Tips from Ernesto for beginners of Latin Drum Section: Unless you are from a community where many acessible latin Drummers can school you on how a 3 or more piece Latin Drum & Percussion section functions as a team, you can be easily confused & unaware of the layered fabric that is knit into a rhythm by Congas, w/ Bongos, w/Maracas & Guiro, w/ Timbales & the various cow bells used. This basic section was created as the evolution of the Latin drum & rhythm section was invented in the New World, In Cuba & was adapted by Puerto Rican & New York musicians as well as other Latin American cultures which had differing cultural roots. Just as the contemporary drumset was a North American invention born from vaudville stages & silent movie sound track bands performing in movie theaters and needing one drummer to play several percussion roles, The Latin drum & percussion section was an evolution of social dance orchestras, street drumming ( rumba ) and various folkloric musical genres with both African & European roots. While the entertainment oriented bands began shifting towards a single conga player playing 2 or more congas / tumbadoras, and the role of Tympani was redefined as timbales became more practical and the use of Bongos added to the congas as an addlib & soloing drum, various playing styles and particular associated hand percussions were added to create a layered & dynamic drum / percussion ensemble. Remember...this was all a product of African culture fusing with Colonial European cultures to create something unique in the Americas. Before the concepts of Jazz were defined, Cuban & Puerto Rican & other Latin American music cultures were a few hundred years evolved already & was improvisational since its African roots. This was a new concept in western cultured music. Now, the Latin section is being further evolved by intergarting American drumset applications & the congas are becoming more add libish as if in compitition with bongos & timbales. Some of this is tasty & creative & much is done out of ignorance and selfishness. The OLD School methods are the fundamental ones that are more clearly defined and very musicaly developed since Cuban folkloric styles, the Mambo / Cha Cha Cha days and the Salsa era born in New York & Puerto Rico. Its still Cuban in essence, but is a separate path of growth & experimentation. Way to much to describe in detail in print form or any other media, It is just to rich of an art form for that. But...many owners of Latin drums, do not intentionaly seek out the heritage of where these drums and music styles come from & how it developed. Just as important as the technical methodology of drumming, is the heritage of the cultures from which they derive. This is where the tastiness of musicianmanship comes through, not in technical razzle dazzle ! I suggest all drummers to study the roots & musical innovations of Latin drumming. The future of music is certainly going to be more increasingly, cross cultural and the richness of Latin music will be a major influence ! .....To be continued....Ernesto Pediangco 2/8/2011
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