Presente - Maykel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor

Songo

Songo is the direct bridge between traditional Cuban music and timba. Developed by Los Van Van in the early 1970s, it rewired Cuban popular music by absorbing funk, rock, and jazz into the Afro-Cuban rhythmic foundation — and laid the groundwork that timba would build on.

Rumba

Rumba is the most African-rooted of all Cuban music and dance forms — born in the streets, courtyards, and docks of Havana and Matanzas in the late 19th century, with no European instruments, no salon setting, and no pretense of European propriety.

Mambo

The horn layer over the montuno: short, powerful and rhythmically intense riffs that the horns lay over the ongoing groove, building energy toward the climax of the song.

Orishas

Afro-Cuban Orishas are deities from the Yoruba religion, brought to Cuba through the transatlantic slave trade, who embody natural forces and human traits, and are honored through music, dance, and ritual in Santería.

Cuba

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and the birthplace of some of the world's most influential music and dance traditions. African, Spanish, and French cultural streams collided here over centuries of colonial history, producing an extraordinary creative culture that exported itself across the globe.

New York

In the 20th century New York was the second home of Cuban music. Here Afro-Cuban jazz and the mambo craze of the Palladium Ballroom were born, and later salsa.

Changó

Changó (also written Shangó) is the Orisha of thunder, lightning, fire, and dance. He is one of the most powerful and widely venerated Orishas in the Lucumí/Yoruba tradition.

Cowbell

The campana (cowbell) is the metal bell of Cuban dance music, played by the bongocero or the timbalero. In timba and songo it is more than a rhythm: it tells dancers how much energy the music is asking for.

Güiro

The güiro is a notched gourd scraped with a stick or fork to produce a rasping, rhythmic sound. It is a standard feature of charanga orchestras and is central to danzón, cha-cha-chá, son, and salsa.

Piano

The piano is the harmonic and rhythmic heart of Cuban popular music. In timba, it is one of the most demanding and expressive instruments in the ensemble.

The Bass

Timba, the explosive and rhythmically rich genre of Cuban dance music, transformed how the bass functions in popular music. In Timba, the bass is not just foundational — it’s fiery, funky, and free.

Flute

The flute is the lead voice of the charanga, from Antonio Arcaño's wooden five-key flute to Orquesta Aragón. In timba it returns with bright melodies, call-and-response with the singers, and virtuoso solos that cut through the dense rhythm section.

Presión

A timba gear characterized by the absence of a bass tumbao, the absence of a conga marcha and usually also the absence of bells. The building musical tension and power, often achieved through layers of rhythm, bloques and dynamic transitions that push the energy up.

Marcha arriba

The terms "marcha abajo" and "marcha arriba" describe different energy levels or sections within the montuno.

Descarga

A descarga ("discharge", "unloading") is an open, improvised part of the song: the band holds a simple, energetic groove and the soloists take over. Unlike presión, masacote or bomba it is not defined by which instruments drop out, but by its function: room to improvise and let off steam.

Bloques

Rhythmic breaks or unison hits played by the whole band, often interrupting the flow to create surprise and tension. These are choreographed and add drama, excitement, and syncopation.

• Interruptive role: The bloque is a sudden, tightly coordinated rhythmic break. It disrupts the ongoing groove (tumbao, coro, or guías).

• Cue for change: Right after the bloque, the band often launches into a new “gear” (a new rhythmic feel, coro, or piano tumbao). In this sense, the bloque is an announcement: it marks the transition to what comes next.

• A form of obligado: the bloque is the typical timba form of an obligado, a fixed arranged passage that everyone plays together.

Cuerpo (verse)

The cuerpo, also called canto, largo or verse, is where the lead vocalist sings the main lyrical content of the song. In Timba, the canto often contains a narrative or thematic element and is supported by the rhythm section and background vocals.

Coda / Cierre / Outro

The conclusion of the song, which often mirrors the intro or brings the song to a close with a final statement by the band.

Bridge

The bridge (Spanish: puente) is a short transitional section, usually between the verse and the montuno. The band prepares the jump into the montuno: the groove changes and the energy rises.