. As explained in my article on Clave Concepts Afro Cuban 'hythms, there are two major clave styles in Afro Cuban music the son clave 2generally associated with dance styles7 and the rumba clave 2associated with fol)loric rhythms7. They are both two bar rhythms, consisting of a bar containing three notes and another containing two. These rhythms can be approached two ways. In the !"# often refer to as the $forward clave" and in the #"! refer to as $reverse clave". The choice of the direction of the clave is guided by the melody, which in turn directs all other instruments and arrangements. The following examples show the son clave in both the !"# and #"! versions. For an example of the rhythm section parts please refer to Clave Concepts Afro Cuban 'hythms.

In this brief analysis of the main theme of Para Los Rumberos you will find that the melody line definitely wor)s in !"# clave. I have heard recorded versions of this tune by other artists who for some reason 8 no )nowledge of clave concepts, or understanding of Afro"Cuban rhythms, or simply as Tito 1uente put it to me $their own interpretation$ 8 have not ta)en into account the clave concept. 9hat results from that is a melody $fighting$ the clave rhythm. The following illustrates the melody in its proper clave setting: excerpt from: Para Los Rumberos by Tito 1uente

;ext time you listen to music based on Afro"Cuban music 2Latin-jazz, salsa, etc7 try and analyse the clave direction by the rhythms played, the melody, the arrangement, missing or added bars 2change of clave direction7, etc, you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of serious wor) that these styles command in terms of composition, rhythms, arrangements and interpretation.

BOMBA; Afro Puerto Ri an Treasure

The Bomba is the most popular music and dance style found on the island of 1uerto 'ico. The style has strong African roots and it flourished among the blac) slaves wor)ing in the sugar cane plantations in the <0th century, and in particular in coastal towns such as 6oi=a Aldea. Traditionally the rhythm is performed using bomba drums; barrell shaped hand drums similar to the Cuban conga drums but slightly shorter, cu a pair of stic)s on the side of a drum or log drum, and a single maraca. This rhythm was incorporated into the $conjunto$ or band set up in the early >?,s by 'afael Cortijo. In this format the congas have substituted the traditional bomba drums, the cu pattern is played on a woodbloc) or side of a drum, a cowbell pattern played by the timbal player has been added, and the 1uerto 'ican scraper )nown as !ic"aro is often incorporated. In its traditional form the rhythm is performed with up to three bomba drums. Two play supporting patterns the burleador and se uidora, while the highest or re#uinto improvises throughout. The cu plays a one bar pattern, while the maraca mar)s the basic pulse. The performance also incorporates dancers and singers. @and drum )ey: 3A 3pen Tone 1A1alm FAFingers &A&uffled Tone %A%lap

1erformance arrangement: %tart with burleador, then se uidora, cu, maraca and finally the re#uinto. %ome excellent recordings of popular Bombas include: CalienteA@ot Puerto Rican $ Cuban %usical &'(ression )n *ew +or, 2;ew 9orld 'ecords;9#44"#7 &odesto Cepeda Raices -e Bomba + Plena 2&C( 5>?47 'afael Cortijo Cortijo + .a,o + /us 0ambores 2Ansonia <4BB7 Cortijo + /u Combo 2%eeco Tropical %T' 5?>#57 Ca)o .a,o + /u 1r#uesta 2T' ??5?? 617 6os 1leneros De 6a #< E Conjunto &elodia Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico %i 0ierra *atal 2%hanachie >??<7 &on 'ivera E 9illie Colon 0"ere 2oes 0"e *ei "bor"ood 2Faya F%"4#7 Falde=, Carlos 3nderstandin Latin R"4t"ms 5ol.6 261F !!B 617

MO!AMB"#$E; The Manny O%uen&o Tou h

&o=ambi-ue is a popular style that was developed in Cuba by 1ello GHl Afro)anI in the early <5.?s. This carnival style rhythm, originally performed with numerous drums, was greatly influenced by another important Afro"Cuban carnival style the Conga de Comparsa.

The rhythms presented here are examples of the style adapted by the ;ew +or) bands who popularised the rhythm in the late <5.?s, and in particular the band led by Hddie 1almieri which featured the great &anny 3-uendo on timbales. According to noted bassist Andy *on=ale= 29CC'"F& interview, <55>7 G&anny had a great deal to do with popularising the &o=ambi-ue. The actual pattern has become the repertoire for almost every timbal player, a standard rhythm that &anny synthesised from a bunch of parts played in a big ensemble of drummers. To this day you as) any drummer or timbalero to play &o=ambi-ue, and he or she will play the beat that &anny came up with. It,s too bad he didn,t patent itJI. In &anny 3-uendo,s &o=ambi-ue style for timbales, the right hand plays a cha cha bell 2small high pitched bell7, while the left hand with a stic) plays muffled and open tones on the low drum. The conga part presented here is one of the most popular parts employed in this style. The clave pattern is the one that provides the foundation in Afro"Cuban styles. The patterns 8 son clave and rumba clave 8 can be approached two ways. In the !"# direction often referred to as the Gforward claveI and in the #"! direction referred to as Greverse claveI. In the example presented here the claves play the rumba clave style. The rhythms are written in #"! clave. Conga Cey: Timbal Cey: 3A 3pen Tone '@A Cowbell %A 3pen %lap 6@A 6ow Drum 2with stic)7 3A 3pen Tone &A &uffled Tone

%ome excellent recordings featuring &anny 3-uendo and the %ozambi#ue rhythm include: Hddie 1almieri %ambo con Con a is %ozambi#ue 2Tico %61"CD"<<#.7 %olasses 2Tico %61"CD"<<407 Cal Tjader Bamboleate 2Charly CD <547 &l /onido *uevo 2Ferve !<4 ><5 0<#"#7

&anny 3-uendo %ann4 1#uendo on 0imbales 2Alchemy 1ictures " Fideo7

T'E BER"MBA$; 'eart of Ca(oeira

The berimbau consist of a wooden stic) which is strung with a steel string to form the bow shape, a gourd with an opening on one side which acts as a resonator, a coin or stone, a thin bamboo stic), and a bas)et sha)er called ca'i'i. Traditionally in Ca(oeira 2the (ra=ilian martial arts style7 the berimbau rhythms are accompanied by the following percussion instruments (andeiro 2a tambourine with a head and flat jingles7, a o o 2two iron bells7, reco reco 2a bamboo scrapper7 and ataba#ue 2tall barrell style hand drum7. All these instruments give the Ca(oeira a very distinctive and uni-ue sound. During the j7 o de Ca(oeira 2game of Ca(oeira7 various traditional, fol)loric and improvised songs are sung accompanied by clapping. The techni-ue of playing the berimbau is uni-ue and -uite hard to master, as you not only have to hold the bow and balance it with the left hand, but are also re-uired to hold a coin or stone with the thumb and first finger. The right hand holds the stic) which stri)es the string. It also holds a small bas)et sha)er called ca'i'i, which plays along with the stic) and also plays independent stro)es. The basic sounds played with the stic) are: high tone 2with the coin or stone pressed against the string7, bu== tone 2with the coin or stone pressed lightly on the string7 and low tone 2open string note7. The left hand with the coin produces a very soft passing tone. The berimbau can produce distinctive rhythms called to#ues that are easily recognised by the Ca(oeristas 2game participants7. %ome of this to#ues de berimbau are common to all schools, while others are developed by different mestres 2masters7 and played by their students. %ome of these rhythms are related to African nations such as Angola and Ijexa, some refer to Catholic saints, while some were used to alert the participants. As an example the rhythms )nown as 8viso and Cavalaria were used traditionally to advice the participants of the arrival of a stranger, the police, or the cavalry s-uadron to the circle. 0o#ue de 8n ola 2traditional7

In terms of my own experiences with the berimbau I have a (ra=ilian made instrument, and also one I made myself, which I must say possesses a better tone. The first time I heard the berimbau was on an Airto &oreira record. I found the sound and the rhythms fascinating, soon after I made my first berimbau. &y interest in the instrument is for the musical -ualities which I tend to incorporate to original compositions and performances. I have a composition on my first cd 28le' Pertout7 entitled %anaus in which I played two berimbaus, the fundamental notes tuned a fourth apart. 3n the recently released cd by (rian (rown which I also produced 29li "t ;ewmar)et !?<4.#7, I have a composition entitled 9riends"i( which is based entirely on a berimbau rhythm. The practice of using the berimbau outside of its traditional role is not always appreciated by many associated with Ca(oeira. According to Almeida 2<50.7 $many berimbau players are not Ca(oeristas, because the instrument can be played out of the context of Ca(oeira, as in /amba -e Roda, or even as a rhythmical instrument in contemporary music$. @e goes on to mention ;ana Fasconcelos and 1aulinho Da Costa as $two excellent percussionists who produce extraordinary effects with the berimbau$, but he concludes $the exclusive use of the berimbau to ma)e music with no relation to Ca(oeira is for me not correct$.

@ighly recommended recordings include: Capoeira %en=ala de %antos Ca(oeira, /amba de Roda, %aculel: 2(uda 5#>B>"#7 1aulinho Da Costa 8 ora 21ablo 3KCCD .!?"#7 Airto &oreira 0"e &ssential 2(uddah (D% >..0"# 617 ;ana Fasconcelos /audades 2HC&<"<<4B 617 1apete Berimbau & Percussao 2Lniversal %ound L%CDB7 (lac) music of %outh America )n Praise 1f 1'al 8nd 1t"er 2ods 2;onesuch @"B#?!.7 %ergio &endes Primal Roots 2AE& 6!4.?! 617 &ic)ey @art Planet drum 2'y)odisc 'CD <?#?.7 @ighly recommended boo)s include: Almeida, (ira Ca(oeira 8 Brazilian 8rt 9orm; ;istor4, P"iloso("4 and Practice <50. 'ugendas, Koao & 5ia em Pitoresca 8traves do Brasil <5>4 %haffer, Cay 1 Berimbau -e Barri a e /eus 0o#ues <50..

T'E CON)A *R$M; An "ntro&u tion

The con a drum is a single headed barrel shaped Afro"Cuban drum which is popular around the world. 3riginally from Africa and descendant of the ma,uta drums of Congolese origin, the conga finds its place in the music world today in countless settings, from the concert hall, club and recording studio to the par) and streets where the traditional Cuban com(arsas 2carnival groups7 and rumba 2drum, vocal and dance7 groups perform. The names of the set or the individual drums vary throughout Cuba, with tumbadora for the individual drum, and tumbadoras for the set of three drums, being the most popular. Around the world the most popular name adopted is that of con a for the individual drum, and con as for the set of three drums. The set includes a high pitched drum )nown as #uinto, the middle si=e drum )nown as con a or se undo, and the low drum )nown as tumbadora.

The con a drum is played with both hands and is capable of a variety of sounds which have to be developed fully before moving to the rhythmic repertoire available. The main sounds employed are: open tone, muffled tone, slap, open slap, muffled slap, bass tone, fingers and palm. I usually give my students many exercises which are first of all aimed at developing sound, hand co"ordination, and then rhythm. These exercises include simple -uarter note and eighth note patterns where the student plays the written part: a7 right hand only, b7 left hand only, c7 alternating right and left, and d7 incorporating double stro)es right, right, left, left. This is a very important part of the developmental process, much li)e a flute student wor)s on developing a good tone on the instrument by slowly playing long even notes. The following are examples of these exercises, the first one combines open tones with muffled tones, while the second open tones and slaps. These exercises are to be played very slowly, concentrating on developing a good, even and round tone, with both hands throughout. Hxercise <7

Hxercise #7

3nce you feel comfortable in playing the sounds with both hands it is time to move on to the basic Afro"Cuban con a drum pattern )nown as tumbao. This pattern is traditionally incorporated in a variety of styles. The tempi vary from fairly slow C"a C"a C"as, and 2uarac"as, to very fast %ambos. 3ne of the important features to be mastered is the steady flow played by the left hand 2in right handed players7 of Gpalm E fingersI. This is unfortunately often neglected by the beginner player, ma)ing the rhythm sound rather wea), as too much emphasis is placed on achieving the muffled slap on beat GtwoI and the open tones on beats GfourI and Gfour"andI by the right hand. In order to develop the Gpalm E fingersI flow I tell my students to wor) one hand at a time on a simple two -uarter note exercise. The routine is to a7 play the full palm on the head 2beat one7, then b7 lift the fingers but leave the heel on the s)in, c7 play the finger tips 2beat two7, and finally d7 lift the hand off the s)in. 3nce you are comfortable with the Gpalm E fingersI flow, start adding the other sounds played by the right hand eventually arriving at the full one drum tumbao pattern as written below. 0umbao

A CON)A SOLO; The Rau+ Re,o- Sty+e

This conga solo which comes from <"am= a trac) on %antanaMs <5B0 release ,Inner %ecrets, 2Columbia !>.??7 is one of the firsts I ever transcribed. In my opinion it also represents well the style 'aul has developed over the years. It incorporates clear, precise and distinguished musical phrases, played with impeccable time over the rhythm section, finishing with one of his trademar)s, the execution of a clearly articulated fast triplet"note roll emphasising in this instance open tones and open slaps. The actual solo is between bars !"<0, bars <"# and <5" #? are part of unison phrases 2as mar)ed7 played with the other percussionists. Do try and listen to the recording which also features a wonderful solo by Armando 1era=a on bongos and the timbal artistry of 1ete Hscovedo. 6egend: 3A 3pen Tone 2%7A &uffled %lap %A3pen %lap

The tempo is approximately half note A <!#

A BON)O SOLO; The Roberto Roena Sty+e

@ere is a bongo solo as played by the great 'oberto 'oena. 'oberto ma)es use of a very effective GmusicalI approach to his improvisations, incorporating wonderful phrases, which ma)e use of sophisticated syncopation. 'oberto 'oena has been a mainstay of the development of G%alsaI in ;ew +or), through his wor) with many groups, his own ensembles, as well as with his remar)able contribution to the GFania All %tarsI, an orchestra which tours and records and which core players are the major bandleaders 2originally associated with the Fania record label from ;ew +or)7 of the G%alsaI movement in ;orth America. This solo by 'oberto was transcribed from the Fania All %tars G%panish FeverI release of <5B0 2Columbia KC !>!!.7. The trac) is the up tempo G%in Tu CariNoI and it features among others 'uben (lades on vocals. HnjoyJ

(ongo 6eyend:

S")'T REA*"N) R'.T'M; "ntro&u in/ #uarter Notes0 #uarter Rests 1 Ei/hth Notes
The most important element in becoming a proficient reader is to develop an ability to count precisely while maintaining a steady tempo. In order to develop this counting method, you should set the metronome at a slow tempo and proceed to count aloud -uarter notes 2or crotchets7 then eighth notes 2or -uavers7. It is important to develop each one separately, ma)ing sure that each division is accurate before incorporating the practice of going from one to the other. The counting method should be practiced three ways: a7 counting, b7 counting and clapping, and c7 counting and tapping 8 alternating hands $drumming style$ right, left, right, left.

<. Ouarter ;otes: 3ne, Two, Three, Four

#. Highth ;otes: 3ne"An, Two"An, Three"An, Four"an

The next important step is to learn the e-uivalent rest for every note. Hxample ! features -uarter rests. !. Ouarter 'ests: 3ne, Two, Three, Four

After practising the individual exercises spend some time on the following two eight bar studies. These studies will help you not only develop reading, but also develop rhythm. &a)e sure to count aloud and to spend some time practising the studies at different tempi. /tud4 1ne incorporates -uarter notes and -uarter rests, while /tud4 0wo incorporates eighth notes and -uarter notes.

/tud4 1ne

/tud4 0wo

S")'T REA*"N) R'.T'M; "ntro&u in/ #uarter Notes0 #uarter Rests 1 Ei/hth Notes
The most important element in becoming a proficient reader is to develop an ability to count precisely while maintaining a steady tempo. In order to develop this counting method, you should set the metronome at a slow tempo and proceed to count aloud -uarter notes 2or crotchets7 then eighth notes 2or -uavers7. It is important to develop each one separately, ma)ing sure that each division is accurate before incorporating the practice of going from one to the other. The counting method should be practiced three ways: a7 counting, b7 counting and clapping, and c7 counting and tapping 8 alternating hands $drumming style$ right, left, right, left. <. Ouarter ;otes: 3ne, Two, Three, Four

#. Highth ;otes: 3ne"An, Two"An, Three"An, Four"an

The next important step is to learn the e-uivalent rest for every note. Hxample ! features -uarter rests. !. Ouarter 'ests: 3ne, Two, Three, Four

After practising the individual exercises spend some time on the following two eight bar studies. These studies will help you not only develop reading, but also develop rhythm. &a)e sure to count aloud and to spend some time practising the studies at different tempi. /tud4 1ne incorporates -uarter notes and -uarter rests, while /tud4 0wo incorporates eighth notes and -uarter notes.

/tud4 1ne

/tud4 0wo

A2RO PER$V"AN PERC$SS"ON; The Ca3on

African slaves were brought over to the %panish colony of 1eru in the <.th century to wor) mainly in the gold and silver mines of the high Andes. @owever their physi-ue was not suited to the high altitude and they died by the hundreds. Their %panish or Creole 2descendants of Huropean settlers in 6atin America7 masters sent them to wor) in the milder climate of the desert coast, where they laboured in the large haciendas private farms. It was in their small huts, on the pac)ed dirt floors of the courtyards overrun with animals and in the fields of cane and sugar cane that Afro"1eruvian music, song and dance were born. The beginnings of slavery in 1eru were different from the rest of the Americas. Although in (ra=il or Central and ;orth American countries it was common to import large groups of slaves from the same African tribe, only small and geographically dispersed ethnic groups were brought to 1eru. This was meant to discourage rebel movements around the tribal chiefs, and as such, made almost impossible the preservation of communal traditions. 9ithout a common language or tribal authority to remind them of their roots, 1eruvian slaves were progressively integrated into the culture and language of their new country. As a result Afro"1eruvian music is a uni-ue blend of %panish, Andean and African traditions. Centuries old, this music started to gain recognition in 1eru about 4? years ago and it has became popular in the last #> years. It was born in the coastal barrios 2suburbs7 and towns and was reconstructed and resurrected than)s to the wor) of a few artists and historians. (ecause the Africans were forbidden from playing their own instruments, percussion instruments developed out of the simplest household appliances spoons, )itchen chairs, table tops, boxes, handclaps, until it reached this century with the creation of the cajon as a specific instrument to play music. The cajon which is a wooden"box in which the player sits on to play, is thought to have originated in 1eru. The cajon is made out of hardwood with the front cover being of a very fine layer of plywood. The cajon has an open circle cut at the bac) of the instrument. The player sits and plays two main stro)es as well as a few other variations. The main two consist of: the tone of the box which is played with the full palm in the middle of the $head$ 2this stro)e is usually a bass or palm sound on a variety of African derived hand drums found around the world7 and the slap which is played on the edge of the $head$ of the instrument 2this sound also part of the techni-ue used in many hand drums around the world7.

3ther percussion instruments found in the traditional styles include the cajita and the #uijada. The cajita is a small wooden box played with a stic) in the right hand while the left hand opens and shuts the top in rhythmic time. The #uijada is a don)ey,s jaw that is played by stri)ing the wide part of the jaw with the fist to obtain a rattle sound 2an instrument called a vibraslap is a copy of this instrument7, and is also scrapped with a thin stic). %ome of the popular 1eruvian rhythms include the %arinera, Lando and the 9estejo. The %arinera in ./0 time is an intricate and elegant dance of courtship accompanied by guitar, cajon, accordion and handclapping by onloo)ers. 3ther important Afro"1eruvian rhythmic styles include the Lando, which comes from an African fertility dance called the Landu, and the 9estejo which is a celebration song and dance in a fast ./0. Cajon 6egend:

Marinera

Lan&o

The 1eruvian cajon is popular worldwide. In the early 0?,s the %panish master guitarist and composer 1aco De 6ucia incorporated a percussionist who played among other instruments the cajon in his group. %ince then, the cajon has became $the$ percussion instrument of %panish popular music. Hvery $Flamenco$ group incorporates a cajon player. In <554 I visited &adrid and to my ama=ement every music shop sold cajones, they even had fibreglass onesJ In conversations I had with musicians and shop owners I was informed that the cajon had became an essential part of $Flamenco$ music. The Afro 1eruvian style and instrumentation is uni-ue among the African derived styles found in 6atin America. According to Fietta Kar-ue 2liner notes " Afro"1eruvian Classics cd <55>7 $this is secret music, it has been hidden for years in the coastal towns and barrios of 1eru, it,s not the guys with flutes and woolly hats, it,s music of the blac) 1eruvian communities. This music survived barely within the blac) communities, and was not accepted outside of those communities until the spar) of blac) pride, ignited in the <5.?,s caught fire in the

B?,s and 0?,s. ;ow in the 5?,s, this music is the pride of 1eru, cassettes are sold on the streets alongside techno, &egadeath and Andean fol) groups. And while it maintains its roots, it has attracted the creative talents of the best contemporary musicians, writers and poets who have furthered the evolution, growth and spread of this music. It,s not a secret anymore and it,s yours to dance to$. @ighly recommended recordings include: Afro"1eruvian Classics 0"e /oul 1f Blac, Peru 26ua)a (op 9( 5 4>0B0 #7 Chocolate Peru>s %aster Percussionist 26yrichord B4<B7 1eru %usica *e ra 2A%1IC P >>><>7 Inti"Illimani -e Canto + Baile 2&essidor <<>5!.7 8ndadas 2*reen 6innet *6CD 4??57

AR)ENT"N"AN R'.T'MS; !amba 1 Cha arera

This article highlights two very popular ./0 rhythms found in Argentina the ?amba and the C"acarera. As explained in %ix Hight 'hythms An Introduction 2Drumscene issue 4 Dec/Kan <55>/5. p!47 what all these rhythms have in common is that the pulse is felt in exactly the same way. If you count in ./0 the $pulse$ 2or your foot7 will be on beats < and 4. 1ractice the following exercise by: a7 Clapping all the notes while tapping your foot on beats < and 4, and b7 Tapping $hand to hand style$ 2' 6 ' 6 ' 67 while tapping your foot on beats < and 4. It is important to count throughout.

The ?amba and C"acarera are two popular rhythms that incorporate guitars, voices and an Argentinian drum )nown as bombo which is a double headed drum popular throughout the Andean region. The drum is an adaptation of Huropean field drums and li)e its predecessors it ma)es use of leather hoops, thongs and ear loops to tension the s)ins. The drum is made out of a hollowed out tree trun), carefully chiselled inside. The s)ins are usually cowhide or lamb and they retain some of the animal,s fur giving it a very mellow, deep sound. The drum is traditionally played with a stic) in the right hand and a mallet in the left hand 2in some areas this is reversed7 which stri)e both the s)in and the rim of the drum. +ou could try this rhythms on a floor tom by playing the rim or the side of the tom with a stic) in the right hand and the s)in of the tom with a mallet in left hand. ?amba 2slow7

C"acarera 2fast7

3ne of the outstanding exponents of this styles is without doubt the master percussionist Domingo Cura. Any recordings featuring him are highly recommended. The following is a starting list for anyone interested in Andean styles: Calcha)is 9lutes, 2uitares &t C"ants ->8r entine " A'; .4?B4 Inti"Illimani Canto -e Pueblos 8ndinos " &onitor &CD .<B0B La *ueva Cancion C"ilena " &onitor &CD B<B54 &isa Criolla Ariel 'amire= 2w/Domingo Cura7 " 1hillips .>#B <!. 61 Facundo 'amire= 2w/Domingo Cura7 " &ilan %ur CDC@ 0?> &ercedes %osa 2racias 8 La 5ida 2w/Domingo Cura7 " 1hillips 0!# !<4"# Live )n &uro(e " Tropical &usic .0.5!.

S"4 E")'T R'.T'MS; An "ntro&u tion

In my teaching practice I find that ./0 rhythms are some of the hardest ones to grasp mainly due to a poor understanding of the brea)down and pulse. ./0 rhythms are prevalent in many cultures. 3ne of the first things that I do in my lectures at the Fictorian College of the Arts is to play a wide range of musical examples in ./0. The following is the list I play the class. These recordings are currently available on cd and they would complement any musicians library nicely, so ma)e an effort to find them and study them. 'ecordings " Qtrac)R QartistR QtitleR QlabelR QstyleR <. Baba @inde " 3latunji -rums 1f Passion 2Columbia CC 0#<?7 9est African #. +e +e " &ongo %antamaria 8fro-Roots 21restige 1CD"#4?<0"#7 Afro"Cuban !. 0erra " 1aulinho Da Costa 8 ora 21ablo 3KCCD".!?"#7 Afro"(ra=ilian 4. 0io 2o4o " 9ilfredo Franco Peru %usica *e ra 2A%1IC P>>><>7 Afro"1eruvian >. &l 8(arecido " Inti Illimani La *ueva Cancion C"ilena A&onitor &CD B<B547 Chilean .. La 9lor 8zul " &ercedes %osa Live in 8r entina 2Tropical &usic .0?.5<.7 Argentinian B. La Ci arra " 6inda 'onstadt Canciones -e %i Padre 2Asylum 5.? B.>"#7 &exican 0. 2"ozali " Charef Serou)i %4 2azelle 2*lobe%tyle CD3'( ?4B7 Algerian

5. %ac>s 9anc4 " De Danann %ist Covered %ountain 2*ael"6inn CHFCD ?0B7 Irish <?. <ater 2irl " Sa)ir @ussain %a,in %usic 2HC& <!45 0!< >44"#7 Indian <<. Panc"o>s /eis Por 1c"o " Hddie 1almieri/Cal Tjader Bamboleate 2Charly<547 6atin Ka== <#. )ncident 8t *es"abur " %antana 8bra'as 2&F%6 LDCD >>#7 6atin 'oc) <!. 0"at>s 8lri "t " Kohn 6ee @oo)er 0"e ;ealer 2Chameleon D#"B40?07 'hythm E (lues <4. <ara4a " %alif Ceita 8men 2&ango CID& <?B! 040 B5!"#7 Contemporary ;orth African <>. Lusambo " Alex 1ertout 8le' Pertout 26arri)in 6'K"#B!7 Contemporary 6atin"Ka== <.. 0"e @u ler " 9eather 'eport ;eav4 <eat"er 2C(% CD0<BB>7 Contemporary Ka== <B. Proof " 1aul %imon 0"e R"4t"m 1f 0"e /aints 29arner (ros B>55"#.?50"#7 1op 9orld 9hat they all have in common is that the pulse is felt in exactly the same way. If you count in ./0 the $pulse$ 2or your foot7 will be on beats < and 4. 1ractice the following exercise by: a7 Clapping all the notes while tapping your foot on beats < and 4 " b7 Tapping $hand to hand style$ 2' 6 ' 6 ' 67 while tapping your foot on beats < and 4. It is important to count throughout.

If you thin) in 4/4 you can transfer the above example to eighth note triplets, counting <Ta #Ta !Ta 4Ta. This will give you $two bars of ./0$ in one bar of 4/4. This time the $pulse$ 2or your foot7 will be on beats <, #, ! and 4.

;ow try this popular Afro Cuban ./0 cowbell pattern by clapping the rhythm while tapping your foot on beats < and 4.

In order to fully understand ./0 rhythms, practice counting, clapping and tapping until mastered.

SAMBA; The Bra5i+ian 'eartbeat 6 Essentia+ Parts

The samba is (ra=il,s most popular music and dance form. The style is found throughout the country with many variations in existence. 3ne of the most popular of these variations is a style )nown as samba de enredo, performed during the carnival, and featuring the escolas de samba. The escolas de samba or $samba schools$, are a type of club dedicated to the development of musical numbers, accompanied by a large bateria 2percussion section7, with the sole purpose of performing during the carnival,s official parade. The percussion

section contains up to !?? players, dividing them in groups of <? " !? per instrument. Among the percussion instruments used you,ll find the surdo 2a large double headed drum played with a felt covered mallet and the open hand7, the (andeiro 2a tambourine with a s)in and flat jingles7, the tamborim 2a small frame drum played with a stic)7, the a o o 2twin bells7, the cai'a 2snare drum7, the anza 2metal sha)er7, the cuica 2a friction drum7, and the re(eni#ue 2a high pitch double headed drum played with a stic), which often acts as the conductor of the bateria7. As far as the basic samba rhythm is concerned, I tend to thin) in terms of three essential parts. The first being the $pulse$ as played by the surdo with a strong open tone on beat two: 6egend: &A&uffled Tone FAFingers 3A3pen Tone 1A1alm

The second essential part is the $steady flow$ of sixteenth notes as played by among others the anza:

And the third essential part being the $syncopation$ as played by instruments such as the tamborim:

As is the case with many Afro"American forms, (ra=ilian styles ma)e use of two bar rhythms, which can be approached two ways, the direction being dictated by the melody of the tune. In Afro"Cuban music the two bars are clearly defined as !/# or forward clave, which features more syncopated figures, or #/! or reverse clave, with figures tending to fall more on downbeats 2for further information please refer to the articles: Clave Concepts Afro Cuban 'hythms and Clave Concepts Tito 1uente,s $1ara 6os 'umberos$. As (ra=ilian music does not employ a clear system to explain this characteristic, I have incorporated the letter 2A7 to identify the $first side$ 2or !/# forward clave as used in Afro"Cuban styles7, and 2(7 for the $second side$ 2or #/! reverse clave7 as written in the tamborim pattern above. (y reversing the order of the bars, you will arrive at the tamborim pattern played the following way:

The next step is to listen to as much (ra=ilian music as you can, and spend some serious time analy=ing the $rhythmic direction$ employed on the tunes. 3ne good source which is readily available, is a compact disc compilation of (ra=ilian artists entitled (ra=il Classics # "1 /amba" " 6ua)a (op/%ire 5#. ?<5"#.

SAMBA; The Bra5i+ian 'eartbeat 6 Rhythmi *ire tions

The following are exercises that will help you immensely, in your -uest to develop an understanding of the rhythmic directions as employed in samba styles. As discussed in my last article: %amba: The (ra=ilian @eartbeat " Hssential 1arts, (ra=ilian styles ma)e use of two bar rhythms, which can be approached two ways, the direction being dictated by the melody of the tune. In Afro"Cuban music these two bars are clearly defined as !/# or forward clave, and #/! or reverse clave, for further information on this, please refer to: Clave Concepts Afro Cuban 'hythms and Clave Concepts Tito 1uente,s $1ara 6os 'umberos$. As (ra=ilian music does not employ a clear system to explain this characteristic, this writer incorporates the letter 2A7 to identify the $first side$ 2or !/# forward clave7, and 2(7 for the $second side$ 2or #/! reverse clave7. The way I teach my students to develop an understanding of the two bar patterns, is to first wor) on each bar separately. 3nce you anali=e this further, you find that the accents in one bar clearly fall on the $up"beats$ 2the A side7, while on the other they are clearly on the $down"beats$ 2the ( side7. To practise this, tap your foot on one and two 2the strong pulse the surdo drum underlines7 while clapping example one. 3nce mastered do the same with example two. Hxample <7

Hxample #7

3nce you feel comfortable put both bars together and practise them in both directions. Hxample ! is the $A to ($ direction, while example 4 is the reverse or $( to A$ direction. Hxample !7

Hxample 47

3nce both directions are mastered, get some good (ra=ilian samba records, find the rhythmic direction of a particular tune, and play"a"long, concentrating only on clapping and tapping the patterns written above.

SAMBA; The Bra5i+ian 'eartbeat 6 Tamborim 1 A/o/o rhythms

This time we are concentrating on the rhythms played by a small frame drum )nown as the tamborim 2a small frame drum played with a stic)7, and the the a o o bells 2twin bells7. The instruments are both held in the left hand and played with a stic) in the right hand. As explained on my previous articles: %amba: The (ra=ilian @eartbeat " Hssential 1arts and %amba: The (ra=ilian @eartbeat " 'hythmic Directions, these styles ma)e use of two bar rhythms, which can be approached two ways, with the incorporation of the rhythmic directions A"( or ("A depending on the melody and arrangement of a particular piece. The A side has underlying accents on the $e"a$ of beat one, while on the ( side these accents occur on $one"and$. Hxamples one and two illustrate this underlying rhythmic base in both directions: Hxample <7

Hxample #7

The following are some popular samba patterns. First a pattern played by the tamborim both ways: A"( direction:

("A direction:

And an a o o pattern both ways: A"( direction:

("A direction:

Ceep playing the patterns until you $hear$ the rhythmic connections with examples one and two. After that get some good (ra=ilian samba records, or any other well written material based on this style, find the correct rhythmic direction, and play"a"long.

SMALL PERC$SS"ON; A Metho&i a+ A((roa h

In my travels I am often as)ed to demonstrate some of the fundamentals involved in playing small percussion instruments such as tambourine, sha)er, cabasa, triangle, gUiro, reco reco, maracas, caxixi, etc. (efore showcasing the various rhythms from the vast traditional repertoire available I often discuss a methodical approach to the various instruments which involves among other things developing a good sound and techni-ue and a strong rhythmic approach. 1laying along to records further enhances this gradual development. +ou have to be patient in terms of its development as you are aiming for accuracy, finesse and overall musicality when playing the patterns. As the patterns are actually -uite easy to sight read the important part is to go beyond the written part and get to a place where you experience the rhythmic -ualities of the various patterns. As you develop them ma)e sure you also spend some time recording yourself as you play along to records and critically analyse the outcomes. As someone who has spent considerable time in the recording studio I cannot stress this area enough. @ere is the first step which involves the development of a strong and steady eighth note rhythm as shown in example <. For a play along trac) try a slow ballad and/or a bossa nova. Hxample <

3nce you feel comfortable and are playing eighth notes with a steady and relaxed rhythm, you should incorporate accents which as shown in examples #, ! and 4 shift the patterns in various directions. The next steps should involve further development by playing the patterns in sixteenths 2rather than eighths7 and finding suitable trac)s to play along to. Hxample #

Hxample !

Hxample 4

PERC$SS"ON TO$C'; The Lenny Castro Sty+e

The following excerpt showcases 6enny CastroMs ex-uisite use of percussion instruments in a song. This transcription is from a rendition of Kohn 6ennonMs GImagineI by 'andy Crawford which was recorded live at the &ontreux Ka== Festival in %wit=erland. This is available as part of GCasino 6ightsI 29( #!B<0"#7 a release which also features performances by Al Karreau, David %anborn, &i)e &ainieri and the +ellowKac)ets at the festival. This performance is a testament of the s)illful way he incorporates percussion, in this case three woodbloc)s, a high pitched cowbell and a caxixi, in rhythmically accurate patterns and colourful punctuations which do wonders for the song. Apart from those instruments the rest of the song also incorporates triangles and tambourine. In discussing this with 6enny he commented that Gthe hard thing with this type of playing style is that you need the help of a percussion friendly engineer who is going to mic you up well and who is also going to really understands the placement of the percussion instruments in the song. This is because it can be a very thin line between being too much up front, or too far bac) where you cannot hear it enough of it. It really needs that special place in the mixI. Find the recording and have a good listen to his performance, a wonderful display of his first rate musical style. 1ercussion )ey:

Hxcerpt from GFerse #I: