| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Latin music -- clave, different styles | |
| mooondancer -- 09/01/2004, 16:22:36 -- #6860 | |
| There seem to be many many different styles of Latin music, and I can't find clear concise descriptions, or instructions, for them anywhere. I find many different rhythms with different names, but cascara for example is used in three or four styles, son clave is used in many styles... Anyone who knows, please explain the piano's role in the following styles: Mambo Latin jazz crossover Rumba Guaguanco Danzon cha-cha 6/8 afro-cuban Also, what does it mean to play "with" the clave? Does the montuno change from 3-2 to 2-3, or is the same basic montuno figure played no matter what? Thank you. | |
| albetan -- 09/01/2004, 17:30:31 -- #6865 | |
| See "Salsa guidebook" by Rebeca Mauleon. Sher music co. | |
| albetan -- 09/02/2004, 10:02:59 -- #6874 | |
| The piano's role in all latin patterns is rhythmic, playing ostinato figures on basic chord notes. A good latin pianist injects feeling to drum-players by creating rhythmic figures with chord notes. Each pianist is free to invent his/her own routins, following accents of drums and marking upbeats in order to give syncope. So latin music is very different as to play a waltz or a polka. Most latin patterns have main accents so: ^ ^ / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / between 2 & 3, and in 4 beat. All European and classical and folk music is accented in 1 and 3 beats. That is one of great differences with latin music. Clave 2/3 or 3/2 depends of melodic figures. You may change clave's way in other section of a song, preparing it by a break. All rhythmic players work in accordance with clave. At Albetan's Area you will find basic principles to play Salsa (rhumba, guaguancó, guaracha, montuno, son), mambo, latin jazz, jazz rock, Afro, cumbia, bolero and more... | |
| mooondancer -- 09/02/2004, 16:19:09 -- #6877 | |
| What does it mean that all rhythmic players work in accordance with clave? All I hear in clave is another rhythm instrument... I don't hear how it's the foundation. | |
| Jazz+ -- 09/02/2004, 17:41:24 -- #6878 | |
| If you know the basic piano Montuno, it lines up with 3/2 clave. For 2/3 clave you play the same piano Montuno but starting at the second bar of the two bar pattern on an upbeat. | |
| albetan -- 09/02/2004, 19:16:37 -- #6880 | |
| Jazz+ did a good explanation. Rhythms with clave have two bars. The normal way of clave is 3/2. When clave is 2/3, all rhythmic instruments change order of bars, beginning in bar 2. So all rhythmic players, including piano, work in accordance with clave. Example: (bar 1) (bar 2) / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & / clave: / x x x / x x cascara: / x x x x x / x x x x x / In clave 2/3 you begin with bar 2 and follow with bar 1. | |
| Seb -- 09/03/2004, 01:06:32 -- #6886 | |
| You can find a lot of video of salsa playing at www.congahead.com there you will see some great pianists in action. Salsa music consists of different rythmics patterns that interact one with another. They should be played very precisely without changing (advanced player make subtles variations). If you want to play that music without getting lost, you should know what the other instruments play as well. Clave, cascara, bongo bell, conga, bass, campana. When playing this music you should pay a lot of attention at what is going on so that you can answer to some rhythmic variation played by others player. You can hear a great example of that kind of dialogue on the congahead site. From the main page click on movies, then on Alphebetical list and choose the first movie (Chino Nuñez & friends - "Con La LP" ). First of all, see how all the musicians do not move from their own pattern when they comp one of them soloing. Then pay attention to what happen between the conga and piano player at 6mn50s. That's the kind of rythmic dialogue I'm talking about. When you listen to this music try to tap the clave all along, you need very good endurance to be metronomically precise from the beginning to the end of the tune. You'll find all the info you need about the form in these two books by Rebeca Mauleon : "Salsa guidebook for piano and ensemble" and "101 montunos" (which is more piano oriented) both by Sher music I guess. They are serious and complete book, written by a great musicologist and player. Of course you need to listen to a lot of Salsa in order to learn the idiom. Like the phrasing of piano solo for example. You can listen to some great bands like Manny Oquendo y su Conjunto, La Sonora Ponceña, Cachao Lopez Master Sessions (2cd), Jimmy Bosch (amazing trombon player), Spanish Harlem Orchestra (great New York sound), Cubanismo (Cuban sound, amazing band, if you can, put your hand on a tune name Malembe....), Afro Cuban Jazz project, and of course all the famous ones : Eddie Palmieri, Ray baretto, Fania all star etc..... | |
| Copyright © 2005 by Scot Ranney. All rights reserved. | |
| Click Here for more information about performances and clinics. Click Here to sign up for Scot's music announcements. | |