Information AboutCajon |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT CAJóN | |
| drums | |
| peruvian music | |
| cuban musical instruments | |
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A cajón (Spanish for 'crate', 'drawer', or 'box', pronounced 'ka.HONE') is a kind of box Drum played by slapping. ORIGINS The cajón is thought to have originated in coastal Peru either as an invention of Gypsy incognite horsemen or the African Slaves . POPULAR THEORY West African s, particularly Angolans , sold into slavery in Peru and Cuba substituted wooden shipping crates for their native drums. In port cities like Matanzas, Cuba they used cod-fish shipping crates. Elsewhere, small dresser drawers became instruments. The boxes not only resonated like a drum but could also be disguised as a seat or stool. The instrument became an important part of Cuban Music including Rumba , and Peruvian Music . In the 1970's the instrument was introduced to Flamenco music by guitarsist Paco DeLucia. A constantly evolving instrument, the Spanish introduced strings which added a buzz or snare type sound. It has become very popular in Flamenco Music. ANOTHER THEORY Many Spanish and even Peruvian musicians say it was invented by Peruvian ''creoles'' of Gypsy or Roma People that came as incognite spanish herdsmen, farmers or miners, and where many times called Morochucos (Morochucan Cowboys) in the sierra or Piajenos in the northern coast. We could say the Peruvian Cajon or simply Cajon , does have a Gypsy relation; yet it is not a Spanish Flamenco creation but a Peruvian Gypsy creation; as Roma People are not from any country in the west originally and are found in all corners as creators of various music forms. Both of these groups have similarities with western Cowboys of U.S.A, the Charros of Mexico, the Guajiros of Cuba, the Llaneros of Venezuela or Colombia, the Gauchos of Argentina and the Huasos from Chile. As in all gypsy music, instruments are made of the materials at hand: spoons (either metal or wood) to sound as castanets, bowls (these last two very popular in Russia , Hungary and Romania ), wooden tables to beat like drums (very common in the Bulgaria Flamenco ), goat skin drums and even pumpkins. The first proof of Cajón or better named Peruvian Cajon as an instrument was around the Tondero and Zamacueca (old version of Marinera) dances. For years they where sang stoumpin nuckles on wooden tables as drums and years later with the appearance of the cajón. An important note, is that both dances represented Cockfights , a tradition very common for Roma People , Gypsy tradition. Gypsy as creators of the Tondero and Zamacueca are by far also the original creators of rhythms like Mambo, Guaracha, Guajira, Salsa, Rumba, Mariachi, Ranchera, Vallenato, Bolero, Tango, Milonga and other latin american hymes including american folk: Country Music, classic Jazz, old Blues and Foxtrot. THE DRUM Three quarter inch pine or other white wood was generally used for five sides of the box. A thin sheet of plywood was nailed on as the sixth side and acted as the striking surface or head. The top edges were often left unattached and could be slapped against the box. A sound hole was cut in the side opposing the head or ''tapa''. The player sat astride the box, tilting it at an angle while striking the head between his knees. The modern cajón has three screws at the top for adjusting Percussive Timbre and may sport rubber feet. The drum has also two or four vertically stretched cords against the inside for added Resonance . The percussionist can play the sides with the top of his palms and fingers for additional sounds. The tone of a cajón is often enriched by placing small metallic objects inside, touching the ''tapa''. Guitar strings, rattles or Drum Snares may serve this purpose. There are also tube cajón, which are played like a Conga . TODAY Today, the cajón is heard extensively in Cuban, Coastal Peruvian or '' Zamacueca and Peruvian Valse , modern Flamenco and certain styles of modern Rumba . The cajón was introduced into flamenco in only the 1970s by guitarist Paco De Lucía . While in Peru, he was given the cajón by percussionist Caitro Soto . The modern cajon is often used to accompany the acoustic guitar and is showing up on worldwide stages in contemporary music. Jennifer Lopez , The Dixie Chicks , Ozomatli , Fleetwood Mac , Alejandro Sanz with Destiny's Child , and Los Lobos have all recently featured the cajon either on stage or television. As the instrument gains recognition, major drum & percussion companies are following the lead of custom builders and bringing the instruments to a wider audience. EXTERNAL LINKS
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