🎻 Ethnic and folk music — Cuban

Cuban music results from encounters between African traditions, mainly West and Central African, and Spanish and Caribbean heritages. Cuban son, rumba, danzón, mambo, cha-cha-chá and bolero exerted a major influence on the music of the Americas. Congas and bongos are essential in some genres, but claves, timbales, maracas, the Cuban tres, piano, double bass, strings and brass also play important roles. Salsa developed later as a transnational category, notably in New York, drawing on many Cuban and Puerto Rican foundations. Buena Vista Social Club revived international interest in certain older repertoires, while timba, Cuban jazz, trova, rap and Cuban reggaeton remain very much alive.