The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by African and European (especially Spanish) forms, and has become popular across the Caribbean and in some communities worldwide. Native popular genres include bomba and plena, while more modern innovations include the hip hop fusion reggaeton. Aguinaldo is a folk genre of Christmas music which originates from Puerto Rico and is based on an archaic form of Spanish christmas carol. ... Decima is a style of octosyllabic, 10-line poetry. ... For other uses, see Bomba (disambiguation). ... Plena is a folkloric genre native of Puerto Rico. ... Reggaeton (spelled also with the acute diacritic in English and known as Reguetón and Reggaetón in Spanish) is a form of dance music which became popular with Latin American (or Latino) youth during the early 1990s and spread to North American, European, Asian, and Australian audiences during the... Salsa music is a diverse and predominantly Spanish Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Aruba and the five main islands of the Netherlands Antilles are part of the Lesser Antilles island chain. ... The former French colonies of Martinique and Guadeloupe are small islands in the Caribbean. ... Timeline and Samples Pop genres Calypso - Chutney - Dancehall - Dub - Junkanoo - Ragga - Rapso - Reggae - Ripsaw - Rocksteady - Scratch - Ska - Soca - Spouge - Steelpan Other islands Aruba and the Dutch Antilles - Cuba - Dominica - Dominican Republic - Haiti - Martinique and Guadeloupe - Puerto Rico - Saint Lucia The Turks and Caicos Islands are an overseas dependency of the... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... “West Indian” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Bomba (disambiguation). ... Plena is a folkloric genre native of Puerto Rico. ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... Reggaeton (spelled also with the acute diacritic in English and known as Reguetón and Reggaetón in Spanish) is a form of dance music which became popular with Latin American (or Latino) youth during the early 1990s and spread to North American, European, Asian, and Australian audiences during the...

Early history

The history of the music on the island of Puerto Rico begins with its original inhabitants, the Taínos. While very little of their culture is left, perhaps traces of it can be found in some of the percussion instruments currently in use, particularly in the countryside. Some sporadic attempts have been made to revive this native music, but they are neither sustained nor convincing. Taino and African are a main part of their music. For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... The reconstruction of Taino village, Cuba The Taíno are pre-Colombian indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and some of the Lesser Antilles. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound by being struck with an implement, shaken, rubbed, scraped, or by any other action which sets the object into vibration. ...

Christopher Columbus arrived to the island in November of 1493, but the indelible mark of Spanish culture wasn't felt until Juan Ponce de León invaded the island in 1508 and established a colony near the current capital of San Juan. The colonists brought with them the musical instruments of their mother country, notably the guitar, a love of infectious rhythms and even some of the scales left in the Iberian peninsula by the Moors. Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator and maritime explorer credited as the discoverer of the Americas. ... 1493 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (Latin) Further Beyond Anthem:  1(Spanish) Royal March Capital (and largest city)  Madrid Official languages Spanish2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Head of State Juan Carlos I (Monarch)  - Head of Government José L. Rodríguez Zapatero Formation 15th century   - Dynastic union 1516   - Unification 1469   - de facto 1716   - de jure 1812  Accession... Juan Ponce de León Juan Ponce de León (c. ... 1508 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about a city that serves as a center of government and politics. ... Nickname: Location of San Juan within the island of Puerto Rico Coordinates: Country United States Territory Puerto Rico Founded 1508/1521 Area  - City 76. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Rhythm (Greek = flow, or in Modern Greek, style) is the variation of the length and accentuation of a series of sounds or other events. ... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... The Moors were the medieval Muslim inhabitants of the western Mediterranean and western Sahara, including: al-Maghrib (the coastal and mountain lands of present day Morocco and Algeria, and Tunisia although Tunisia often is separately called Ifriqiya after the former Roman province of Africa); al-Andalus (the former Islamic sovereign...

Musical Instruments

The güiro aka the Güícharo is a scraping instrument made out of the nut of the "cucurbita lagenaria" or bitter marimbo tree. It has found its way into many forms of Latin music. Some maintain that it is native to the island, created by the indigenous Taino Indians. Others maintain it originated from South America. The güiro is played using a scraper called a pua, and produces a rasping sound. Another Taino instrument that is still used today is the Maracas its name is taken from the original Taino name of Amaraca which is of Araucanian origin. The maraca is made out of the hollowed shell of the fruit of the "crescentia cujete" evergreen tree. A piece of wood pierces through the shell as a handle and dried seeds or pebbles inside rattle when the musicians shake the instrument. Another Taino instrument still used today is the Conch Shell Horn which is many times simply called La Flauta (many times used in Bomba music). Also, a slit drum called the Mayohavau and/or Mayahuacan is still played by some performers. Latin American music, or the music of Latin America, is sometimes called Latin music. ... The Taíno are the pre-Hispanic Amerindian inhabitants of the Greater Antilles, which includes Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Bahamas. ... Maracas Maracas (sometimes called rhumba shakers) are simple percussion instruments (idiophones), usually played in pairs, consisting of a dried calabash or gourd shell (cuia - kOO-ya) or coconut shell filled with seeds or dried beans. ... An example of a slit drum from the Philippines known as a kagul by the Maguindanaon people[1] slit drums are percussion instruments, usually made from bamboo, that have parallel slits in one side and one slit across the middle, not always at the center point. ...

The Spanish vihuelas, lutes, guitarrillos and guitars underwent several changes on the island. This gave birth to the Puerto Rico's native string instruments the cuatro, tiple, and bordonua. The Cuban Tres also became the Puerto Rican Tres. Other String instruments commonly used in Puerto Rico are Spanish Guitar and the Bandurria in Puerto Rico's world famous La Tuna groups. The name cuatro can refer to any of several Latin American instruments of the guitar or lute family. ... The Spanish word for treble or soprano, often applied to specific instruments. ... The Bordonua (Bordonúa) is a large, deep body (sound-boxes are usually 6 in or 15. ... classical guitar A classical guitar, also called a Spanish guitar, is a musical instrument from the guitar family. ... The bandurria is a plectrum plucked chordophone from Spain, similar to the cittern, primarily used in Spanish folk music. ...

Puerto Rico also has native drums like the Panderetas which are a type of hand drums, they are also known as panderos, and are marketed as Pleneras by LP. There is disagreement on whether the panderetas typically used in Puerto Rico today are adapted from instruments known in Spain from the time of the Moors known as an "adufe", or from similar African instruments. There are three different sizes of Panderettas, which each create distinct pitches. Other native drums are Bombas, which are like the Cuban Congo drums, but are shorter and wider and produce a deeper sound. Traditionally rum barrels were used, once some of their panels were removed to make them narrower so that goat skins could be stretched across the mouth. Finally, there is the Cua, which is an Afro-Puerto Rican percussion instrument made of bamboo which is played with sticks.

Others instruments include the Marímbula aka marímbola, Los palitos, Sinfonía de mano , Flauta de pan and the Bombardino. Marimbula Marímbula (a member of the Mbira family of instruments, first created by Queen Marimba of the Wakamba), pronounced mah-REAM-boo-lah, is a folk musical instrument of Caribbean Islands. ... A palito is a Puerto Rican musical instrument typically 25 cm long and 3 cm in diameter made of wood. ... Bombardino is a drink popular in Italy during the Winter, especially in the skiing resorts. ...

Improvisation and Controversia

Main article: Improvisation

The heart of much Puerto Rican music is the idea of improvisation in both the music and the lyrics. A performance takes on an added dimension when the audience can anticipate the response of one performer to a difficult passage of music or clever lyrics created by another. This technique in Puerto Rico is called a controversia. A similar dialog creates a heightened appreciation in the classical music of India, or in a lively jam session in jazz. Improvisation is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of ones immediate environment. ... Lyrics are the words in songs. ...

Genres

Bomba

Bomba is a style of music and dance imported from West Africa during the time of slavery, with its modern development beginning in Loíza and Ponce. Bomba was played during the festival of St. James, since slaves were not allowed to worship their own gods, and soon developed into countless styles based on the kind of dance intended to be used at the same time; these include leró, yubá, cunyá, babú and belén. For other uses, see Bomba (disambiguation). ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... Slave redirects here. ... Loíza is a small town in the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico, near Canóvanas, Carolina and San Juan. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Ciudad de los Leones ,La Perla del Sur Gentilic: Ponceños Location Location of Ponce, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1692 Mayor Francisco Zayas Seijo Political party PPD Senatorial district 5 - Ponce Representative district 24, 25 Geographical characteristics Area Total 501. ... Saint James the Great (d. ... Belén is a municipality in the Honduran department of Lempira. ...

Bomba often begins with a liana, or a female singer who is answered by the chorus and musicians with a 2/4 or 6/8 rhythm before the dancing begins. Harmony is not used. Dancers interact with the drummer, who is usually solo and dance in pairs without touching each other. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Harmony is the use and study of pitch simultaneity, and therefore chords, actual or implied, in music. ...

The dancers challenge the drummers in a kind of competing dialog, like the controversia mentioned earlier. The drummers respond with a challenge of their own. Sometimes one group of dancers will tempt another group to respond to a set of complicated steps. As the bomba proceeds, tension rises and becomes more excited and passionate. It's not unusual for a bomba to end with all the performers thoroughly soaked with perspiration.

The instrumentation is simple: usually the main rhythm is maintained by a low-pitched drum known as the baleador, while the high-pitched drum or subidor dialogs with the dancers. More complicated counter rhythms are created with sticks beaten on any resonant surface. A third set of rhythms is maintained by a maraca.

Rafael Cepeda and the rest of the Cepeda family have long dominated the genre, while Paracumbé and others have achieved moderate success. Rafael Cepeda Atiles a. ... Spanish surname around since the 12th century Orlando Cepeda - Baseball player from Puerto Rico. ...

Danza

Danza is a very sophisticated form of music that can be extremely varied in its expression; the Puerto Rican national anthem, "La Borinqueña", was originally a danza that was later altered to fit a more anthem-like style. Danzas can be either romantic or festive. Romantic danzas have four sections, beginning with an eight measure paseo followed by three themes of sixteen measures each. The third theme typically includes a solo by the bombardino and, often, a return to the first theme or a coda at the end. Festive danzas are free-form, with the only rules being an introduction and a swift rhythm. The Danza is an enclosed sandwich originally created by Polish Deli owner Neb Brasky in Lincoln, Nebraska circa 1987. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... asBold textelashely doesnt have anyfriends no1 likes her she is a bitch. ... Bombardino is a drink popular in Italy during the Winter, especially in the skiing resorts. ...

The first part of the romantic danza had 8 measures of music without rhythm, when the men circled the room in one direction, and the women circled in the other. This afforded young couples the opportunity to face each other, if only briefly, and to conduct some serious flirting. The second part, called the merengue, grew from the original 16 measures to 34, in 1854, and up to 130 even later. Here the couples held each other, in a proper stance and executed turns that looked very much like a waltz. Like the tango in Argentina, the danza was considered rather naughty and was outlawed for a time.

While the origins of the danza are murky, it probably arose around 1840 as a sort of reaction against the highly codified contradanza and was strongly influenced by Cuban immigrants and their habanera music. The first danzas were immature, youthful songs condemned by the authorities, who occasionally tried ineffectively to ban the genre. The first danza virtuoso was Manuel Gregorio Tavarez and his disciple, Juan Morel Campos. 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Contredanse (also contra-dance and other variant spellings) refers to several folk dance styles in which couples dance in two facing lines. ... The habanera is a musical style or genre from Cuba with a characteristic Habanera rhythm; it is one of the oldest mainstays of Cuban music and the first of the dances from Cuba to be exported all over the world. ... Manuel Gregorio Tavarez (November 16, 1843 - July 1, 1883), born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was Puerto Ricos first renowned classical and danza composer and the inspiration behind future generations of composers. ... Juan Morel Campos (May 16, 1857 – May 12, 1896), born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, was one of the composers of danzas who took that musical genre to its highest level. ...

Décima

The décima has its roots in 16th century Spain and represents the earliest examples of the combination of native rhythms and the lyrics and melodies from the mother country. Décima is derived from Andalusian ballads that came to Puerto Rico in the late 17th century. Décima (meaning tenth) usually consists of ten improvised lines of eight syllables each; the form quickly became popular among jibaros, or peasants. Note that a décima is also the name of a very specific type of verses in Spanish poetry. Motto: Andalucía por sí, para España y la humanidad (Andalusia by herself, for Spain, and for humankind) Capital Seville Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 2nd  87,268 km²  17. ... Illustration by Arthur Rackham of the ballad The Twa Corbies A ballad is a story, usually a narrative or poem, in a song. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ...

The rules for the lyrics are complex and particularly difficult to execute since the lyrics are composed on the spot:

• The song is composed of 10 lines, consisting of 5 couplets of 2 lines each
• Each line of the couplet has 8 syllables
• The syllable count is complicated by rules covering adjacent sounds
• The rhyming structure has the form: A B B A A C C D D C

Vicente Martinez de Espinel was a Spanish writer and musician who revived the décima, using Andalusian jibaro traditions and medieval Moorish influences. The two varieties are seis, a dance music, and aguinaldo, derived from Spanish Christmas carols. A song is a relatively short musical composition. ... Vicente Gómez Martínez-Espinel (Ronda, December 28, 1550 - Madrid, February 4, 1624) Spanish writer and musician of the Siglo de Oro. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Aguinaldo is a folk genre of Christmas music which originates from Puerto Rico and is based on an archaic form of Spanish christmas carol. ... This page is about carols in general; for the short story by Charles Dickens, see A Christmas Carol. ...

Seis

The seis originated in the later half of the 17th century in the southern part of Spain. The word means six, which may have come from the custom of having six couples perform the dance, though many more couples eventually became quite common. Men and women form separate lines down the hall or in an open place of beaten earth, one group facing the other. The lines would approach and cross each other and at prescribed intervals the dancers would tap out the rhythm with their feet. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) generally refers to movement used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting. ...

The melodies and harmonies are simple, usually performed on the cuatro, guitar, and güiro, although other indigenous instruments are used depending on the available musicians. The 2/4 rhythm is maintained by the güiro and guitar.

Aguinaldo

The Aguinaldo is similar to Christmas carols, except that they are usually sung in a parranda, which is rather like a lively parade that moves from house to house in the neighborhood, looking for holiday food and drink. The melodies were subsequently used for the improvisational décima and seis. There are aguinaldos that are usually sung in churches or religious services, while there are aguinaldos that are more popular and are sung in the parrandas. Christmas is an annual holiday that marks the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. ... This page is about carols in general; for the short story by Charles Dickens, see A Christmas Carol. ...

Types of Aguinaldos include: Aguas Buenas,Aguinaldos-cadenas, aguinaldos-plenas, aguinaldos-seises, aguinaldos-villancicos, bombas navideñas, cabayos, cadenas, Cagüeño, Costanero o Costeño, de Trulla, guarachas navideñas, guarachas navideñas, Isabelino, Jíbaro, Lamento, Manola, Parranda, plenas navideñas, Yabucoeño, and Yumac. [1]

Plena

Plena is a narrative song from the coastal regions of Puerto Rico, especially around Ponce. Its origins have been various claimed as far back as 1875 and as late as 1920. As rural farmers moved to San Juan and other cities, they brought plena with them and eventually added horns and improvised call and response vocals. Lyrics generally deal with stories or current events, though some are light-hearted or humorous. Manuel A. Jiménez, or El Canario, is the most highly celebrated of the original plena performers. Plena is a folkloric genre native of Puerto Rico. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Ciudad de los Leones ,La Perla del Sur Gentilic: Ponceños Location Location of Ponce, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1692 Mayor Francisco Zayas Seijo Political party PPD Senatorial district 5 - Ponce Representative district 24, 25 Geographical characteristics Area Total 501. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Nickname: Location of San Juan within the island of Puerto Rico Coordinates: Country United States Territory Puerto Rico Founded 1508/1521 Area  - City 76. ... In music, a call and response is a succession of two distinct phrases usually played by different musicians, where the second phrase is heard as a direct commentary on or response to the first. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ...

In the 1940s and 50s, artists like Cesar Concepción and Mon Rivera made plena slicker and made some hits internationally, but the music's popularity sunk drastically by the mid-1960s. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Mon Rivera is the common name given to two distinct Puerto Rican musicians (both born in Mayagüez), namely Monserrate Rivera Alers (originally nicknamed Rate, later referred to as Don Mon, or Mon The Elder, and sometimes credited as Ramón in songwriting credits) and his eldest son, Efraín... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

Plena's popularity blossomed in the 1990s, and the revival has survived and influenced foreign genres from Jamaica, Cuba, Brazil and other Latin and Caribbean countries. Artists like Willie Colón united plena and bomba with salsa music to great critical acclaim and popularity, while other important bands of this revival include Plena Libre (long-time leaders of the genre) and Plenealo. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... William Anthony Colón (born 28 April 1950) is a Puerto Rican salsa music icon. ...

Son and mambo

Son and mambo are types of Cuban music that became very popular in Puerto Rico in the 1930s. Puerto Rican and Cuban immigrants soon brought the music to New York City, where it evolved into salsa music in the early 1950s. Son is a style of Cuban music which became popular in the second half of the 19th century in the eastern province of Oriente. ... Mambo is a Cuban musical form and dance style. ... It has been suggested that Cuban folk music be merged into this article or section. ... Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... “New York, NY” redirects here. ... Salsa music is a diverse and predominantly Spanish Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

Salsa

Main article: Salsa (music)

Latin music on the island today is most widely represented by salsa, which in English means sauce. Salsa, which is essentially Cuban son and son montuno in both rhythm, stylistic origin, and instrumentation, underwent several stylistic modifications in El Barrio of New York City, where a large number of immigrants from Puerto Rico settled. In the late 1960s, Puerto Ricans added to and expanded this Cuban music genre with influences from rock music, Puerto Rican plena, Cuban son montuno, chachachá, mambo, rumba, cumbia and Latin jazz. Famous Puerto Ricans in the early years of salsa included such artists as Richie Ray, Bobby Cruz, Papo Lucca, Tommy Olivencia, Héctor Lavoe, Bobby Valentin, Luis "Perico" Ortiz and Tito Curet Alonso. Salsa music is a diverse and predominantly Caribbean rhythm that is popular in many Latino countries. ... A son is a male offspring; a boy, man, or male animal in relation to either or both of his parents. ... Arsenio Rodríguez initially developed son montuno from son. ... Spanish Harlem (also known as El Barrio) is the name given to a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, United States. ... “New York, NY” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... Plena is a folkloric genre native of Puerto Rico. ... Arsenio Rodríguez initially developed son montuno from son. ... For the dance, see Cha-cha-cha (dance). ... Mambo is a Cuban musical form and dance style. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Latin jazz is the general term given to music that combines rhythms from African and Latin American countries with jazz harmonies from the United States. ... Richie Ray a. ... Bobby Cruz (born February 1, 1937 in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico) - salsa singer and religious minister. ... Enrique Arsenio Lucca Quiñonez, better known as Papo Lucca, born on April 10 1946, Ponce Puerto Rico. ... Tommy Olivencia, (May 15, 1938 - September 22, 2006), born in Puerto Rico, was a renowned bandleader of salsa music. ... Héctor Lavoe (born as Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez, September 30, 1946, Ponce, Puerto Rico - June 29, 1993, Manhattan, New York), was a Puerto Rican salsa singer. ... Bobby Valentin a. ... Luis Perico Ortiz (born December 26, 1949 in Santurce, Puerto Rico) is a renowned trumpet player, composer, musical arranger and producer. ...

The 1980s experienced the rise of "salsa romantica" and such artists as Frankie Ruiz and Eddie Santiago, who sang a softer and more romantic version of salsa. This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... Also known as Salsa Monga (Limp Salsa) is a commercialized toned down version of salsa music that emerged in the mid 80s. ... Frankie Ruiz (March 10, 1958 - August 9, 1998 born in Paterson, New Jersey) was a well known Puerto Rican salsa singer. ... Eddie Santiago [[1]](born 18 August 1955) is a famous salsa singer from Puerto Rico. ...

In Puerto Rico, the debate between aficionados of Spanish rock and fans of salsa music had become part of a class antagonism between the growing middle class on the island until the arrival of reggaeton.

As to instrumentation, salsa music uses a heavy and varied bass line, with percussion instruments such as the conga, maraca, bongo, timbales, claves and a cowbell. Horns and wind instruments also play a very important part in the music. Salsa music is a diverse and predominantly Spanish Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos. ... A pair of congas The conga is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum of African origin, probably derived from the Congolese Makuta drums. ... Maracas Maracas (sometimes called rhumba shakers) are simple percussion instruments (idiophones), usually played in pairs, consisting of a dried calabash or gourd shell (cuia - kOO-ya) or coconut shell filled with seeds or dried beans. ... Look up bongo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Timbales (or tymbales) are shallow cylindrical single-headed drums, similar to single-headed tom-toms. ... Claves is a percussion instrument, consisting of a pair of short, thick wooden dowels. ...

Puerto Rican Pop music

Main article: Pop music

In the 1940s and 50s, the city of New York established itself as a melting pot of Latinos from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America. The result was a series of big band groups becoming major stars playing rumba, mambo, Latin jazz and chachachá. The Morales Brothers, Rafael Cortijo and Tito Rodríguez are probably the best-known Puerto Rican stars of the period. For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “New York, NY” redirects here. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Mambo is a Cuban musical form and dance style. ... Latin jazz is the general term given to music that combines rhythms from African and Latin American countries with jazz harmonies from the United States. ... For the dance, see Cha-cha-cha (dance). ... Rafael Cortijo (January 11, 1928- October 3, 1982), was a Puerto Rican musician, orquestra leader and composer. ... Tito Rodríguez a. ...

Out of Cortijo's band came Rafael Ithier, who formed El Gran Combo in 1963 in order to create a popular dance music based on Cortijo's plena roots. The band was successful within a few years when "Akangana" became a major hit. Rafael Ithier (born 1926 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Salsa musician and the creator of the highly successful orchestra, El Gran Combo. Ithier was born in the large San Juan area known as Rio Piedras. Ithier showed a passion for music since he was very young. ... El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, commonly known as El Gran Combo, is a Puerto Rican Salsa music orchestra. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the 1970s, Puerto Rican and Cuban immigrants in New York City produced salsa music by adding rock elements to native forms like plena. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ... “New York, NY” redirects here. ... Salsa music is a diverse and predominantly Spanish Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... Plena is a folkloric genre native of Puerto Rico. ...

Several international pop-stars have come from Puerto Rico or are of Puerto Rican descent, including Danny Rivera, perhaps the most popular in Puerto Rico itself, alongside Chayanne, Jennifer Lopez, Luis Miguel (although he is of Spaniard and Italian descent and raised in Mexico), Lucecita Benitez and Ricky Martin. Boy bands like Menudo and Los Chicos also topped charts worldwide for a period, and began the careers of Martin and Chayanne, respectively. Menudo has been recognized by many around the world to be history's greatest boy band; but this title is debatable nowadays, with the success generated by The Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. Menudo's phenomenal fame reached the United States, the rest of Latin America, Europe and Asia. During the group's golden era of the early 1980s, the terms Menudomania and Menuditis were invented. Danny Rivera (born September 17, 1945) is an international singer and songwriter who was born in San Juan. ... Chayanne (born June 28, 1968) is a Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award-nominated Puerto Rican pop singer who was born as Elmer Figueroa-Arce in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. ... “J. Lo” redirects here. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Luz Esther Benitez (born approx. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for an encyclopedia. ... This article concerns the boy band Menudo. ... Los Chicos was a popular boy band in Puerto Rico, created to rival Menudos success. ... The Backstreet Boys, or BSB, are a boy band and pop group formed in 1992 by manager Lou Pearlman that grew to considerable popularity in the late 1990s, but quietly slipped away from the charts by the early part of the 2000s. ... *NSYNC is a five-part pop music vocal group, sometimes referred to as a boy band, formed in Orlando, Florida, USA. The group members are Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick, and Justin Timberlake. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... This article cites very few or no references or sources. ...

In 1984, Puerto Ricans in New York were beginning their own sound. The single that many consider the first true Latin Hip-Hop record was Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam's "I Wonder If I Take You Home." The song was originally signed to Personal Records in New York and not released in the U.S. It was licensed to CBS Records in England and became a big club record on import. The response the record received from the Latin Hip-Hop clubs led Columbia Records to pick up the single for U S release where it became an anthem for teen-age girls. The song reached #34 on the Pop charts in August of 1985 and Lisa Lisa became a role model for young Hispanics all over her hometown of New York.

see also

• Puerto rican Rock

External links

• Música de Puerto Rico (catalog)
• Music of Puerto Rico (in English)
• Műsica de Puerto Rico (in Spanish)
• Puerto Rican Cuatro Project/El Proyecto del cuatro
• Puerto Rican Music from the National Museum of American History
• Puerto Rico in the Great Depression
• MÚSICA y MÚSICOS de PUERTO RICO (in Spanish)
• Breve Prontuario en Torno a Nuestra Tradición Navideña (in Spanish)
• eportajes y Noticias Culturales (in Spanish)
• HISTORIA del Cuatro Puertorriqueño Nuestro Instrumento Nacional (in Spanish)
• Disco Music Center, Inc.(Puertorican Music Stores)

References

• Manuel, Peter, with Kenneth Bilby and Michael Largey. Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae (2nd edition). Temple University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-59213-463-7. 
• Sweeney, Philip. "Not Quite the 52nd State". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp 481-487. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0