1974 - Los Van Van - A ver que sale
xx0x 0xxx 0xx0 xxx0 2-3 clave
xKxx xKSx xxxK xxxx kick and snare
xxxx xxxx xxx0 0x0x (bass pickup)
00x0 x00x xxx0 0x0x audio - MIDI
bass: Juan Formell drums: Changuito
source: La colección, Vol. III

notes: Both the bass and kick are unusual. The first half of the bass tumbao is almost cinquillo (0x00 x00x), which would normally indicate the 3-side, but like every other up-tempo songo track to this point, the whole track is in 2-3. Changuito's kick hits (and repeats) unusual accents, and it's also unorthodox for the kick to hit with the bass, rather than to add punctuation between the bass notes. Of course, at this point, nothing was orthodox or unorthodox, as Changuito was inventing the role of the kick as he went along.

For those, like me, who discovered Van Van, and Cuban music in general, in the 90s, it's also a revelation to hear the main coro for the first time. I had practically memorized all of Robertón's brilliant guías on Te pone la cabeza mala,(source), and one of my favorites was this one:

aquí si sale o si no sale,
la cosa es de aprendizaje

Now I finally understand where he got it! There are dozens and dozens of classic tracks by all the timba bands that refer to the early repertoires of LVV, la Ritmo and Irakere. Robertón in particular is an encyclopedia of early Van Van hooks which he uses to beautifully tie the new material to group's legendary roots. ¡La cosa es aprendizaje!

We'll leave the rest of Volume III for the reader to discover as we forge on towards our goal of understanding the timba gears of the 90s. We've got a long way to go and the next chapter is one which can't be taken lightly!