The heart of Cuban music is the "son," which developed in the late 1800s after a mixture of Spanish and West African elements. The "son's" structure of percussion really inspires people who listen to the music to dance, according to the Maps of World website. The "son" is comprised of a repetitive section with call-and-response vocals, a syncopated bass and the clave, a five-note pattern played with two sticks.
Usually, Cuban music listeners feel the urge to dance because of the percussion used. In fact, rumba, conga and cha-cha dances started with Cuban music, according to a Cedar Crest College website.
Bongo drums, a small, wooden double-drum played with the fingers, are often used as a counterpart to the main drum rhythm. Cuban music artists also use conga drums, a set of three drums played with hands and palms. The timbales, or two small metal drums, also contribute to the overall sound.
Another instrument played is the quijada, the jawbone of a donkey. The loose teeth on the jaw create sound after struck with the palm of a hand.
Maracas, cowbells and tres, a small guitar, are also played in Cuban music.
Cuban music's main roots come from the West African slaves brought to Cuba in the 19th century to work on sugar plantations. The slaves adapted their musical traditions, such as polyrhythmic percussion, to their new surroundings in Cuba. That music then merged with the folk-style sounds created by Spanish immigrants, such as the flamenco. Rhythm was a heavy component with the Spanish immigrants, according to the Lord Tiger website.
Also, the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria played a role in the creation of Cuban music. The religion mixed the African Yoruban culture with the Catholicism culture. Gospel music has traditionally used heavy percussion.
And over time, Cuban music found influence with music such as rock, funk and jazz from France, Jamaica and the United States.
Cuban music continued to evolve in the through the early 20th century and became a music style in more countries than just Cuba. Around the Cuban revolution in 1959, countries such as Argentina, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Chile and Venezuela picked up on Cuban music, according to a National Geographic website. About the same time, Latin American and United States radio and television stations started to broadcast Cuban music. Americans got a real taste of the music when they started to visit Cuba on a more regular basis.
Many changes were made to traditional Cuban music during the 1990s. Popular Cuban bands started to incorporate hip-hop and rap elements into the music, establishing more of an aggressive way of playing known as timba. Today, timba Cuban bands are popular among the younger generations, according to a National Geographic website.
The change in Cuban music resulted in a different dance style. Nowadays, Cuban music followers are more likely to perform wild, hip-gyrating movements, instead of the original step-oriented dances.