Timba vs. Salsa
Timba packs a heavy hit.
Most of you know that at Paso, Salsa music is rarely played.
Timba is our preferred adrenaline inducing sound for many reasons: it’s intense, it’s complex, and it’s largely the result of classically trained musicians lacing together Spanish and African rhythms with Funk and Rock and Roll.
Timba and Cuban Casino are inseparable. In essence, the two are one and the same…
Watch this clip of Timba band, “La Clave Secreta” and see for yourself the differences between the two.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3V7zL_07_Y
Related posts:
- rumba columbia: a guided exploration of afro-cuban movement
- salsa. the good ‘ol american way.
- a two-way conversation
- salsa is great. but not that great.
before both salsa and timba, there was plenty of intensity and complexity to go around. in a way, timba is trying to catch up with music of 80 years ago, and in the process has to avoid becoming totally fusion-y like reggaeton, or abstract and undanceable like free jazz.
check these out from the 1920s (especially the first one, where you can see dancers execute 2 moves from CSF1-2):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DvHHAi-F4I&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-IcC_3puE8&feature=related
I have been writing GarDel’s first original timba song. Oh. my. goodness. Can’t wait to share it with y’all!
Rick, I most certainly agree that there was plenty of intensity in the 1920′s era of Cuban music! I mean, just listen to the old Arsenio tracks and compare them to modern “Salsa”.
Now as far as Timba is concerned, “catch up” might not be my phrase of choice when concerning its relation to one of its composite forms of music.
In fact, Timba has reached even deeper into Cuba’s roots and touched its folkloric center by incorporating Rumba and Santeria(Bata) based rhythms.
Fusion-y? As in putting crap together for no other reason than to put it together? Yes, Reggaeton does it, but then again to call that music is a stretch!
I think Timba has avoided this largely because of its creators. Let’s see, brilliantly trained musicians vs. kids who play on the computers and rap into mics..hmmm?
Really enjoyed watching the vids! Thanks!
http://www.pasodancestudios.com
Eric, for many reasons we are quite eager to hear the release of your Timba chart.
1. Artistic innovation on ANY level makes my mouth water.
2. The Triangle Salsa scene needs a musical awakening. The dance scene has the propensity to be VERY stale -lacking innovation- and one can’t help but wonder how fast a car can go without replacing the engine.
Timba = V12
3. I personally would love to hear some of the behind the scenes going on in GarDel and the actual working of these charts. I am fairly ignorant as to the technicalities, but am DYING to know.
Keep us informed and we are all eagerly awaiting.
*low bow*
http://www.pasodancestudios.com
.Well, as for numbers 2 and 3, I wrote a post about the process here. More information to come for sure; artistic transparency is community building.