Everyone is familiar with the contagious sounds of the Buena Vista Social Club. The hot-blooded musical culture of Cuba can be encountered on virtually every street corner. Whether in the old night clubs of Havana, the swinging music cafés of Santiago de Cuba or during Carnival in Trinidad de Cuba, you will always find music and dancing throughout the entire island.
Virtually all Cuban music can be traced back to the recognisable sound of 2 basic instruments: African drums and Spanish guitars. South American claves and maracas (rumba shakers) were added to the mix later on. The music style of the late 19th century that originated from the combination of all these rhythms is called ‘son’, which can be heard in all modern Cuban music genres. It has also influenced the rumba and first and foremost, salsa, the dance music that emerged among Cuban immigrants in New York in the mid-20th century.
“The Buena Vista Social Club made Cuban music world famous in one fell swoop”
“Musical performances in Cuba go hand in hand with exuberant dancing”