Music of Latin America A cultural legacy

Three Major Influences Native (indigenous) peoples Europeans –Mostly from Spain and Portugal –Others around the Caribbean African –Through slaves imported against their will –Areas close to Caribbean and the East Coast of Brazil

Indigenous Influences Aztec –Mexico –Wooden Drums, Flutes and all types of percussion instruments Maya –Central American lowlands –Long wooden trumpets and human bones Inca –Andes Mountains –Bamboo flutes and panpipes Many of these instruments still found in Latin American Music –Ex.: flutes, ocarinas

Indigenous Instruments

Ecuador “Corazas” By Inkhay –Ancient Ecuadorian rhythm called yumbo –Played on pentatonic panpipes Called payas Response: 1.Does this song sound native or influenced by music from Europe? Explain: 2.What does the drumbeat remind you of?

Innovations from Europe Stringed instruments –Harps, guitars, etc. –Hybrids Charango –Made like a guitar with a sound box made from an Armadillo’s shell Harmony –Singing or playing more than one note to form chords Genres –Mariachi-arrived from Spain, but is identified world-wide as a typical Mexican style –Tango-influenced by Gaucho (Argentinean Cowboy) music from the Pampas.

European Influences

Peru “Adiós Pueblo de Ayacucho” By Inkhay A well known song from Peru Includes harp, quena flutes, charango,and guitar Response: 1.Do you think the harp was developed in Peru or brought to South America from Spain? 2.Are there one or two flutes playing in this song? What makes you think so?

Brazil “Puxa Vida” By Tico da Costa This song is about all the things a husband does for his wife even though he doesn’t want to: –Shopping –Washing the dishes –Cleaning the house… …just because he loves her. Response: –What are some of the words that describe the mood of this music?

African Influences Instruments –Marimba-descended from the balafon –Variety of percussion instruments Ex.: Shékeres, pandaretas, steel pans, batas Syncopation –Complex rhythms –Hitting the “beats between the beats” Call and response –Chorus answers the lead Improvisation Genres –Rumba, salsa, mambo, merengue, son, calypso, soca, reggae, capoeira, Bossa Nova

Instruments from Africa

Mexico “El Butaquito” By Los Pregoneros del Puerto-Veracruz –Original version of “El Cielito Lindo” Response: 1.Does this song contain a call-and- response vocal form? Explain: 2.When the harpist plays solo, do you think it is a planned-out melody, or do you think the musician is improvising on the spot? Explain:

Puerto Rico “Morena Monta en mi Guagua” By Los Pleneros de 21 –Folk song –About a kid who invites a dark-haired girl to ride in his car –Strong African and Spanish influences Response: 1.In the introduction to this song, which instruments do you think are African in origin and which one is Spanish? 2.The vocal style is called “call-and- response.” Describe in your own words.

Cuba “Pa’ lo Latino” By Tony Martinez & the Cuban Power –Based on Cuban son (a traditional form) –Lots of brass and percussion –Latin Jazz flavor Response: 1.Name all the instruments you hear in this piece. 2.If you tap your feet or move your head to the rhythm, do you notice anything unusual when the horns come in?