Contemporary fusion is a spontaneous phenomenon that's a key element of Cuban musical life. The idea of blending sounds, of mixing one style with another, has been part and parcel of the island's musical tradition-particularly using African, European, Latin, Caribbean and US tyles. More recently, in the early 1990's, cultural life really opened up. Cuban musicians (NG La Banda and Buena Vista Social Club) met with great acclaim abroad, and the influence of many new styles, instruments, sounds and artists poured into the island. The latter resulted in a further, furious musical mix-blending variations of sounds and styles such as the most aggressive pun, trash, rock 'n roll and hip hop with Brazilian-style birimbao, congas, batás and the most rhythmic clave Cubana-the island's musicians doing what they"ve always done: mixing and spicing it all up. Today, in Havana, for example, many younger musicians play, write and produce together, and so national and international influences have even more of a chance to flower and bloom. |
||
| Full article in 2008/9 edition of Cuba Absolutely |
 |
|
