Yo bailo de todo - The Tumbaos

Tumbao 1
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx0 (bass pickup)
xxx0 xx0x x00x 0xx0
xxx0 xx0x xxx0 0xx0 tumbao 1 - MIDI example
(there are many variations but this is the most common)

notes: Tumbao 1 has two very rare characteristics. It's the only up-tempo songo we've thus far encountered that's in 3-2 clave, and, although it's not a straight bombo-ponche tumbao, it doesn't hit the downbeat of the 2-side. It marks the clave by hitting the backbeat of the 2-side and the anticipation of the 3-side (underlined notes). It would be more than reasonable at this point for the reader to postulate that the often mentioned tendency of the bass tumbaos we've studied to start on the downbeat has less to do with marking the 2-side and more to do with marking the beginning of the harmonic phrase. After all, it just so happens that every song we've studied so far has been in 2-3!

When we get to the 80s, all will be revealed, but for now, let's turn to some 3-2 timba anthems for a quick sanity check:

NG La Banda: La expresiva (source)
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx0 (bass pickup)
xxx0 x00x 0x0x 0xx0
xxx0 0x0x 0000 0x00 bass tumbao (many variations follow)
xxxx xx0x 00xx xxxx (bloque)

Paulito FG: ¿Y ahora qué? (source)
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
x0x0 x00x 0x0x xxxx
x0x0 x00x 0xx0 0xxx
x0x0 x00x 0x0x xxxx
x0xx 0xx0 xx0x x0xx bass tumbao

Issac Delgado: Con la punta del pie (source)
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
xxx0 0x0x 0xxx xxxx
xxx0 0x00 0xx0 0xxx bass tumbao

Pupy y Los Que Son Son: Qué cosas tiene la vida (source)
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
x0x0 x00x 0x0x 0x0x bass tumbao

Charanga Habanera: Para el llanto (source)
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
xxxx xxxx xxxx xx0x (bass pickup)
xxx0 0x0x 0x0x x000
xxx0 0x00 0x0x 0x0x bass tumbao (one of many variations)

So there's no doubt that the tendency of the the downbeat to mark the 2-side is independent of clave direction (although I could have also quoted a few LVV and Manolín examples which essentially play the clave, thus marking the 3-side with the downbeat). In any case, -- for now -- let's just follow along with our timeline and see how the denouement unfolds.

Tumbao 2
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx0 (bass pickup)
xxx0 xxx0 xxx0 0000
xxx0 xx0x x00x 0xx0 tumbao 2 - MIDI example

notes: This song demonstrates another great arrangement technique that timba bands like Charanga Habanera would later embrace -- coro sections which answer each other. Coro 1 is que toquen que toquen, yo bailo de todo. It later gets shortened, in the traditional way, to simply yo bailo de todo. Then, at about 3:10, coro 2 enters with baila baila José, which is then answered by the continuation of yo bailo de todo. At this point the bass tumbao also changes. The first phrase has an R&B flavor and the second phrase returns to the feeling of tumbao 1.

Tumbao 3
0xx0 xxx0 xx0x 0xxx 3-2 rumba clave
xxx0 0x0x xxx0 0x0x tumbao 3 - MIDI example

notes: Tumbao 3 stops marking the clave and goes to a bombo-ponche pattern which Humberto varies constantly, and brilliantly. The pattern shown above is just a template. Listen to the MIDI example to hear the variations. When coro 1 returns, so does tumbao 1.

Yo bailo de todo - The Cuerpo
audio
MIDI con efecto
MIDI - slow - without efecto

transcription edited by Rob Holland

In 1975, this may have been the most sophisticated and sublime Cuban popular music bass performance ever recorded, and it was seldom if ever equalled by anyone other than Perera himself until the arrival of Feliciano Arango, Pedro Pablo and Alain Pérez in the 90s.

There are three audio clips: the actual recording, a MIDI transcription, at the original tempo, with a tempo map to approximate the two instances of con efecto, and a second MIDI excerpt which plays the transcription as written, in slow motion, without efecto.

Humberto deftly switches from accompanist to soloist and back as he weaves his way through the bloques and several tumbao ideas, playing each one with multiple variations.

Note the "clave license clave change" at bar 16 - if you play clave from the beginning, you'll have to play the 3-side twice in a row to stay in sync with the band.

Yo bailo de todo - The Bloques
audio
MIDI con efecto
MIDI - slow - without efecto

transcription edited by Rob Holland

This is one of the great bloque passages in Cuban music and a textbook example of la Ritmo's con efecto style. After some variations on tumbao 1 (only the basic tumbao is written) comes a series of three con efecto bloques, each one funkier than the last, culminating in a folkloric triplet figure and a return to tumbao 1.