The Roots of Timba, Pt I - 1947-Adivínalo

1947 Arsenio Rodríguez - Adivínalo (tumbao 1)
0xx0 xx0x xx0x 0xxx
3-2 son clave
0x00 xxx0 x000 xxxx
MIDI example 1
bassist:
Lázaro Prieto
source:
Montuneando

Adivínalo (tumbao 2)
0xx0 xx0x xx0x 0xxx
3-2 son clave
0x00 x0x0 x0xx 00xx
MIDI example 2

notes: In the second tumbao, the bass reinforces first the voices and then the horns, hinting at motivo, a rhythm section "gear" we'll be studying in Volume II.

Adivínalo (tumbao 3) -- MIDI example 3 -- 3-2 son clave

cuban music, musica cubana
(first 4 claves ... variations continue until end)

notes: This is the earliest example I've found where the bass improvises around the tumbao -- taking a basic idea and playing it differently each time, creating longer phrases from the variations. The recording quality is primitive but the bass playing is extremely modern and, like so many other aspects of Arsenio's music, would fit nicely in a modern timba track.

martes, 22 marzo 2011, 07:32 pm