MUS 185 - Salsa, calypso, and soca
Why is salsa music called salsa?
Because it describes the sense of "spice" in Latin America popular music
What type of music style has the "low-high-low" conga pattern?
Bolero
What happened to carnival in 1979?
British rule implemented restrictions on celebrations which led to increased tensions between lower and upper classes
How can the cha cha cha be recognized?
By listening for the guiro (scraped idiophone) and by listening for a steady four-beat pulse played on the small timbale cowbell
How can you recognize the Cuban bolero?
By listening to the conga drums which play a distinct "low-high-low" rhythmic pattern
What was the dominant popular music style in the 20th century?
Calypso
Which can take different tempos, soca or calypso?
Calypso - soca is generally moderate to fast
What kind of music is played at carnival?
Calypso, soca, and steel band
Who was Lord Kitchener?
Calypsonian
What are characteristics of the salsa style?
Clave rhythm, moderate to fast tempo, emphasis on vocal and instrumental improv
Where is salsa music played?
Clubs and bars
What are three important locations in the development of salsa music?
Cuba, Puerto Rico, New York City
What is the rumba?
Cuban style that has influenced today's salsa music; Rumba is percussion music and dance, along with singing
What is the montuno section?
Cyclic, harmonically static section that allowed for extended improv
What is playing mas'?
Dressing up in costume
What instrumentation changes happened in 1960-1970?
Drumset is now present, full horn sections of trumpets and saxophones common, electric keyboard and bass
What was Fanina Records?
Record company dedicated to the promotion of Latin American artists
What is Afro-Cuban salsa?
Salsa that comes from Cuba but was created by populations who can trace their roots back to Africa
What is the direct descendant of the cuban son?
Salsa today
What are three common salsa styles emanating from Cuba?
Salsa, cuban bolera, and cha cha cha
What does salsa mean?
Sauce
Are computer generated drum sounds used in soca or calypso?
Soca
What became the popular music style in 1970?
Soca
What are the two means of clave?
1. Instrument comprising two wooden sticks that are struck against one another 2. Rhythmic pattern that underlies salsa styles
What is the primary popular music as of today in Trinidad?
Soca
What is soca music?
Soul calypso
When was the rumba created?
1800's
When did the classic era of calypso occur?
1900-WWII
When was the cha cha cha created?
1950's
When was soca developed?
1970
How is clave rhythm presented?
2-3 or 3-2
How long was Lord Kitchener's career?
60 years
What would lead the masquerading bands as they paraded through the streets during carnival?
A chantwell
Where does the word carnival come from?
The latin words "carne" and "vale"
When were commercial recordings of carnival implemented?
The second decade of the 20th century
What is picong or extempo?
Verbal battle between calypsonians
What is calypso music?
Verbal expression
What is the instrumentation of a typical salsa band?
Vocalist, horn section (trumpets, trombones, sax, flute), and rhythm section (piano, bass guitar, percussion like congas, bongos, timbales, maracas, and guiro)
When did chantwell transition to calypsonian?
When the presentation of carnival songs (eventually called calypsos) became formalized
Where are many well known salsa musicians from?
Puerto Rico
What is the underlying groove of soca music?
Pumping bass drum emphasizing the beat
Who introduced carnival to Trinidad and when?
French catholics during the colonial period
What do calypso texts discuss?
Human condition; universal themes from the calypsonian view
What are important activities in trinidad carnival?
Playing mas', music, and competitive events centered around these first two activities
Where did calypso first stem from?
African presence in the West Indies at large
What is the mambo?
Afrocuban music played by a big band ensemble
What instrumentation changes took place in 1940-1950 in calypso?
Percussion became more prevalent (bongos, congas and maracas can be heard), violin and clarinet disappear; saxophone becomes more common; electric guitar
What was Lord Kitchener's real name?
Aldwyn Roberts
Who was the most significant figure in the mambo era?
Perez Prado
What is carnival?
Annual festival that happens in trinidad and tobago and throughout the latin american world
T/F: Salsa music is a blend of European and Asian elements
False, European and African
T/F: Lord Kitchener was only successful in calypso music
False, Lord Kitchener was successful in calypso and soca
T/F: Lord Kitchener won the road march title once
False, he won it 10 times in the 60s and 70s
T/F: The montuno section was added to the rumba
False, it was added to the son
T/F: In Cuba, bolero is a fast-tempo ballad
False, it's slow-tempo
T/F: Calypso music is almost exclusively about dancing and partying
False, soca music is almost exclusively about dancing and partying
What does carnival mean/ what does it refer to?
Farewell to flesh; the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat eating during lent
What is a calypso tent?
Formal venue set up by promoters to attract a respectable audience who wanted to hear the music in a safe place
What instrumentation was present during the classic era of calypso?
Guitar or cuatro, bass, piano, violin, clarinet, trumpet, no percussion
Where did chantwells perform?
In calypso tents
Who was Dizzy Gillespie?
Jazz artist who introduced Cuban music to American audiences by incorporating Cuban styles into his performances
Who's music was featured in Panorama?
Lord Kitchener
Who is usually classified as the calypsonian view?
Male, lower class
What was carnival originally called?
Masquerade
What kind of tempo is the cha cha cha?
Moderate
What is the birthplace of salsa?
NYC - Puerto Rican immigrants
What form is the text of calypso songs usually in?
Narrative form
What was panorama?
Steel band competition
Who did Lord Kitchener's music appeal to most?
Steel bands in Trinidad and Tobago
What is son?
Style that originated as a rural music
Where is the hub of calypso?
Trinidad
T/F: Around the 20th century, son became more cosmopolitan, incorporating upright bass and trumpet
True
T/F: Boasting, sex, and humor are typical of calypso
True
T/F: Calypsonians often had intimidating stage names
True
T/F: Clave rhythm serves as a compositional basis for other parts or lines in many salsa tunes
True
T/F: Lord Kitchener had his own calypso tent in Trinidad
True
T/F: Lord Kitchener spent time in England as a composer, performer, and nightclub owner
True
T/F: Rumba is very similar to African dance-drumming music
True
T/F: Salsa is an umbrella term encompassing many different styles of music stemming primarily from Cuba and Puerto Rico
True
T/F: Salsa music is primarily dance music
True
T/F: Soca is a combination of calypso, pop/rock, and Indian (Hindi) rhythm
True
T/F: Social commentary was prevalent in calypso texts during the classic era of calypso
True
T/F: Son is notable for its use of clave rhythm
True
T/F: The term bolero applies to several different musical styles from various countries
True
T/F: Verbal sparring/competitiveness was common in the classic era of calypso
True
