Roots of Popular Cuban Music - Son Family

According to Olavo Alen Rodriguez, the son family has become the most influential style in the development of present day Cuban music. The son family is comprised of nengon, kiribá, changüi and variants of what we now know as son-montuno. These styles all share geography and certain stylistic patterns. Nengon, created in Guantanamo is possibly the oldest style of son. kiribá was born in Baracoa and fused with nengon to form changüi. Where nengon evolved without the influence of kiribá, son was born.

Son styles evolved from the percussion instruments which were present in the slaves quarters. The most important of these instruments is the bongo. Another defining characteristic was the rhythmic independence and improvisational execution by the players. This independence was polyrhythmic and included "rhythm" instruments like the tres (which is really played like a percussion instrument).

Many people are confused when trying to differentiate between these early styles. They share many traits, but the usual explanation is that when the instrumentation evolved a new style was created. Changüi for instance, is identified by the ensemble; marimbula, tres, guayo and bongo. Nengon on the other hand was simpler, containing a tres and a tingotalango or tumbandera along with some sort of percussion, which may have been just banging on a tree stump.

All of these styles are played today with a changüi ensemble. Practically then, changüi is a more complex style with more syncopation and more complex patterns which may change several times during a song. Nengon, and to a lesser extent kiribá, generally repeat the same pattern for the entire song. This by the way, is an identifying feature of son and differentiates it from son-montuno and styles which follow.

One of the identifying features of Cuban son is the introduction of the concept of clave (not to be confused with the instrument, claves). Clave (translated as clue) existed in Afro-Cuban music since its inception, but was almost always in 6/8 time. Son is played in 2/4 or 4/4 time and the clave adapted to this.

Technically all music has clave, even if it is just quarter notes, but clave is generally more polyrhythmic. Son clave is distinguished from the clave in rumba by only a slight change of one beat (see diagram). Modern son styles are really fusions of all types of music and can freely mix son and rumba clave in the same song. The melody dictates which clave to use.

The influence of the son complex has seen its greatest world-wide acceptance in "salsa" music. Salsa has been associated with any Caribean music which appears to be based on African rhythms. While the music of the Caribbean basin has roots in both son and Africa, it should not be confused with son from Cuba.

The modern son is played with a variety of instruments; in fact, there are even son bands using bassoon (Valle Son), accordion, and vibes. Most ensembles contain percussion instruments such as, bongo, congas (tumbadores), timbales, and hand percussion. The bass guitar took the place of the marimbula and piano has taken over for the tres in many bands.

Traditionally however, the core instruments in son have been fairly well defined. Bongos, and added later the campana (cowbell), were the main percussion. The singer generally played either maracas or güiro, (and very early on, guayo). The tres was the fundamental harmony instrument, but in some areas guitar was also added. Some sort of bass instrument played the tumbao. This is the contrabass since the introduction of orchestra instruments into son, but was traditionally the marimbula.