Son Cubano

Son cubano is the foundational genre of Cuban popular music, formed in the eastern province of Oriente in the late nineteenth century from the meeting of Spanish canción and guitar traditions with African percussion and call-and-response singing. Its classic ensemble pairs the tres and guitar with bongo, claves, maracas and an anticipated bass line that falls ahead of the beat, while its two-part design moves from a sung tema into the improvised montuno of coro and pregón. Carried to Havana by the *Sexteto Habanero* and *Trío Matamoros*, son became the root of salsa, mambo and much of Latin dance music.