Laurent Lamy wrote: Orisa rhythm from Puerto-Rico. ... there is some confusion whith the cuban Yesa.
Hi Laurent,
I believe that the "Orisa rhythm" is a Puerto Rican adaptation of the Cuban rhythm iyesa. As far as I know, Orisha worship in PR and NYC was imported from Cuba. The only place I've seen the rhythm called by this name is the Jerry Gonzalez video. I have a cassette recording from late 1970's Cuba where the rhythm is used as a conga drum adaptation of iyesa for a guiro ensemble (three chekeres, bell and two congas). During the 70's and early 80's this same rhythm was called "4/4 bembe" or "2/4 bembe" in New York City, where it served the same function as it did in Cuba—accompanying iyesa songs with conga drums. I haven't encountered the rhythm since the mid-80s, when knowledge of the actual iyesa rhythm became widely known and use of bata had spread as well.
-David