Rumba feel - the subtleties of the real rumba

[davidpenalosa]

Windhorse,
If I understand you correctly, you are reminding me of a connection between iyesa and guaguanco I forgot. Without getting too much into technical terms, both share a basic 4/4 rhythmic motif particularly common in Afro-Cuban music. That motif involves the primary supportive part emphasizing ponche with a secondary supportive part (segundo) emphasizing main beat three (counting four main beats per clave).

(OK, that’s quite a bit of technical talk):p

So, the iyesa itotele (mula) and baba (bajo) basically share the same strokes as the Matanzas tumba and segundo. That's the rhythmic motif I speak of.

You can find this rhythmic motif in iyesa, yuka, makuta, guaguanco, conga de comparsa and mozambique. It’s also one of the important motifs in salsa, songo and timba. If you hear one main beat emphasized in Cuban popular music, it’s most likely main beat three (counting four main beats per clave). This motif is often identified as the leading indicator of where clave is in salsa bass tumbaos and piano montunos. But I digress….
-David



Edited By davidpenalosa on 1137627923

[pcastag]

Michael Spiro showed me the caja part for the iyesa, it does share a similarity with the quinto "ride" on the three side.
PC

[davidpenalosa]

[Michael Spiro showed me the caja part for the iyesa, it does share a similarity with the quinto "ride" on the three side. PC]

Hey PC,
Yes, the iyesa caja and rumba quinto share strokes on the first off-beat (caja's first stroke: 1e) and the secondary bombo (caja's fifth stroke: 3a). However, the caja plays primary bombo (second stroke: 1a) and that's not a fundamental stroke for quinto.

||oOoO|ooBo|BooO|ooOo|| basic iyesa caja
||oOoo|OooO|oooS|oooo|| rumba quinto sample

O = open tone
B = bass tone
S = slap

I take you point though. In fact, thanks for mentioning the caja part. I forgot that the rhythmic motif of the iyesa caja closly resembles the basic composite melody of all three drums in Matanzas guaguanco. How could I forget that? Doh! :p

||oOoO|ooBo|BooO|ooOo|| basic iyesa caja

||oSoB|ooTo|SooO|ooTo|| basic guaguanco
O = quinto open tone
S = quinto slap
B = tumba bass
T = tumba open tone
S = segundo open tone

This same six-stroke motif is also the basis of the Cuban mozambique bombo parts and some timba bass and kick parts.

-David