History of Cuban Son

With roots on the island of Cuba, Son Cubano is a style of music that first became popular in the second half of the 19th century, and which formed the origin of modern Salsa. It combines the structure and elements of Spanish canci—n and the Spanish guitar with African-derived rhythms and percussion instruments.

Son grew from Spanish, African, French Creole and native musical influences, arising first in Oriente province, reaching Havana around the 1880s. The most influential group from this period was the Trio Oriental, who stabilized the sextet format that soon came to dominate son bands. In 1912, recording began with groups like Sexteto Habanero (a re-named Trio Oriental) and Sexteto Bolo–a, and popularization began in earnest with the arrival of radio broadcasting in 1922. These developments came at the same time as Havana's reputation grew as an attraction for Americans evading Prohibition laws. The city became a haven for the Mafia, prostitution and gambling, and also became a second home for trendy and influential bands from New York City. A few years later, in the late 1920s, son sextets became septets and son's popularity continued to grow with artists like Septeto Nacional and its leader, Ignacio Pi–eiro. Pi–eiro experimented and by fusing son with other genres of music, formed guajira-son, bolero-son and guaracha-son. In 1928, Rita Montaner's "El Manisero" became the first Cuban song to be a major hit in Paris and elsewhere in Europe. In 1930, the Havana Orchestra took the song to the United States, where it also became a big hit.

In the 1940s Arsenio Rodr’guez became the most influential performer of son, creating the modern Afro-Cuban sound, the son montuno. Rodriguez innovations included the addition of improvised solos, congas, extra trumpets, and piano to the septet. Beny MorŽ (known as the "Barbarian of Rhythm" - El Barbaro del Ritmo) further evolved the genre, adding guaracha, bolero and mambo influences, helping make him extraordinarily popular. He is now cited as perhaps the greatest sonero.

With the arrival of pop chachach and mambo in the United States, son also became extremely popular here but was usually called rumba, which more properly refers to a specific genre of percussive street music. Son, mambo and rumba, along with other forms of Latin music, contributed to the development of salsa, which quickly became one of the most popular forms of Latin music.

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(view the original article here)
 

ARTICLES

Salsa Notes:  British website with bi-monthly historical notes and links. Excellent and in-depth

Interviews with Buena Vista Social Club musicians (PBS)

La Mœsica Bailable Cubana by Frank Llopis: Contacto Magazine (en espa–ol)
 

VIDEOS

Beny More Vertiente Camaguey video

Chappot’n  Camina y Prende el Fogon video

Ibrahim Ferrer Cienfuegos video

Bebo ValdŽs and Israel Cachao Lopez Lagrimas Negras a duo video

Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Pi–eiro Suavecito video