by flaco999 » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:33 pm
Thanks Windhorse , but that's not the same rythem. John told me that there is a family in Matanzas that are renowned for there style of Arara.
There name is Baro. The Mahi version I posted is played at a slow to medium tempo unlike the Haitian version.
He explained how some slaves from Dahomey were brought to Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba and how some of the Haitian and Arara stuff are very similar.
I learned Mahi from him many years ago, and just passing in a dance class , so I didn't get to ask him the questions I would have like to about the rythem.
It is such a beautiful rythem that I still remember one song we did, it goes
Akama kama kama e ya e ya Kama
Akama kama kama e ya e ya kama
I've never heard this song again and don't know who it's sung for , only the melody can I recall...
And, I don't know how he improvised the caja parts or where it starts in the clave , the caja parts sounded very Haitian to me.