Groove Writing terms

abakwa

polyrhyhtmic 6/8 pattern played on the side of drum

abanico

timbale pattern

aleteo

build-up to introduce rhythm

apanpichao

third section of the merengue rhythm

bembe

afro-cuban 6/8 feel, religious gatherings

bongocero

bongo player

cascara

shell; rhythmic patterns played on side of timbale

cha cha cha

Cuban musical style

charanga

Cuban musical style feat violins, flute, and rhythm section

clave

key, skeletal rhythm figure

columbia

style of rhumba 6/8

conga

group dance of African roots developed in Cuba

conguero

congos player

danzon

european influenced ballroom dance played by Cuban charangas

desacarga

to jam

guaguanco

form of rhumba popular in Cuba

mambo

repeating section of a song

merengue

brisk dance from DR

merenguero

merengue singer

maña

horn section patterns

moñero

musician who plays mañas

montuno

call and response in salsa

quinto

smallest of the congas

rumba

get together

son

Cuban dance music formed from Spanish farmers and African slaves

soneos

improvised lyrics sung during montuno

sonero

singer that sings soneos

salsa

hot arrangements of horned ensembles

songo

Cuban musical style -- modern instruments featured

timbalero

timbales player

tres golpes

middle drums and part it plays in rumba guaguanco

tumbao

repeating phrases played by bass and tumbadora

yambu

one of three most popular forms of Cuban rumba

bachata

DR ; dance ; minimal band 4/4

baião

Brazil ; folk dance

batá

Cuba ; sacred two headed drums

bongos

pair of small drums

boricua / borinqueño

Puerto Rican

borinquen

Puerto Rico

bossa nova

Brazil ; style of music that mixes jazz-influenced harmonies and melodies

caja vallenata

Colombia ; hand drum used in vallenato orchestration

campana

cow bell attached to timbales

choro

Brazil ; musical style closely connected with samba originating in rio to play waltez and polkas

cuíca

Brazil ; small to medium sized drum with a thin rod attached to the skin flap -- used to play syncopated rhythms in sambas

cumbia

Colombian folk dance and type of dance music; the typical instumental mix includes guitars

frevo

Brazil ; dance oriented music using military instruments

guajira

Cuba ; musical style that incorporates a tres guitar, piano, slow percussion

guajiro

Cuban peasant

güira

DR metal percussion instrument used in merengue

güiro

hollowed gourd

güícharo

like the güiro, smaller ridges

hembra

Cuba ; bigger drum in bongos

jibaro

caribbean term for people from the countryside/ mountains

macho

smaller drum in bongos

maracas

hand held rattlers or shakers

merengue

DR rhythm and dance

palitos

spanish for sticks aka guagua, cascara, and catá

rueda de casino

Cuba ; salsa group dance

samba

Brazil ; dance oriented music from rio, são paolo

surdo

Brazil ; low tom played with heavy mallets

tambora

DR ; two headed drum used in merengue

tres

Cuban guitar with three pairs of strings

tumba

largest drum in the conga set

tumbadora

Cuban word for congas

vallenato

Colombia ; babe whale ; orchestration of accordion, scraper, and hand drum