ThisentertaininghistoryofCubaanditsmusicbeginswiththecollisionofSpainandAfricaandcontinuesthroughtheeraofMiguelitoVald矇s,ArsenioRodr穩guez,BennyMor矇,andP矇rezPrado.Itoffersabehind-the-scenesexaminationofmusicfromaCubanpointofview,unearthingsurprising,provocativeconnectionsandmakingthecasethatCubawasfundamentaltotheevolutionofmusicintheNewWorld.Thewaysinwhichthemusicofblackslavestransformed16th-centuryEurope,howtheclavesappeared,andhowCubanmusicinfluencedragtime,jazz,andrhythmandbluesarerevealed.MusicloverswillfollowthisjourneyfromAndaluc穩a,theCongo,theCalabar,Dahomey,andYorubalandviaCubatoMexico,PuertoRico,Saint-Domingue,NewOrleans,NewYork,andMiami.Themusicisplacedinahistoricalcontextthatconsidersthecomplexitiesoftheslavetrade;Cuba’srelationshiptotheUnitedStates;itsrevolutionarypoliticaltraditions;themusicofSanter穩a,Palo,Abaku獺,andVod繳;andmuchmore.
