Preview

Cuban Music: The Pivotal Role Of Music In Cuban Culture

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
478 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Cuban Music: The Pivotal Role Of Music In Cuban Culture
Music in Cuba

Throughout history and in modern times, music has played a pivotal role in the Cuban culture on the island and in other areas around the world. The roots of Cuban music originate in West-Africa and Spain, which coincides with a history filled with settlers and their slaves. Unfortunately, there are almost no traces of musical roots back to the pre-colonial tribes which inhabited Cuba.This is because of the massive colonization that basically rendered those civilizations extinct.

Many genres are present on the island which are all heavily percussion reliant. Other countries that have been influential in Cuban music are Jamaica, the United States, and France. On the other hand, Cuba itself has been influential in contributing

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Mariachi music originated in Jalisco, Mexico. It is said it began in the town of Cocula. It is a version of theatrical orchestra, it includes violins, harp and guitars which developed in and around Jalisco. It began in the 19th century, and is still popular today.…

    • 363 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When you ask somebody where they from and they answer Dominican Republic, the first thing that comes to mind is the beach, spanish food, and their worldwide known music that truly identifies them: bachata. Bachata is a very popular type music, now known among all Latinos in the United States. Bachata comes from the bars and brothels of Santo Domingo and it still stands strong after more than 40 years. However, this music was not accepted in the Dominican Republic until about ten years ago.…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cuban Band Irakere

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Acosta, Leonardo. Cubano Be, Cubano Bop: One Hundred Years of Jazz in Cuba. Washington: Smithsonian, 2003.…

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gloria Estefan fled Cuban with her family, she rose to fame with her husband Emilio Estefan, and the group Miami sound machine. She played a role in the success of Shakira’s transition to singing in the united states. Gloria Estefan has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and 31.5 million in the U.S. and has won seven Grammy award. She has been inducted into the songwriter hall of fame. Her contribution to the American Culture would be the Cuban flair that she and her husband brought to the music industry. Miami, which boasts a large Cuban Population was proved to be influential with her success not just within the Latin-American music industry but also on the larger commercial level. Estefan has also helped many other Latino artists…

    • 177 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The mariachi music began around the 1800’s. Mariachi is usually most exciting and delightful. It was believed that it was obtained from French marriage. Mariachi began in the nineteenth century in the Ciudad de Jalisco. It was said that the mariachi orchestra was composed of violins, harp, and guitars. Later it began spreading differently in the areas of Mexico such as Veracruz and Huasteca. The harp has been replaced by two violins and the guitarro. The mariachi music is composed of a guitarron, vihuela, guitar, violin, and trumpet. It is fell into mestizo folk music. In mariachi, people dance the zapateado that originated in Spain. It is Son Jalisciense and son jarocho combined. In mariachi music it could speak…

    • 504 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mariachi Music Essay

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Mariachi is a traditional style of music in Mexico. It is seen at local and cultural festivals, theatres, and even fiestas (parties). Most Mariachi songs are about love and romance, even lost love. Until the 1930’s Mariachi was unknown to folks outside of the region. It was the music of county people, so Mariachi groups were local or semi-professional.…

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Caribbean island of Cuba has been influential in the development of multiple musical styles in the 19th and 20th centuries. The roots of most Cuban musical forms lie in the cabildos, a form of social club among African slaves brought to the island. Cabildos preserved African cultural traditions, even after the Emancipation in 1886 forced them to unite with the Roman Catholic church. At the same time, a religion called Santería was developing and had soon spread throughout Cuba, Haiti and other nearby islands. Santería influenced Cuba's music, as percussion is an inherent part of the religion. Each orisha, or deity, is associated with colors, emotions, Roman Catholic saints and drum patterns called toques. By the 20th century, elements of…

    • 130 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    My both my father and uncle were in their prime during the 1960s and 70s during the Chicano Movement. My father had me growing up listening to dedications Art Laboe 's Killer Oldies every Sunday night. My uncle traveled throughout California with bands of his own since the 1970s. I grew up listening to musicians like El Chicano, Los Lobos, Little Joe y la Familia. I knew Chicano music.…

    • 1381 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Latin American Diversity

    • 1691 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Latin music first developed in different Latin American countries, mainly Cuba and it is originally derived from African religious ceremonies (Revels-Bay). Latin music is a unique kind of music and it has a unique rhythmic structure when compared to American music (Revels-Bay). American music can be considered by most people to be Rock and Roll.…

    • 1691 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Portugal has a rich musical culture, with roots that go back to Provencal troubadours, followed by ballads and the fado, and as of late, incorporating the rhythms of Portugal's former West African colonies.…

    • 1858 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Latin Jazz

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Last Sunday I went to jazz bar in Manhattan and I listened "Latin JazzE Latin jazz is "a fusion of African and indigenous rhythms from the entire Latin American Diaspora with the language of jazzE It was first known as coop, but you are now familiar with it as afro-Cuban. When talking about afro-Cuban jazz, it is difficult to not mention certain turning points in history that made this music possible. The roots of much, of the music might be traced back to African Cuban slaves. In Cuba itself, music and dance are so essential to national character that you can not disentangle them from the country's history. "The story of Latin jazz music is thus one of religions and revolutions, power and liberation, the collision of civilizationE In the United States we can never completely understand our own music, without referencing it to Cuban music. There are various characteristics that can define Latin jazz ranging from the savant grade to more popular forms. Some forms of popular music that most people are familiar with would have to be the mambo, salsa, cha-cha, and afro-Cuban jazz. These types of music were originated from north America, but to elaborate further, Latin immigrants can to new York and brought with them distinctive rhythms that blended together. Theses types of music and other music are contagious and an evolutionary process. No one person can take the credit for Latin jazz of any form of music that comes into the united states.…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    The History of Music

    • 1776 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Music has been around since the dawn of time, ever since man first inhabited this planet we have learned to communicate in ways other then conventional speaking. Different Cultures all have there own specific way of communicating through music. Music is basically broken into two specific groups Eastern Music and Western Music. Eastern music is mainly derived from the orient and India. While, Western music first emerged from Europe. Western music has developed in many ways since the middle ages through its form, sound, and message.…

    • 1776 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Music is the pulsating heartbeat of life in the Caribbean. Caribbean Music involves sounds and rhythms that evoke a sense of hope for the future. The diverse sounds of the musical genres such as Reggae, Dancehall, Soca and Chutney are classical examples of the growing art forms that distinguish Caribbean Music today.…

    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Latin American Music

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Iberian origins of many song and dance forms are evident in the use of harps, fiddles, guitars, and many song types derived from Spanish verse structures such as the copla and decima.…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The History of African music in the Caribbean : without a doubt the influence of black African music has spread worldwide and has a profound effect on music virtually everywhere. Caribbean music especially started to be influenced by the African heritage when slave trade was originally brought to the Caribbean and the Americas. There are different genres of music but the steel bands, calypso, and reggae. Listening to Caribbean music can definitely have a very positive affect on your mood. It will give you a real “good feeling” and help highlight your day. For the most part the music stemming from the Caribbean is happy, vibrant and “fun like.” The unique sound of steel drums (or pans) takes your mind straight to the Caribbean. Instantly you think of palm trees, spectacular long sandy beaches, hot sunshine days, long cool drinks and everything at your disposal to make your life easier and more tranquil. Steel pans (drums) have roots in Africa but its home is definitely in Trinidad. Steel pans evolved in the 1930’s replacing the original banned tamboo bamboo. A bamboo was originally cut to…

    • 757 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays