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BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC, VALENCIA CAMPUS
COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN INFLUENCES IN CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Degree of
Master of Music in Contemporary Performance
Supervisor: Enric Alberich Artal
By
Sergio Andres Martín Isoza
Valencia, Spain
July, 2018
Table of Contents
Abstract
iii
Acknowledgements
iv
Author´s Note
v
1 Introduction
1
1.1 Growing Up in the Golden Gate of Colombia
1.2 Colombian Music over the last decades
4
1.3 Choosing the Rhythms
5
2 Objectives
6
3 Justification
6
4 Colombian Caribbean Rhythms on Contemporary Music
7
4.1 First things first, Traditional Caribbean Colombian Ensemble
7
4.2 Understanding and Adapting the Rhythms into a Contemporary Context
10
4.2.1. Gaita
11
4.2.2. Porro (Porro Tapao)
15
4.2.3. Cumbia
18
5 Results
22
6 Conclusion
22
7 Appendix
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8 Bibliography
24
ii
Abstract
The purpose of this CE is to analyse traditional rhythms from C olombia and use them in the context of a
contemporary musician. This paper is a performative research project, where the author takes three
traditional rhythms from the Colombian Caribbean: Gaita, Porro and Cumbia. The work starts with a brief
description about the history of the city of Barranquilla in Colombia and its yearly carnival, event where
these three rhythms are performed among others in a celebration of culture and tradition, and includes
information about traditional instruments commonly used to perform them. The creative process begins with
rhythms being analysed and briefly described instrument by instrument. Thereafter, rhythms are adapted to
modern instrumentation and/or used as a compositional tool in the design of the groove, harmonic
progressions and melody, and finally showcased in live performances and studio recordings. The files found
attached to this paper are a compilation of instructional videos, scores and performance examples that helped
the development of this material during the course of the year.
Keywords: Colombia, Jazz Fusion, Composition, Arranging, Research, Traditional Rhythms.
iii
Acknowledgements
I am beyond grateful to all of the people I have met during my time in Berklee Valencia, it has been
an amazing experience and I will treasure so many memories in my heart forever. Thanks to all my fellow
musicians who shared with me so many stages and sessions, you guys made me a better musician every
single day I got to play with you guys; thanks for all the lessons, feedback, energy and music you shared
with me and to be open to learn and play the rhythms from this project, I hope this works as a new creative
input for you. To the engineers who worked in each recording of this project, thank you so much for your
will to work, for believing in this music and make each and every recording session as smooth and possible.
To the video crew for “Lamento Naufrago”, thanks for your creativity and excellence, this tribute is
going beyond my expectations, I can´t wait to show this video in my country and celebrate the impact of
Colombian music in the world in such a beautiful picture. To my friends back home who recorded the Gaita
and Porro breakdowns, thank you so much for your immediate support on this project, I can´t wait to go
back home and make music with you.
To my teachers and advisors, thank you for helping me be a better musician every single day, there
are so many interdisciplinary tools I´ve learned through the course of this year that I will continue to sharpen
through the following years to continue being the best version of me.
To my family and friends back home who always encouraged me and helped me to be here, thank
you; you guys can´t imagine how blessed I feel to have you in my life. At last but not least, I will always
thank God for this journey He gave me; through the good times and bad times, I´ll be always thankful to
have music, to have the chance to play guitar, to have this life that I have.
Sergio Martín
July 2018
iv
Author´s Note
The version used for Rafael Campo Miranda´s “Lamento Naufrago” is a non-profit arrangement by
Sergio Martín recorded in Berklee Valencia Campus, to be published in Youtube on August 2018 as a tribute
of the composer´s 100th birthday, the song is also used to exemplify the use of Porro in contemporary music,
all rights are reserved to Rafael Campo Miranda and the Campo family.
v
1. Introduction
1.1 Growing Up in the Golden Gate of Colombia
“Barranquilla elevated and immortal,
tight with water and matured in the sun,
wise young of the national tree,
of the jubilant crucible future,
Illusion of the white-blue Caribbean
From Colombia lying on the threshold
Gives voice and muscle to progress
Barranquilla, elevated and immortal”1
In 1993, I was born in the beautiful city of Barranquilla, city of history and tradition. Close to the Caribbean
Sea and next to the delta of the Magdalena River, Barranquilla became a very important seaport in Colombia
and South America, also host of the Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport, the first airport in the continent.
•
•
•
•
Barranquilla, Image Source : https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/DatabaseImages/city/highres/ISS001/ISS001-E-6277.JPG
1
Barranquilla
Caribbean Sea
Magdalena River
“Bocas de Ceniza”: Famous spot
where the sea and the river are
divided
https://www.worldatlas.com/img/locator/city/095/3995-barranquilla-locatormap.jpg
Fragment from the anthem of the city of Barranquilla, translated by Author. Music by Amira de la Rosa,
Lyrics by Simon Urbina
1
As the lyrics of the anthem quoted above imply, Barranquilla was and still is a key part of progress in
Colombia due to the number of factories, workshops and commercial places installed by the seaports, it is a
common tradition to hear the sirens of all these factories during new year´s eve alongside the church bells;
back when the city was just a town, this was the way to announce their habitants that a new year was coming
while they gathered with their loved ones.
“The sirens of factories and workshop are arterial rumor of their existence” 2
Being the receiver of many visitors made Barranquilla earn many nicknames throughout the years, such as
“La Puerta de Oro de Colombia” (Golden Gate of Colombia), “La Ciudad de los Brazos Abiertos” (City of
Open Arms), “El Faro de Suramérica” (South America´s Lighthouse), La Arenosa (The Sandy One) and
“Curramba La Bella” (Curramba, the beauty).
“Barranquilla knows how to sing and on the anvil hammer”3
Being a city of workers is not the only highlight Barranquilla has, the main course of tourism is its culture
and traditional artistic expressions; The Carnival of Barranquilla is the biggest expression of culture in the
city, it was declared as a National Culture Heritage by the Colombian Senate in 2002 and proclaimed by
UNESCO on November 7 of 2003 as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity. This carnival has been claimed to be the second largest carnival in the world, only to be
surpassed by Rio de Janeiro´s carnival.
2
3
Fragment from the Anthem of Barranquilla.
Fragment from the Anthem of Barranquilla.
2
Carnival Participant, Picture Source: http://lachachara.org/chachawp/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Carnaval6-1200x600.jpg
The preparation of this carnival comes with a substantial anticipation due to coronation events for the
Carnival Queen, rehearsals for parades and musical acts, and it´s scheduled to end 40 days before Easter
every year; it´s a celebration of heritage and tradition for the city and the majority of the city is involved in
all of the events. The carnival gives importance to traditional rhythms such as Cumbia, Mapalé, Garabato
and many others, while giving space to innovation from new rhythms, making it a great experience for
people of all musical tastes.
As I grew up, I listened to many of these rhythms everywhere I went; every time I heard a traditional
percussion ensemble playing music, in my head I always imagined togetherness, family and joy; we were
educated in a way that no matter where we are, every time we listened to these rhythms meant we were
home. In my teenager years, I went away from these traditions because of my interests in rock music, so I
started learning guitar and drove away from what I called “old people music”.
There are many emblematic composers in Colombian music history, one of them is Rafael Campo Miranda,
composer of many songs such as Lamento Naufrago, Playa Brisa y Mar and Pajaro Amarillo. Campo has a
family of musicians; his son, Rafael Campo Vives, was the one I reached to prepare to enrol in a music
school and is the one responsible of reviving my interest for Colombian Caribbean music.
3
As I studied music, my passion to use this rhythms and melodies as an influence to compose and arrange has
expanded as my musical knowledge grew throughout my college years. As I culminate my degree of Master
in Contemporary Performance in Berklee College of Music, it is my desire to showcase these rhythms as a
creative tool for contemporary musicians to learn and adapt to their own styles. So, my main goal is to
develop my skills as a composer, arranger, performer and producer and in the process, refine my identity as
a contemporary fusion artist that incorporates traditional influences from Colombia into his work. Each song
produced in this culminating experience will be made with the purpose of expanding my creativity and
solidifying my knowledge about my roots and give material for generations of musicians to use as a new
creative input for their music.
1.2. Colombian Music over the last decades
Recently, Colombian artists and their music have evolved towards honouring their roots but looking forward
to explore with them using contemporary styles. Between the late 80´s and the 90´s Colombian musicians
dedicated solely to write and perform traditional music or compose pieces based on these rhythms, artists
and bands started to grow and gain popularity within the country, but there were few who their music
crossed the country. Artists such as Joe Arroyo, who used a fusion of Colombian roots with latin music to
gain relevance in the rest of the world, successfully touring around the world keeping his musical identity
intact; there were also uprising artists at that time such as Shakira, who dedicated her career to explore other
styles of music such as rock, pop and singer songwriter music, as her career evolved she kept exploring
different kinds of non-Colombian styles, developing a musical identity that has successfully consolidate her
as a top artist nowadays; Shakira quotes rhythms and famous phrases from traditional Colombian music in
her work, even though her main styles is far away from the original traditions from the country.
Carlos Vives has dedicated his life to research and highlight traditional music from around the country´s
regions in his music and has successfully cemented his legacy as an artist who proudly represents Colombian
4
traditions in the world. As time goes by, Colombian artists have capitalized on the power and versatility that
this traditional styles have, and started to explore with contemporary music from all over the world and
various different formats. My goal is to further this exploration, bringing it into a different context than the
previously mentioned artists, so artists from around de world get to perceive this styles and adapt it to their
music.
1.3 Choosing the Rhythms
Colombia has a vast variety of weather, wildlife, vegetation, native languages etc. and this also affects the
music of each region of the country. In Colombia, we find 5 different regions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Caribbean Region (North)
Andine Region (Center)
Orinoquia Region (East)
Pacific Region (West)
Amazon Region (South)
Insular Region (Northern
Islands: San Andres &
Providencia)
Each region shares a diversity of tradition that has been influenced from their tribal origins to the relation
with neighbour countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru; with all these influences, Colombia
has various musical axes around its territory. There is a vast variety of Musical Axes in every region, but the
focus of this project will be only on specific rhythms of the Caribbean Region.
5
Barranquilla, it´s located on the Caribbean Region, and the rhythms that are about to be studied are three of a
group of 30 rhythms that belong to what is known as Western Caribbean Axis; this is one of the 12 Musical
Axes Colombia has through its territory, and the purpose of this performative research is to be the starting
point of a musical research that will continue over the years, showing the world these rhythms in a way that
they have never been documented.
2. Objectives
The main objective of this project is to refine my identity as a contemporary fusion artist that incorporates
traditional influences from Colombia into his work by developing my skills as a composer, arranger,
performer and producer and in the process. Each song produced in this culminating experience will be made
with the purpose of expanding my creativity and solidifying my knowledge about my roots.
For this project, the rhythms Gaita , Porro and Cumbia where chosen due to their popularity in the Caribbean
region, there´s an analysis part of the work, where I aim to study, analyze and adapt the raw traditional styles
in order to apply them in a contemporary compositional context; a creative part where I practice my
instrument in order to perform and express my ideas, compose and arrange music based on the studied
rhythm, this can be an original song or a contemporary arrangement for a traditional Colombian song and
there´s a technological part that involves recording, producing, mixing and promoting the final product in
order to showcase the work.
3. Justification
This project will develop and give an insight and inspiration source for musicians looking to compose new
and fresh music; as time goes by we can find diversity reflected in music, and this Culminating Experience
will add all new styles knowledge for musicians to get inspired by. The project will also bring new approach
to Colombian musicians, showing how can be mixed with other countries influences using live instruments
or technology.
6
The richness of this music motivates me to show it to the world and I hope this becomes an inspiration for
other musicians as much as is an inspiration for me; showing musicians a way to expand their creativity is an
outcome that I’m definitely aiming for. This will be also a chance for me to showcase my original material
recorded in a studio for the first time. I also want to video record all the process; I want to interview the
people involved in the project to make a small documentary about Colombian music through the world’s
ears.
4. Colombian Caribbean Influences on Contemporary Music
2.1. First things first, Traditional Caribbean Colombian Ensemble
Before showing any of the compositions or arrangements, I would like to cover some general information
that will be addressed in all of the demonstrations; the music covered in this Culminating Experience will be
all from the Caribbean Region of Colombia, and all the adaptations will be showcased in the traditional
instruments and then showed in a contemporary context. These are some of the instruments that we will
cover during this exploration!.
•
Tambora: The “Tambora” functions as the fundament
of most of the rhythms, like the kick drum in a drumset. The
Tambora has two kinds of hits, it can be hit either in the wooden
part (this hit is called “Paloteo”) or hit in the sides where the
leather is ( or called “Golpe de Cuero”), it is very common in
rhytms such as Cumbia, Chandé , Gaita etc. The other drums
usually follow what the Tambora player is playing, and in some
Source: http://diexeventos.com.co/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/tambora-en-madera-nogal-con-cueropergamino-de-chivo.jpg
cases , is the instrument that sets the groove for the other
instruments to follow.
7
•
Drums or “Tambores”: In traditional Colombian music, we can find two kind of drums or
tambores.
Tambor Alegre or Female Tambor: The Alegre player has usually
the roll of improvisation or filling out spaces using many kinds of hits
such as open, blocked and “fondeo” (wich the player makes by using
an open hit while lifting the drum with both feet).
Source:
http://didacticospinocho.com/admin/_lib/file/im
gportadas/5a198ca27ac25.jpg
Tambor Llamador or Male Tambor: The Llamador player covers a very simple
rhythm part that we´ll see when we cover the Cumbia rhythm, it is meant to create
contrast with it sound and rhythmic value by playing upbeat.
Source:
http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b78a57_af
3c2c5ccc1d74b61ebc01569f28523a.jpg_512
•
Gaita (“Kuisi” in Kogui Dialect[a]):
Gaitas are handmade instruments that usually have either the melodic roll or harmonic support in
genres such as Cumbia, Porro, Gaita, Merengue, Puya. The body of a Gaita is made with the core of
an organ pipe cactus, its head is a combination of bee wax and clay dust and has a mouthpiece made
with the hollowshaft of either turkey fearher or duck feather. There are three types of gaitas:
•
Gaita Hembra or Female Gaita (Kuisi Bunsi in Kogui Dialect): This gaita has the melodic role
among the family, has five holes and it´s usually to have two of these in a band.
Source: http://pacoweb.net/Instrumentos/Galein/gaitahem.gif
8
•
Gaita Macho or Male Gaita (Kuisi Sigi in Kogui Dialect): This one has only two holes and
usually helps to keep the tempo or counterpoints the melody played by the Gaita Hembra player. The
Gaita Macho Player plays the instrument with one hand while playing Maracas with the other hand.
[a]
Kogui: Indigenous tribe that lives in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia)
Gaita corta or Gaita Machihembriá (Short Gaita or Male/Female Gaita) :
This Gaita has six holes in it, and usually is the most versatile one among the three kinds of
gaitas, is used mostly as
a soloist instrument.
Source: https://www.gypsykumbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Gaita-Corta.jpg
9
•
Maracas: These instruments are made from both core and seeds from Calabash. They´re
mostly use to play upbeat, a Gaita Macho Player can be seen playing one while playing the
Gaita.
Source: https://http2.mlstatic.com/combo-gaita-macho-y-hembraguacharaca-maracas-colombia-D_NQ_NP_568605MCO25070530244_092016-F.jpg
2.2 Understanding and Adapting Colombian Influences to Contemporary Music.
So far, Colombian rhythms have been used in a contemporary scenario in many occasions, one of the
most common rhythms to recognize is the rhythm of Cumbia, which has many variations in many countries
around the world and have been used in many genres such as Jazz, Rock, Latin Music and Pop. The purpose
of this investigation is to use other genres that can be also used in an actual world context. We´re going to
understand the patterns, songs and familiar melodies first and then find a way to bring them to life in a new
format.
10
2.2.1. Gaita.
The rhythm of Gaita is currently in a commercial breakthrough thanks to artist Carlos Vives with
songs such as “Carito”; here we can see a perfect example of the instrumentation in a Gaita ensemble with
“Gaiteros de San Jacinto”.
Source: http://elparchecultural.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Los-Gaiteros-de-San-Jacinto-Nuevageneracion-752x440.jpg
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Tambora
Tambor Alegre
Tambor Llamador
Maraca
Male Gaita
Female Gaita
Now that we know how the ensemble is made, let´s see what the instruments are actually doing.
For this research, the basic Gaita ensemble is going to be used as the main example, “Gaiteros de San
Jacinto” take the ensemble a little bit further adding “Tambor Llamador”. As seen in the example below, the
basic instruments to cover the rhythm section of the ensamble are Tambora, Tambor Alegre and Maraca.
•
The Tambora sets the fundament of the groove, the circled notes on top are representing the
Wood Hit or Paloteo and the notes below represent the Leather Hit or “Golpe de Cuero”
11
•
The Tambor Alegre then follows the same groove of the Tambora in order to add more color
to the hits, the Alegre Player also has the job to improvise and add more variations to the
groove.
•
The Maraca player, who is also the Male Gaita player, makes close hits downbeat and open
hits upbeat.
12
Now, the goal is to bring this traditional rhythm section in a modern drumset.
First, the Hi-Hat takes the role of the maracas, doing closed hits down beat and open hits upbeat. The
the snare works as the Tambor Alegre, but due to the complexity, the drummer can also add ghost notes to
the groove to emulate the improvisation role that the Alegre player has. The kick drum will do the leather
hits of the Tambora, there´s no need of the wood hits due to the similarity of the Alegre and Tambora
playing, so the snare is covering those rhythms, using cross stick hits on the snare creates a similar effect to
wood hits and also can help to bring lower dynamics to the drummer playing.
13
Bringing the idea to other instruments
To bring this adaptation to life, I composed a song based in that rhythm, the drummer sets the groove
as shown above, the conga player is making what the Tambor Alegre is supposed to do and all the
instruments in the rhythm section help to support the groove. Let´s take the bass groove for example!.
Bass Groove
The bass is helping to support the “Tambora Rhythm” and then can add different ornaments as
shown in the second measure. The piano and other instruments of the rhythm section can help support beat 1
and 4 of each measure.
Using these new adaptions, here´s the song I composed played on a contemporary context, notice how the
drums plays the new adaptation and the harmony and the melody help to highlight the hits of the original
rhythm and how the conga player plays the Tambor Alegre original part. After the live performance
example, with the help of fellow Colombian musicians, here´s a video presentation of what was explained
above.
Live Demonstration & Breakdown of Gaita Rhythm :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc6ava-ghsc
14
2.2.2 Porro (Porro Tapao)
Porro is a traditional rhythm from the savanna of the Caribbean Region, it´s usually played for a large
ensemble with a brass and clarinet section with a big drum, snare and cymbal percussion section.
https://thecitypaperbogota.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/porro_680x440.jpg
As seen in the picture, porro ensembles tend to be large at its majority, the harmonies are distributed by the
large brass section while the clarinet brings another sound either counterpointing what the brass are playing
or opening up a new section. In the contemporary music world, they add keyboard, electric bass, guitar,
reduce the brass section to fit what the ensemble can cover and the percussion section is played by the drum
set while adding new sounds using traditional instruments, the big drum for example, is usually replaced
with “Tambora”.
Up next, here´s an analysis for the patterns done by the big drum, snare, and cymbal, and how can we adapt
it to the modern drumset.
15
For this research, we´re going to cover one of the many styles of porro called “Porro Tapao”, since includes
a particular technique on the drum set. Here´s the rhythm breakdown shown below, at the end of this chapter
theres a link to a video demonstration:
•
The snare (Redoblante), uses Rim Shot to accentuate the hits and snare rolls to fill the spaces, the
traditional snare tends to be made of steel and thinner than the usual snare to have more resonance in
the rolls and the rim shot; during rolls, snare players aim different parts of the snare to change the
tone of each roll.
•
The Big drum (Bombo), helps supporting the accents of the snare, in this case the player hits the
accent with one hand and uses the other hand to cover the other part of the drum after each hit to
avoid resonance. For this demonstration, a Tambora was used as shown in the link at the end of this
section.
•
The Cymbals cover a similar function like the maracas on Gaita, they cover beats 2 and 4 and have
the brightest tone in the group.
16
After understanding what the percussive instruments of this ensemble are doing, here´s the drum adaptation.
For this rhythm, since the drummer is busy covering up the snare rolls with both hands, the cymbal section is
done using the hi-hat pedal with the heel – toe technique and the kick drum does the Bombo part.
Bringing the Idea to Other Instruments.
Similar to Gaita and most of latin music genres, Porro has an emphasis in beat 4, so the Bass and the rhythm
section help highlighting this by anticipating notes/chords that are on beat 1 to beat 4.
To exemplify the adaptation of this rhythm, I made an arrangement for Rafael Campo Miranda´s “Lamento
Naufrago”, this arrangement will be a tribute for this composer on his 100 th birthday on August 2018. For
this arrangement, I included Guitar, Upright Bass, Marimba, Lead Voice, Background Vocals, Maracas and
a String Section, in order to bring it into a World Music style of arrangement.
17
Porro Tapao Rhythm Breakdown:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OljlWjYH3A4
2.2.3. Cumbia
Cumbia is one of the most emblematic rhythms in the Carnival of Barranquilla and has many variants in
many countries like Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia etc. Cumbia even has its variants in the
different Colombian regions! For this project, the Cumbia originated in the Western Caribbean Axis is going
to be used as a compositional tool; I wrote a Jazz Fusion piece based on this rhythm but first, let´s get a
scoop on the Cumbiamberos!
http://www.ellibrepensador.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/son-millero.png
As seen in the picture above, the Cumbia ensemble has a notable resemblance to the Gaita ensemble, having
Tambora, Tambor Alegre and Llamador; Gaitas are often used but the main melodic instrument is the Flauta
de Millo (Millo Flute), and the maracas are replaced by the Guache, a metal cylinder filled with Indian Shot
seeds. The Flauta de Millo Player often sings a song after playing an introductory melody with the millo
flute and the percussion has a similar function as in Gaita when it comes to improvisation/support roles.
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Each instrument rhythmic role is in the chart below:
•
The Tambora follows a very straight “paloteo” with a final hit to the drum at the end of 4 in the
second measure of the rhythm.
•
The Tambor Alegre keeps eight notes by alternating between Open hits and Blocked Hits. In this
rhythm, the Tambora and the Alegre may share improvisational roles.
•
The Tambor Llamador keeps it on beats 2 and 4 with very simple hits, this helps to keep the groove
going.
•
The Guache or the Maracas, like in Gaita, makes close hits downbeat and open hits upbeat.
19
After analysing what each instrument it´s time to adapt it to a modern Drum set:
For Cumbia, there´s a particularity regarding the “Paloteo”, the drummer hits the wooden side of the floor
tom (marked in the chart as snare cross stick hit), the Kick Drum accentuates the 4 and like the Porro, the
drummer uses the hi-hat pedal to make the effect of maracas/guache. While using the right hand to make the
Paloteo and hitting the 4th beat in the floor tom, with the left hand, the drummer make small variations and
fills using either the snare or the rack toms, these variations consist only on one or two notes, and can also be
ghost notes of the snare due to the complexity of the groove.
Cumbia as a Compositional Tool
For this rhythm, I decided to compose a tune paying attention to the important hits of the Drums. Attached
to the deliverables of this CE there´s an audio file to demonstrate this composition.
20
Using the Tambora pattern, a melody is created where the main accents are highlighted, making the melodic
line fitting the rthythm.
Developing melodic ideas surrounding this rhythm brought as a result the following tune.
21
5 Results
In conclusion, the project yielded the following results:
•
Three rhythms analysed and executed in a contemporary context.
•
Two original compositions using the influences on Gaita and Cumbia.
•
One arrangement using the rhythm of Porro to be released on August 2018 as a tribute to composer
Rafael Campo Miranda on his 100th birthday.
•
Research and instructive material that can be used in masterclasses and is open to whoever wants to
learn.
The final result successfully helps to shape an artist identity and a compositional technique that other
musicians can apply to their own traditional music to influence their music. The ADDIE (Analysis, Design,
Development, Implementation, Evaluation) process helped the author to have a deeper understanding of the
rhythms and to bring the implemented way to instruct on how to adapt and play these rhythms in the drum
set, and how to use them as a new source of inspiration to write music; this benefits other musicians who are
struggling to find a new way to compose or want to use their own traditional music in their products. The
document works as a guide through the process and can be applied to any rhythm.
6 Conclusion
The conclusion of this project brought about a clearer vision of my artist identity as a contemporary fusion
artist who honours and shares his roots through his music and collaborative efforts with other artists, I seek
to keep composing, producing, and performing music using these influences and collaborate with musicians
from around the world to have a continuous ever-flowing source of inspiration. Having a deep insight to
these three rhythms, brought me closer to my roots and woke and interest of keep researching about
Colombian music; Gaita, Porro and Cumbia are only three rhythms of the North Caribbean Axis, which is
one of the thirteen Musical Axes that Colombia has, each one being as diverse as the Colombian Territory
22
itself, so I would like to continue investigating and bringing this knowledge to musicians of all ages who
seek a new way to compose.
7 Appendix
The following is a list of links that have been important in the process of researching about Colombian
rhythms. Also, are include artists or songs that have been influential in the usage of Colombian Rhythms in
Contemporary Music.
Online Information:
•
About the Carnival of Barranquilla: http://www.carnavaldebarranquilla.org/
•
About the Musical Axes of Colombia:
http://www.territoriosonoro.org/CDM/tradicionales/pages/index
•
About Cumbia: http://www.plaza-colombia.de/Cumbia-es.html
▪
http://www.sinic.gov.co/SINIC/ColombiaCultural/ColCulturalBusca.aspx?AREID=3
&SECID=8&IdDep=08&COLTEM=222
▪
https://www.colombia.com/turismo/ferias_fiestas/2003/junio/festival_cumbia/cumbia
.asp
•
About Gaita , instrument manufactory and rhythm:
http://www.sinic.gov.co/SINIC/ColombiaCultural/ColCulturalBusca.aspx?AREID=3&SECID=8&I
dDep=13&COLTEM=222
•
About Tambora, Tambor Alegre, Tambor Llamador, Maracas and Guache:
https://web.archive.org/web/20090227045443/http://lablaa.org/blaavirtual/folclor/musica/am1.htm
Influential Artists for this research:
•
Gaita – Carlos Vives:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqDOuh5wPI4
•
Cumbia – Magda Giannikou:
23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wMPdDVUDMI
•
Porro – Adriana Lucia and Rafael Campo Miranda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twUgAMgjWKY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnQYe1Wb8bk
8 Bibliography
•
Caputo, Loraine, Paula Newton, and Richard McColl. VIVA Travel Guides Colombia. 1st ed.
Viva Publishing Network, 2008.
•
Villalon, Jorge. Historia De Barranquilla. Barranquilla: Ediciones Uninorte, 2000.
•
Rincon, Valentina. Las Formas Regionales En La Música De Banda, Apartado Del Proyecto
Práctica Musical De Las Bandas Pelayeras. Colombia: Ministerio De Cultura, 2002.
•
Morrison, Gary R. Designing Effective Instruction, 6 th Edition. John Wiley & Sons 2010
24
COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN INFLUENCES IN CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Degree of
Master of Music in Contemporary Performance
Supervisor: Enric Alberich Artal
By
Sergio Andres Martín Isoza
Valencia, Spain
July, 2018
Table of Contents
Abstract
iii
Acknowledgements
iv
Author´s Note
v
1 Introduction
1
1.1 Growing Up in the Golden Gate of Colombia
1.2 Colombian Music over the last decades
4
1.3 Choosing the Rhythms
5
2 Objectives
6
3 Justification
6
4 Colombian Caribbean Rhythms on Contemporary Music
7
4.1 First things first, Traditional Caribbean Colombian Ensemble
7
4.2 Understanding and Adapting the Rhythms into a Contemporary Context
10
4.2.1. Gaita
11
4.2.2. Porro (Porro Tapao)
15
4.2.3. Cumbia
18
5 Results
22
6 Conclusion
22
7 Appendix
23
8 Bibliography
24
ii
Abstract
The purpose of this CE is to analyse traditional rhythms from C olombia and use them in the context of a
contemporary musician. This paper is a performative research project, where the author takes three
traditional rhythms from the Colombian Caribbean: Gaita, Porro and Cumbia. The work starts with a brief
description about the history of the city of Barranquilla in Colombia and its yearly carnival, event where
these three rhythms are performed among others in a celebration of culture and tradition, and includes
information about traditional instruments commonly used to perform them. The creative process begins with
rhythms being analysed and briefly described instrument by instrument. Thereafter, rhythms are adapted to
modern instrumentation and/or used as a compositional tool in the design of the groove, harmonic
progressions and melody, and finally showcased in live performances and studio recordings. The files found
attached to this paper are a compilation of instructional videos, scores and performance examples that helped
the development of this material during the course of the year.
Keywords: Colombia, Jazz Fusion, Composition, Arranging, Research, Traditional Rhythms.
iii
Acknowledgements
I am beyond grateful to all of the people I have met during my time in Berklee Valencia, it has been
an amazing experience and I will treasure so many memories in my heart forever. Thanks to all my fellow
musicians who shared with me so many stages and sessions, you guys made me a better musician every
single day I got to play with you guys; thanks for all the lessons, feedback, energy and music you shared
with me and to be open to learn and play the rhythms from this project, I hope this works as a new creative
input for you. To the engineers who worked in each recording of this project, thank you so much for your
will to work, for believing in this music and make each and every recording session as smooth and possible.
To the video crew for “Lamento Naufrago”, thanks for your creativity and excellence, this tribute is
going beyond my expectations, I can´t wait to show this video in my country and celebrate the impact of
Colombian music in the world in such a beautiful picture. To my friends back home who recorded the Gaita
and Porro breakdowns, thank you so much for your immediate support on this project, I can´t wait to go
back home and make music with you.
To my teachers and advisors, thank you for helping me be a better musician every single day, there
are so many interdisciplinary tools I´ve learned through the course of this year that I will continue to sharpen
through the following years to continue being the best version of me.
To my family and friends back home who always encouraged me and helped me to be here, thank
you; you guys can´t imagine how blessed I feel to have you in my life. At last but not least, I will always
thank God for this journey He gave me; through the good times and bad times, I´ll be always thankful to
have music, to have the chance to play guitar, to have this life that I have.
Sergio Martín
July 2018
iv
Author´s Note
The version used for Rafael Campo Miranda´s “Lamento Naufrago” is a non-profit arrangement by
Sergio Martín recorded in Berklee Valencia Campus, to be published in Youtube on August 2018 as a tribute
of the composer´s 100th birthday, the song is also used to exemplify the use of Porro in contemporary music,
all rights are reserved to Rafael Campo Miranda and the Campo family.
v
1. Introduction
1.1 Growing Up in the Golden Gate of Colombia
“Barranquilla elevated and immortal,
tight with water and matured in the sun,
wise young of the national tree,
of the jubilant crucible future,
Illusion of the white-blue Caribbean
From Colombia lying on the threshold
Gives voice and muscle to progress
Barranquilla, elevated and immortal”1
In 1993, I was born in the beautiful city of Barranquilla, city of history and tradition. Close to the Caribbean
Sea and next to the delta of the Magdalena River, Barranquilla became a very important seaport in Colombia
and South America, also host of the Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport, the first airport in the continent.
•
•
•
•
Barranquilla, Image Source : https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/DatabaseImages/city/highres/ISS001/ISS001-E-6277.JPG
1
Barranquilla
Caribbean Sea
Magdalena River
“Bocas de Ceniza”: Famous spot
where the sea and the river are
divided
https://www.worldatlas.com/img/locator/city/095/3995-barranquilla-locatormap.jpg
Fragment from the anthem of the city of Barranquilla, translated by Author. Music by Amira de la Rosa,
Lyrics by Simon Urbina
1
As the lyrics of the anthem quoted above imply, Barranquilla was and still is a key part of progress in
Colombia due to the number of factories, workshops and commercial places installed by the seaports, it is a
common tradition to hear the sirens of all these factories during new year´s eve alongside the church bells;
back when the city was just a town, this was the way to announce their habitants that a new year was coming
while they gathered with their loved ones.
“The sirens of factories and workshop are arterial rumor of their existence” 2
Being the receiver of many visitors made Barranquilla earn many nicknames throughout the years, such as
“La Puerta de Oro de Colombia” (Golden Gate of Colombia), “La Ciudad de los Brazos Abiertos” (City of
Open Arms), “El Faro de Suramérica” (South America´s Lighthouse), La Arenosa (The Sandy One) and
“Curramba La Bella” (Curramba, the beauty).
“Barranquilla knows how to sing and on the anvil hammer”3
Being a city of workers is not the only highlight Barranquilla has, the main course of tourism is its culture
and traditional artistic expressions; The Carnival of Barranquilla is the biggest expression of culture in the
city, it was declared as a National Culture Heritage by the Colombian Senate in 2002 and proclaimed by
UNESCO on November 7 of 2003 as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity. This carnival has been claimed to be the second largest carnival in the world, only to be
surpassed by Rio de Janeiro´s carnival.
2
3
Fragment from the Anthem of Barranquilla.
Fragment from the Anthem of Barranquilla.
2
Carnival Participant, Picture Source: http://lachachara.org/chachawp/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Carnaval6-1200x600.jpg
The preparation of this carnival comes with a substantial anticipation due to coronation events for the
Carnival Queen, rehearsals for parades and musical acts, and it´s scheduled to end 40 days before Easter
every year; it´s a celebration of heritage and tradition for the city and the majority of the city is involved in
all of the events. The carnival gives importance to traditional rhythms such as Cumbia, Mapalé, Garabato
and many others, while giving space to innovation from new rhythms, making it a great experience for
people of all musical tastes.
As I grew up, I listened to many of these rhythms everywhere I went; every time I heard a traditional
percussion ensemble playing music, in my head I always imagined togetherness, family and joy; we were
educated in a way that no matter where we are, every time we listened to these rhythms meant we were
home. In my teenager years, I went away from these traditions because of my interests in rock music, so I
started learning guitar and drove away from what I called “old people music”.
There are many emblematic composers in Colombian music history, one of them is Rafael Campo Miranda,
composer of many songs such as Lamento Naufrago, Playa Brisa y Mar and Pajaro Amarillo. Campo has a
family of musicians; his son, Rafael Campo Vives, was the one I reached to prepare to enrol in a music
school and is the one responsible of reviving my interest for Colombian Caribbean music.
3
As I studied music, my passion to use this rhythms and melodies as an influence to compose and arrange has
expanded as my musical knowledge grew throughout my college years. As I culminate my degree of Master
in Contemporary Performance in Berklee College of Music, it is my desire to showcase these rhythms as a
creative tool for contemporary musicians to learn and adapt to their own styles. So, my main goal is to
develop my skills as a composer, arranger, performer and producer and in the process, refine my identity as
a contemporary fusion artist that incorporates traditional influences from Colombia into his work. Each song
produced in this culminating experience will be made with the purpose of expanding my creativity and
solidifying my knowledge about my roots and give material for generations of musicians to use as a new
creative input for their music.
1.2. Colombian Music over the last decades
Recently, Colombian artists and their music have evolved towards honouring their roots but looking forward
to explore with them using contemporary styles. Between the late 80´s and the 90´s Colombian musicians
dedicated solely to write and perform traditional music or compose pieces based on these rhythms, artists
and bands started to grow and gain popularity within the country, but there were few who their music
crossed the country. Artists such as Joe Arroyo, who used a fusion of Colombian roots with latin music to
gain relevance in the rest of the world, successfully touring around the world keeping his musical identity
intact; there were also uprising artists at that time such as Shakira, who dedicated her career to explore other
styles of music such as rock, pop and singer songwriter music, as her career evolved she kept exploring
different kinds of non-Colombian styles, developing a musical identity that has successfully consolidate her
as a top artist nowadays; Shakira quotes rhythms and famous phrases from traditional Colombian music in
her work, even though her main styles is far away from the original traditions from the country.
Carlos Vives has dedicated his life to research and highlight traditional music from around the country´s
regions in his music and has successfully cemented his legacy as an artist who proudly represents Colombian
4
traditions in the world. As time goes by, Colombian artists have capitalized on the power and versatility that
this traditional styles have, and started to explore with contemporary music from all over the world and
various different formats. My goal is to further this exploration, bringing it into a different context than the
previously mentioned artists, so artists from around de world get to perceive this styles and adapt it to their
music.
1.3 Choosing the Rhythms
Colombia has a vast variety of weather, wildlife, vegetation, native languages etc. and this also affects the
music of each region of the country. In Colombia, we find 5 different regions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Caribbean Region (North)
Andine Region (Center)
Orinoquia Region (East)
Pacific Region (West)
Amazon Region (South)
Insular Region (Northern
Islands: San Andres &
Providencia)
Each region shares a diversity of tradition that has been influenced from their tribal origins to the relation
with neighbour countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru; with all these influences, Colombia
has various musical axes around its territory. There is a vast variety of Musical Axes in every region, but the
focus of this project will be only on specific rhythms of the Caribbean Region.
5
Barranquilla, it´s located on the Caribbean Region, and the rhythms that are about to be studied are three of a
group of 30 rhythms that belong to what is known as Western Caribbean Axis; this is one of the 12 Musical
Axes Colombia has through its territory, and the purpose of this performative research is to be the starting
point of a musical research that will continue over the years, showing the world these rhythms in a way that
they have never been documented.
2. Objectives
The main objective of this project is to refine my identity as a contemporary fusion artist that incorporates
traditional influences from Colombia into his work by developing my skills as a composer, arranger,
performer and producer and in the process. Each song produced in this culminating experience will be made
with the purpose of expanding my creativity and solidifying my knowledge about my roots.
For this project, the rhythms Gaita , Porro and Cumbia where chosen due to their popularity in the Caribbean
region, there´s an analysis part of the work, where I aim to study, analyze and adapt the raw traditional styles
in order to apply them in a contemporary compositional context; a creative part where I practice my
instrument in order to perform and express my ideas, compose and arrange music based on the studied
rhythm, this can be an original song or a contemporary arrangement for a traditional Colombian song and
there´s a technological part that involves recording, producing, mixing and promoting the final product in
order to showcase the work.
3. Justification
This project will develop and give an insight and inspiration source for musicians looking to compose new
and fresh music; as time goes by we can find diversity reflected in music, and this Culminating Experience
will add all new styles knowledge for musicians to get inspired by. The project will also bring new approach
to Colombian musicians, showing how can be mixed with other countries influences using live instruments
or technology.
6
The richness of this music motivates me to show it to the world and I hope this becomes an inspiration for
other musicians as much as is an inspiration for me; showing musicians a way to expand their creativity is an
outcome that I’m definitely aiming for. This will be also a chance for me to showcase my original material
recorded in a studio for the first time. I also want to video record all the process; I want to interview the
people involved in the project to make a small documentary about Colombian music through the world’s
ears.
4. Colombian Caribbean Influences on Contemporary Music
2.1. First things first, Traditional Caribbean Colombian Ensemble
Before showing any of the compositions or arrangements, I would like to cover some general information
that will be addressed in all of the demonstrations; the music covered in this Culminating Experience will be
all from the Caribbean Region of Colombia, and all the adaptations will be showcased in the traditional
instruments and then showed in a contemporary context. These are some of the instruments that we will
cover during this exploration!.
•
Tambora: The “Tambora” functions as the fundament
of most of the rhythms, like the kick drum in a drumset. The
Tambora has two kinds of hits, it can be hit either in the wooden
part (this hit is called “Paloteo”) or hit in the sides where the
leather is ( or called “Golpe de Cuero”), it is very common in
rhytms such as Cumbia, Chandé , Gaita etc. The other drums
usually follow what the Tambora player is playing, and in some
Source: http://diexeventos.com.co/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/tambora-en-madera-nogal-con-cueropergamino-de-chivo.jpg
cases , is the instrument that sets the groove for the other
instruments to follow.
7
•
Drums or “Tambores”: In traditional Colombian music, we can find two kind of drums or
tambores.
Tambor Alegre or Female Tambor: The Alegre player has usually
the roll of improvisation or filling out spaces using many kinds of hits
such as open, blocked and “fondeo” (wich the player makes by using
an open hit while lifting the drum with both feet).
Source:
http://didacticospinocho.com/admin/_lib/file/im
gportadas/5a198ca27ac25.jpg
Tambor Llamador or Male Tambor: The Llamador player covers a very simple
rhythm part that we´ll see when we cover the Cumbia rhythm, it is meant to create
contrast with it sound and rhythmic value by playing upbeat.
Source:
http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b78a57_af
3c2c5ccc1d74b61ebc01569f28523a.jpg_512
•
Gaita (“Kuisi” in Kogui Dialect[a]):
Gaitas are handmade instruments that usually have either the melodic roll or harmonic support in
genres such as Cumbia, Porro, Gaita, Merengue, Puya. The body of a Gaita is made with the core of
an organ pipe cactus, its head is a combination of bee wax and clay dust and has a mouthpiece made
with the hollowshaft of either turkey fearher or duck feather. There are three types of gaitas:
•
Gaita Hembra or Female Gaita (Kuisi Bunsi in Kogui Dialect): This gaita has the melodic role
among the family, has five holes and it´s usually to have two of these in a band.
Source: http://pacoweb.net/Instrumentos/Galein/gaitahem.gif
8
•
Gaita Macho or Male Gaita (Kuisi Sigi in Kogui Dialect): This one has only two holes and
usually helps to keep the tempo or counterpoints the melody played by the Gaita Hembra player. The
Gaita Macho Player plays the instrument with one hand while playing Maracas with the other hand.
[a]
Kogui: Indigenous tribe that lives in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia)
Gaita corta or Gaita Machihembriá (Short Gaita or Male/Female Gaita) :
This Gaita has six holes in it, and usually is the most versatile one among the three kinds of
gaitas, is used mostly as
a soloist instrument.
Source: https://www.gypsykumbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Gaita-Corta.jpg
9
•
Maracas: These instruments are made from both core and seeds from Calabash. They´re
mostly use to play upbeat, a Gaita Macho Player can be seen playing one while playing the
Gaita.
Source: https://http2.mlstatic.com/combo-gaita-macho-y-hembraguacharaca-maracas-colombia-D_NQ_NP_568605MCO25070530244_092016-F.jpg
2.2 Understanding and Adapting Colombian Influences to Contemporary Music.
So far, Colombian rhythms have been used in a contemporary scenario in many occasions, one of the
most common rhythms to recognize is the rhythm of Cumbia, which has many variations in many countries
around the world and have been used in many genres such as Jazz, Rock, Latin Music and Pop. The purpose
of this investigation is to use other genres that can be also used in an actual world context. We´re going to
understand the patterns, songs and familiar melodies first and then find a way to bring them to life in a new
format.
10
2.2.1. Gaita.
The rhythm of Gaita is currently in a commercial breakthrough thanks to artist Carlos Vives with
songs such as “Carito”; here we can see a perfect example of the instrumentation in a Gaita ensemble with
“Gaiteros de San Jacinto”.
Source: http://elparchecultural.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Los-Gaiteros-de-San-Jacinto-Nuevageneracion-752x440.jpg
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Tambora
Tambor Alegre
Tambor Llamador
Maraca
Male Gaita
Female Gaita
Now that we know how the ensemble is made, let´s see what the instruments are actually doing.
For this research, the basic Gaita ensemble is going to be used as the main example, “Gaiteros de San
Jacinto” take the ensemble a little bit further adding “Tambor Llamador”. As seen in the example below, the
basic instruments to cover the rhythm section of the ensamble are Tambora, Tambor Alegre and Maraca.
•
The Tambora sets the fundament of the groove, the circled notes on top are representing the
Wood Hit or Paloteo and the notes below represent the Leather Hit or “Golpe de Cuero”
11
•
The Tambor Alegre then follows the same groove of the Tambora in order to add more color
to the hits, the Alegre Player also has the job to improvise and add more variations to the
groove.
•
The Maraca player, who is also the Male Gaita player, makes close hits downbeat and open
hits upbeat.
12
Now, the goal is to bring this traditional rhythm section in a modern drumset.
First, the Hi-Hat takes the role of the maracas, doing closed hits down beat and open hits upbeat. The
the snare works as the Tambor Alegre, but due to the complexity, the drummer can also add ghost notes to
the groove to emulate the improvisation role that the Alegre player has. The kick drum will do the leather
hits of the Tambora, there´s no need of the wood hits due to the similarity of the Alegre and Tambora
playing, so the snare is covering those rhythms, using cross stick hits on the snare creates a similar effect to
wood hits and also can help to bring lower dynamics to the drummer playing.
13
Bringing the idea to other instruments
To bring this adaptation to life, I composed a song based in that rhythm, the drummer sets the groove
as shown above, the conga player is making what the Tambor Alegre is supposed to do and all the
instruments in the rhythm section help to support the groove. Let´s take the bass groove for example!.
Bass Groove
The bass is helping to support the “Tambora Rhythm” and then can add different ornaments as
shown in the second measure. The piano and other instruments of the rhythm section can help support beat 1
and 4 of each measure.
Using these new adaptions, here´s the song I composed played on a contemporary context, notice how the
drums plays the new adaptation and the harmony and the melody help to highlight the hits of the original
rhythm and how the conga player plays the Tambor Alegre original part. After the live performance
example, with the help of fellow Colombian musicians, here´s a video presentation of what was explained
above.
Live Demonstration & Breakdown of Gaita Rhythm :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc6ava-ghsc
14
2.2.2 Porro (Porro Tapao)
Porro is a traditional rhythm from the savanna of the Caribbean Region, it´s usually played for a large
ensemble with a brass and clarinet section with a big drum, snare and cymbal percussion section.
https://thecitypaperbogota.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/porro_680x440.jpg
As seen in the picture, porro ensembles tend to be large at its majority, the harmonies are distributed by the
large brass section while the clarinet brings another sound either counterpointing what the brass are playing
or opening up a new section. In the contemporary music world, they add keyboard, electric bass, guitar,
reduce the brass section to fit what the ensemble can cover and the percussion section is played by the drum
set while adding new sounds using traditional instruments, the big drum for example, is usually replaced
with “Tambora”.
Up next, here´s an analysis for the patterns done by the big drum, snare, and cymbal, and how can we adapt
it to the modern drumset.
15
For this research, we´re going to cover one of the many styles of porro called “Porro Tapao”, since includes
a particular technique on the drum set. Here´s the rhythm breakdown shown below, at the end of this chapter
theres a link to a video demonstration:
•
The snare (Redoblante), uses Rim Shot to accentuate the hits and snare rolls to fill the spaces, the
traditional snare tends to be made of steel and thinner than the usual snare to have more resonance in
the rolls and the rim shot; during rolls, snare players aim different parts of the snare to change the
tone of each roll.
•
The Big drum (Bombo), helps supporting the accents of the snare, in this case the player hits the
accent with one hand and uses the other hand to cover the other part of the drum after each hit to
avoid resonance. For this demonstration, a Tambora was used as shown in the link at the end of this
section.
•
The Cymbals cover a similar function like the maracas on Gaita, they cover beats 2 and 4 and have
the brightest tone in the group.
16
After understanding what the percussive instruments of this ensemble are doing, here´s the drum adaptation.
For this rhythm, since the drummer is busy covering up the snare rolls with both hands, the cymbal section is
done using the hi-hat pedal with the heel – toe technique and the kick drum does the Bombo part.
Bringing the Idea to Other Instruments.
Similar to Gaita and most of latin music genres, Porro has an emphasis in beat 4, so the Bass and the rhythm
section help highlighting this by anticipating notes/chords that are on beat 1 to beat 4.
To exemplify the adaptation of this rhythm, I made an arrangement for Rafael Campo Miranda´s “Lamento
Naufrago”, this arrangement will be a tribute for this composer on his 100 th birthday on August 2018. For
this arrangement, I included Guitar, Upright Bass, Marimba, Lead Voice, Background Vocals, Maracas and
a String Section, in order to bring it into a World Music style of arrangement.
17
Porro Tapao Rhythm Breakdown:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OljlWjYH3A4
2.2.3. Cumbia
Cumbia is one of the most emblematic rhythms in the Carnival of Barranquilla and has many variants in
many countries like Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia etc. Cumbia even has its variants in the
different Colombian regions! For this project, the Cumbia originated in the Western Caribbean Axis is going
to be used as a compositional tool; I wrote a Jazz Fusion piece based on this rhythm but first, let´s get a
scoop on the Cumbiamberos!
http://www.ellibrepensador.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/son-millero.png
As seen in the picture above, the Cumbia ensemble has a notable resemblance to the Gaita ensemble, having
Tambora, Tambor Alegre and Llamador; Gaitas are often used but the main melodic instrument is the Flauta
de Millo (Millo Flute), and the maracas are replaced by the Guache, a metal cylinder filled with Indian Shot
seeds. The Flauta de Millo Player often sings a song after playing an introductory melody with the millo
flute and the percussion has a similar function as in Gaita when it comes to improvisation/support roles.
18
Each instrument rhythmic role is in the chart below:
•
The Tambora follows a very straight “paloteo” with a final hit to the drum at the end of 4 in the
second measure of the rhythm.
•
The Tambor Alegre keeps eight notes by alternating between Open hits and Blocked Hits. In this
rhythm, the Tambora and the Alegre may share improvisational roles.
•
The Tambor Llamador keeps it on beats 2 and 4 with very simple hits, this helps to keep the groove
going.
•
The Guache or the Maracas, like in Gaita, makes close hits downbeat and open hits upbeat.
19
After analysing what each instrument it´s time to adapt it to a modern Drum set:
For Cumbia, there´s a particularity regarding the “Paloteo”, the drummer hits the wooden side of the floor
tom (marked in the chart as snare cross stick hit), the Kick Drum accentuates the 4 and like the Porro, the
drummer uses the hi-hat pedal to make the effect of maracas/guache. While using the right hand to make the
Paloteo and hitting the 4th beat in the floor tom, with the left hand, the drummer make small variations and
fills using either the snare or the rack toms, these variations consist only on one or two notes, and can also be
ghost notes of the snare due to the complexity of the groove.
Cumbia as a Compositional Tool
For this rhythm, I decided to compose a tune paying attention to the important hits of the Drums. Attached
to the deliverables of this CE there´s an audio file to demonstrate this composition.
20
Using the Tambora pattern, a melody is created where the main accents are highlighted, making the melodic
line fitting the rthythm.
Developing melodic ideas surrounding this rhythm brought as a result the following tune.
21
5 Results
In conclusion, the project yielded the following results:
•
Three rhythms analysed and executed in a contemporary context.
•
Two original compositions using the influences on Gaita and Cumbia.
•
One arrangement using the rhythm of Porro to be released on August 2018 as a tribute to composer
Rafael Campo Miranda on his 100th birthday.
•
Research and instructive material that can be used in masterclasses and is open to whoever wants to
learn.
The final result successfully helps to shape an artist identity and a compositional technique that other
musicians can apply to their own traditional music to influence their music. The ADDIE (Analysis, Design,
Development, Implementation, Evaluation) process helped the author to have a deeper understanding of the
rhythms and to bring the implemented way to instruct on how to adapt and play these rhythms in the drum
set, and how to use them as a new source of inspiration to write music; this benefits other musicians who are
struggling to find a new way to compose or want to use their own traditional music in their products. The
document works as a guide through the process and can be applied to any rhythm.
6 Conclusion
The conclusion of this project brought about a clearer vision of my artist identity as a contemporary fusion
artist who honours and shares his roots through his music and collaborative efforts with other artists, I seek
to keep composing, producing, and performing music using these influences and collaborate with musicians
from around the world to have a continuous ever-flowing source of inspiration. Having a deep insight to
these three rhythms, brought me closer to my roots and woke and interest of keep researching about
Colombian music; Gaita, Porro and Cumbia are only three rhythms of the North Caribbean Axis, which is
one of the thirteen Musical Axes that Colombia has, each one being as diverse as the Colombian Territory
22
itself, so I would like to continue investigating and bringing this knowledge to musicians of all ages who
seek a new way to compose.
7 Appendix
The following is a list of links that have been important in the process of researching about Colombian
rhythms. Also, are include artists or songs that have been influential in the usage of Colombian Rhythms in
Contemporary Music.
Online Information:
•
About the Carnival of Barranquilla: http://www.carnavaldebarranquilla.org/
•
About the Musical Axes of Colombia:
http://www.territoriosonoro.org/CDM/tradicionales/pages/index
•
About Cumbia: http://www.plaza-colombia.de/Cumbia-es.html
▪
http://www.sinic.gov.co/SINIC/ColombiaCultural/ColCulturalBusca.aspx?AREID=3
&SECID=8&IdDep=08&COLTEM=222
▪
https://www.colombia.com/turismo/ferias_fiestas/2003/junio/festival_cumbia/cumbia
.asp
•
About Gaita , instrument manufactory and rhythm:
http://www.sinic.gov.co/SINIC/ColombiaCultural/ColCulturalBusca.aspx?AREID=3&SECID=8&I
dDep=13&COLTEM=222
•
About Tambora, Tambor Alegre, Tambor Llamador, Maracas and Guache:
https://web.archive.org/web/20090227045443/http://lablaa.org/blaavirtual/folclor/musica/am1.htm
Influential Artists for this research:
•
Gaita – Carlos Vives:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqDOuh5wPI4
•
Cumbia – Magda Giannikou:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wMPdDVUDMI
•
Porro – Adriana Lucia and Rafael Campo Miranda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twUgAMgjWKY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnQYe1Wb8bk
8 Bibliography
•
Caputo, Loraine, Paula Newton, and Richard McColl. VIVA Travel Guides Colombia. 1st ed.
Viva Publishing Network, 2008.
•
Villalon, Jorge. Historia De Barranquilla. Barranquilla: Ediciones Uninorte, 2000.
•
Rincon, Valentina. Las Formas Regionales En La Música De Banda, Apartado Del Proyecto
Práctica Musical De Las Bandas Pelayeras. Colombia: Ministerio De Cultura, 2002.
•
Morrison, Gary R. Designing Effective Instruction, 6 th Edition. John Wiley & Sons 2010
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