| Cuban music is a vast Diaspora but can basically be | | | | (specifically the Baracoa area) from a fusion of |
| broken down into 5 generic styles. These are son, | | | | nengon and kiriba. We discussed nengon and kiriba |
| rumba, Cuban song, danzon, and punto. This article | | | | above, but many people still ask when is a song |
| will discuss the first, and arguably most well known | | | | changüi or nengon or kiriba? You will likely get |
| style of Cuban music, son. | | | | some conflicting answers depending on who you ask. |
| The first Son music in Cuba -- Nengon | | | | It is fairly easy to answer from an academic point of |
| Nengon could be considered the father of both | | | | view, but you will likely have some questions. Let's |
| changui and Cuban son music as we know it today. | | | | try to answer them. |
| Nengon changed into changui in Guantanamo, and son | | | | So when can we say that we are playing changui and |
| (the sub style, not the generic style) in Santiago de | | | | not nengon? Most musicologists will answer that it is |
| Cuba. Kiriba, which we talk about later, also had a role | | | | the instrumentation. If the ensemble consists of |
| in becoming changui when it fused with nengon. | | | | bongo, Cuban tres, guayo, marimbula, and a singer, |
| Nengon is also identifiable by its constant alternation | | | | you are playing changüi. It is also important to |
| of the singer and a chorus. | | | | recognize that changüi (as well as kiriba and |
| Nengon was traditionally played with a tingotalango or | | | | nengon) do not have what is today thought of as |
| tumbandera. Basically the tingotalango is made from a | | | | son clave. All of these styles had the pulse on the |
| tree which has a rope tied to it and pulled down. The | | | | downbeats, usually played by the guayo in |
| other end is then tied to a rock in a hole functioning | | | | changüi. |
| as a contra-bass. Of course, the marimbula took over | | | | A Musicians View of Changui |
| after its invention and eventually the bass was used. | | | | Musicians who play these styles will often consider a |
| Modern nengon is played with a changui ensemble, so | | | | song a changui anytime the bongo player and the |
| from a practical point of view, a group is playing | | | | tres player are playing very syncopated lines which |
| nengon when the parts are much simpler and with | | | | start on the 16th note ahead of the beat. Just |
| very little or no syncopation. Clave, as it is now | | | | remember though that the real difference between |
| know, hadn't been invented yet so the time is just | | | | changui and the earlier style is instrumentation and |
| straight quarter notes. | | | | the repetitive chorus and singing in nengon and kiriba. |
| Kiriba -- Music From Baracoa Cuba | | | | Another problem is that someone from Guantanamo |
| Kiriba comes from the Baracoa region of Cuba, which | | | | who plays "Cuban" music is often times considered a |
| is coincidentally where changui was created. Changui | | | | changuicerro. A good example of this is Elio Reve, |
| was invented where kiriba and nengon join together | | | | who does play Son with some changui elements, but |
| in a fusion of the 2 styles. Son was the result of | | | | this style of Cuban music is really Son Moderno. |
| nengon evolving without the influnce of kiriba. | | | | Conclusion |
| Like nengon, the kiriba's identifying feature is the | | | | You may wonder why there is so much emphasis on |
| constant alternation of improvisational verses sung by | | | | the eastern parts of Cuba. It is not that there is no |
| a soloist and a chorus. Generally kiriba is played with | | | | music in the western and central areas, it just |
| tres, bongos, maracas, guiro, and marímbula, | | | | evolved differently. There are definite sub-styles of |
| (this ensemble is similar to the changui). Nengon and | | | | son from these regions, especially sucu-sucu, but |
| Kiriba are practiced in the mountain regions of | | | | most musicologists agree that son was born in the |
| Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo. | | | | mountains of Oriente (Guantanamo and Santiago de |
| Changui -- Traditional Music From Guantanamo Cuba | | | | Cuba). |
| Changui was born in Guantanamo Province, Cuba | | | | |