We are doing an article about the latin rhythms and its influence on the actual music. You are one of the greats, so we ask you to answer some questions. We need your knowledge on these five questions and if you remember something interesting and additional information to tell our readers we'll be very glad to hear. Thank you very much and any comments or suggestions will be welcome.

What is the biggest influence of the afro-cuban music on world music?

Let me first of all say that what I consider World music is music from folkloric origins of different nations of the world. With that been said... I think that Cuban music (not just Afro-Cuban) main influence in other world music has been the popular kind, like mambo, bolero, cha cha cha, danzon, charanga, Comparsa (Cuban street carnival) & other styles that started to be heard around the world from the 1940's onward through radio, television & records. These styles are neither 100% Afro nor 100% European. It is the mixture of both that makes it uniquely "Cuban". Cuban music is a mixture of Spanish & Moorish (since Spain was 700 years Arabic), Indeginious (Taino, Arawaqs) & African, which like in Brasil, many African slaves from different parts of Africa were brought to the island against their will, each with their own different languages & cultures.

Later in the last 40 years through the advance of technology & recording techniques, we can now hear more Afro religious music that used to be only heard in isolated places in Cuba. Rhythms from instruments like the Bata drums (Yoruba Religious drums) Chekeres (Agbes), & other African religious rhythms preserved in Cuba like Palo Monte (from Congo) & Abacua.

These rhythms & instruments have started to be incorporated in popular Cuban dance music. Everywhere in the world musicians are influenced by cuban music & borrow from cuban music to enhance their own compositions. Some claim the final product as theirs but undoubtedly it is Cuban in origin.

Which artists/bands from other styles of music took that influence and how?

Cuban music always creeped inside Latin America in the early 30's but in the 40's it started to influence "Jazz"  & other North American music. In the U.S they started to imitate & create their version of "Rhumba", "Bolero", "Cha Cha" but not exactly like the way the Cubans played it. Then Dizzy Gillespie recorded Chano Pozo's "Manteca" with his big band & the first conga drum & Swing beat was popularized. Later on, many U.S bands came to Cuba & viceversa & music changed & new styles developed. Bands like George Shearing (with Armando Peraza) Cal Jader, Charlie Parker & many others played with Cuban influenced rhythms.

In the late 50's Cuba & U.S relations were broken & the musical door closed. The Cuban & Puerto Rican people  & artists in NY City & other countries kept the Cuban music alive & later on the music got tagged as "Salsa" just like many styles are tagged by record companies for selling purposes, like"Soul Music" etc.

In the 60's bands like Santana, Traffic, Crosby Stills & Nash, Stevie Wonder & many, many Rock bands adapted Timbales, Conga drums, Bongos, cowbells, maracas to their music with Cuban rhythms. In the late 70's, 80's & 90's, Cuba started to export literally every kind of Folkloric, popular dance, religious, fusion dance, cuban jazz, classical, etc. to the whole world, infuencing everyone like most recently, the Buena Vista Social Club.

What distinguishes the afro-cuban percussion from the others?

Some of the instruments in Cuban percussion were invented in the island  like the tumbadora (conga drum with logs or llaves) & timbales (derived from the classical Timpani).  Some are exactly like the way the African slaves used them back in Africa like the Bata drums & chekere gourds from the Yoruba people & the Abacua drums. These rhythms have transfer to the drumset but in origin, were not drumset rythms.

Can you describe and write an interesting pattern you consider the main thing of the afro-cuban rhythm?

It is impossible for me to write music in my computer rigth now (I am in my hotel room in Japan where I am performing with Steve Winwood tomorrow) but I would recommend books like Ed Uribe Afro Caribbean Rythms, Changuito's book on Timbales with Chuck Silverman, Richie Garcia's books on congas & timbales. There are many videos you can see like "El Negro"Hernandez" & "Chuck Silverman Drummers of Cuba".

There is a book, actually 5 books by Fernando Ortiz that is considered the Bible of Cuban music. They are translated to English & it deals with everything, history & all. There are Bata drum parts & other rhythms written also in the book with the history.

By the way I will be doing my own DVD this November & hopefully will come out in 2004.

Which percussion instruments do you like to add to your drumkit?

I play percussion sometimes & drumset sometimes, but also I like to mix the drumset and percussion sometimes. Mainly for two particular reasons, for fun & for economical reasons. When you have rhythms that need 6 or 7 instruments & there is only one percussionist & one drummer... you have to create & make the rhythms happen!! I include on my drumset instruments depending on the music & how many musicians there are to cover those rythms, like timabales, congas, bongos, sound effects, djembes, indian toms, etc. the possibilities are endless!! it is a beautiful challenge that becomes a true Art... the Art of Drumming!!

Thank you
Paulo Caciji

Modern Drummer Brasil
www.moderndrummer.com.br