Latin American music encompasses many diverse styles that blend African, indigenous, and European influences. Some key genres include samba, son, and salsa. Samba originated in Brazil as an African dance form that evolved among working class communities. Son emerged in Cuba as a fusion of Spanish popular music and African rhythms. Salsa contains elements of swing, hustle, and Afro-Caribbean dances like pachanga and guaguanco. Other popular Latin American genres mentioned are cumbia, tango, cha-cha, rumba, bossa nova, reggae, foxtrot, and paso doble.

2. Latin-American music is diverse, rhythmic, and blended to a
variety of styles. Latin-American music encompasses a number of
musical forms such as the following:
1. Samba – A dance form of African origin which is later evolved
into an African-Brazilian invention among the working class
and slum districts of Rio de Janeiro. Batucada is the most
adventurous kind of samba.
2. Son – A fusion of the popular music or canciones of Spain and
the African rumba rhythms of Batu origins. It had its origin
from Cuba. It is usually played on three guitars, contrabass,
bongos, maracas, and claves.

3. 3. Salsa – A social dance of Cuban and Puerto Rican influence. It
contains the elements of the swing and hustle plus the complex
Cuban and Afro-Caribbean dance forms of pachanga and
guaguanco.
4. Vocal and dance forms – These include cumbia, tango, cha-cha,
rumba, bossa nova, reggae, and paso doble.
a. Cumbia – Cumbia was born of a cultural mix of black and
indigenous backgrounds. The origin of the music started the days
slavery in the late 17th century and derived from the word cumbe
which to dance.
b. Tango – The word tango which is said to have two origins. Its
African origin means “African dance”, while is Spanish origin ”taner”
means to play an instrument.

4. There are two tow distinct flavors of tango: the melodic Argentinian style
and the rhythmical Europe style.
c. Cha-cha - Cha-cha was breakaway from the usual accent of the fourth
fourth eight note of mambo. Its melody is sensual and involves
polyrhythms and was popularized in 1940’s by Cuban charanga band.
d. Rumba – Rumba is family of percussive rhythms, songs, and dance.
The name rumba was originally another way to say “party”, and certainly
be thought of as energy party music.
e. Bossa Nova – Bossa nova means “new trend” in Portuguese or
“something charming”. It uses the elements of samba and jazz. It
combines melody, harmony, and rhythm into a swaying feeling. Vocals
are usually nasal. Bossa nova is cool and relaxed style.

5. f. Reggae – It was started in Jamaica but its roots in New Orleans
R&B. Its forefather is the ska (a musical genre of an up tempo,
rhythmic variation). The word “reggae” was coined with the 1960 to
identify a “ragged” style of dance.
g. Foxtrot – Is typically danced to big band swing-style music
written in
4
4
time. The music tempo is 120 to 136 beats per minute.
h. Paso Doble – Its origin dates back to a French military march
entitled “Paso Doble”. It means “two steps” in Spanish. It is based on
the music played at bullfights during the bullfighter’s
entrance(pasco) or during the passes (faena) just before the kill.
Paso doble music has strong flamengo influnces. The tempo is
usually a brisk 60-beat per minute.

7. 1. Bebop – is a jazz stlye that featured complex melodies and chord
progressions and was basically not adaptable to dancing. It is more
art music than entertainment.
2. Ragtime – An African-American music. The music was multi-
themed, hard, bright, vibrant, enthusiastic, and often
3. Big Band – Refers to a jazz group of ten or more musicians,
usually featuring at least three trumpets, two or more trombones,
or more saxophones and a “rhythm section”.
4. Jazz Rock – The musical style is a hybrid fusion of jazz and rock in
the late 1960s and early 1970s when musicians combined jazz
harmony and improvisation with styles such as funk, rock, rhythm
blues, and Latin jazz. Also known as jazz fusion.