Changui is a formative Cuban music that originated in the early 19th century in the eastern mountains of Cuba and is seen as a precursor to son. Since it predates son, the music doesn’t anchor itself in the son clave. Instead, all the instruments of a changui ensemble–elementally, marimbula, bongo, tres (a guitar with three double-courses of strings), metal guiro, maracas and a singer–work together to form the rhythm. Specifically, the genre uses marimbula as both bass and percussion while son uses a bass and congas. The mariubula keeps the beat on the 1 and the 3. Hear some down home changui courtesy of “Cuba: Rhythm in Motion” | Watch Grupo Changüí de Guantánamo practice on the Cuban coast
COUNTRY: Cuba
KEY INSTRUMENTS: Bongo, Guiro, Marimbula, Tres
SONG ON AATW: LATIN AMERICA CD: La Colorá
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