Musica (English)

Sue Steward's concise, comprehensive history of modern Latin American music traces the origins of its many offshoots and their development throughout the 20th century. Beginning with salsa's roots in the 19th century Cuban slave trade and the hidden religious meanings of the Yoruba drum rhythms the slaves brought over with them, MUSICA explores the complex musical, social, and religious influences that resulted in the irresistible rhythms we recognize today. Steward chronicles the music's arrival in America in New York's Spanish Harlem in the early 20th century. She also follows the rise of mambo, through pioneers like Joe Cuba and Perez Prado, as well as salsa's spread throughout the country in the latter part of the century via the bands of Charlie and Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colon, and Ruben Blades. Later phenomena like the simpler, disco-based music of Gloria Estefan and the simmering romanticism of Marc Anthony are also discussed, as is the interesting development of Cuban music being returned to its African roots as Africando music. Compact yet informative, Steward's survey provides a fascinating foundation for further investigation of this fertile musical genre. minimize