The Cuban music grew from the fusion of the European music, mainly the Spanish music, and the African music, as a consequence of the colonial culture: the African slaves had a great influence on the society organization in general and particularly in the music.

  The "Son" is believed to be the first manifestation of the Cuban traditional music. This rhythm was born in the eastern region of Cuba at the end of the 19th century and one of its most important exponents is Ignacio Piñeiro. One of his most known pieces: “Son de la Loma” is still played in Cuba and many bands of the whole country still include it in their repertoire..

  The dance and the movements made by the Cuban dancers in the clubs of that time influenced the musicians and inspired them to create new rhythms.
That is how the French « Contredanse », that was danced in the halls of the Haitian emigrant society, mixed with some elements of the Cuban Son, created the "Danzón", the second important musical trend of the Cuban music and its evolution.

  In the thirties, the modifications made to the Danzón and under the baton of the « Arcaño y sus Maravillas » orchestra and its composers, Orestes López and Israel Cachao López, gave birth to the “Danzón del Nuevo Ritmo” (New Rhythm Danzón). Enrique Jorrín, under the influence of the dancers of this new style, modified it and finally created the "Cha-Cha-Cha", the third essential phenomenon of the Cuban music.

In the framework of the worldwide known Cuban music, the "Mambo" plays an important role as another of the typically Cuban rhythms. Pérez Prado will confer the Mambo this international fame.

  Together with the North American and the Brazilian music, the Cuban music is one of the three most popular musical trends in the world. Many artists have contributed to confer it this universality, as Benny Moré, who sang the famous hits of the Son, the Bolero and the Cha-cha-cha.

  In the sixties, the political context of Cuba oriented these Cuban classical rhythms towards a modernization and “electrification” of the Son. This is the origin of the “Salsa”, in the United States, after the migration of Cuban musicians to the North. La Salsa will return later to Cuba and it is still being modified by a series of different musical mixes

  In order to get much closer to this rich musical heritage and its influences on the contemporary world, Amadito Valdés, the famous Cuban percussionist, mostly after the Wim Wenders’ film “Buena Vista Social Club”, together with Ibrahím Ferrer, Ruben González, Compay Segundo and other important figures of the Cuban music, proposes a demonstration of his art during which, he will guide you to the extraordinary world of the Cuban poplar music, playing the timbales (kettledrums), his favorite instrument.