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Salsa:
when and how did it originate? how has it changed?, what role does it have in todays society? Is it recorded or passed on aurally?
The easy answer:
Salsa is just fun spicy latin music and originated in Cuba and is danced all over the world.
The hard answer:
It originated with African slaves mixing their rhythms and religious traditions with Catholocism and Spanish gypsy harmonies.
It changed when it came to New York with immigrants mainly from Cuba and Puerto Rico and who fused jazz sections into the Cuban son. (ref: Arsenio Rodriques).
Jazz had an influence on salsa and salsa had an influence on jazz. Dizzy, Tatum and many other jazz artists used afro cuban rhythms for their compositions.
Salsa music is a bit of a misnomer because there is no strict definition of salsa. It is a generic term for a hot mix of latin and caribbean rhythms. Within this mix you will have rhythms like; guaracha, son, rumba, cha cha, mambo, clave etc.
The closest you get to defining Salsa is with Izzy Sanabria, the marketeer and music producer of Fania Allstars. Fania Allstars were the best of the best and in the 60s and 70s. Izzy was the first person to describe the music that Fania Allstars were playing as salsa. Strickly speaking the term was supposed to describe the music of Fania Allstars. Before that salsa was used as an exclamation for the descarga (rhythm section of the latin caribbean mix). Other exclamations of this music were Candela!
How did Salsa develop?
Salsa was played all over the world but was losing its appeal in the 60s so what some DJs did was to make the music more interesting and get people dancing was to speed up the music. They would play 45s on 78s Therefore a cha cha cha would turn into a mambo like rhythm because of the increase in tempo.
What role does salsa have in todays society?
Salsa performs a social role.
Salsa is marketed as a hot sexy dance. The music allows people to socialise and meet, the same way people do in Cuba for their rumba parties. The music and dance allows people to express, dance, release tension and be with other people on a different level.
Santana said that music changes the molecular structure of the listener and if this is true, when we dance or listen to salsa music we are different thinkers and possibly more open to different cultures, peoples and ideas.
Schools use salsa to allow pupils to learn in a fun and engaging way.
Companies and businesses use it to break the ice.
Single people use it to meet a partner.
Couples use it to share a hobby or even relight the embers of their lost romance.
Some people use it for stress release. Salsa has a very therapeutic effect and is known as a stress reliever and has been noted to treat depression.
Some people do salsa because it is addictive. There is something in the mix of sacred African rituals, gypsy and Cuban rhythms that makes people become entranced and want more.
Is salsa recorded or passed on aurally?
In western society salsa is recorded but in Africa the Caribbean ie Cuba Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic it is still passed on aurally because it is part of their latin language and also because traditionally culture is preserved aurally and with song, music and dance.
Refrences: www.faniarecords.com