Centerstage - Chicago's Original City Guide

It may not be new, but world music is hitting the U.S. like a bomb--or Bomba, in this case. World music's steady climb owes its success to the diverse immigration and assertion of communities and a desire by many U.S. musicians to discover traditional music and fuse it with elements or rhythms of their own--and Latin American music is no exception. In addition to Cuba’s rich legacy, countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina have been major contributors in the development of Latin American music.

Puerto Ricans make up the second largest Latino community in the United States, yet the music hailing from this Caribbean island has remained relatively unknown to audiences here. In this brief introduction to the Chicago Bomba Series, you'll learn about the fundamental components of Puerto Rican Bomba, one of the many Afro-Caribbean forms of music that developed during the times of the sugar cane plantations in the Americas--and is no stranger to the Chicago scene today.

Almost purely West African in origin, Bomba music fits in both 6/8 and 4/4 patterns (depending on the rhythm) and is played with two main types of drums: the buleador, which is the drum responsible for maintaining the general beat, and the primo or subidor which is the improvising drum. These drums are made out of wooden barrels and goatskin. Many of the techniques originally used by the African slaves to make these drums are still used today.

You'll also find cuás (two wooden sticks played on the side of the drums) and maracas (shakers) in a Bombazo (Bomba jam session). The structure of Bomba is based on the conversation that takes place between the dancers and the drummers. One of the most peculiar aspects of Bomba is that the dancer dictates the rhythm. The buleadores maintain a general beat, while the primo attempts to translate the dancer’s movements into a colorful repiqueo (improvisation).

Traditional Bomba includes chanting, which never takes place without dancing. Chanting always serves as a complement to the drumming and dancing. The collective voice (chorus) repeats a central idea, while the soloist responds with variations to that particular theme. Bomba songs have very few lyrics. The main reason for this, besides the obvious importance of drums and dancing in African cultures, is that the Spaniards used to separate slaves coming from the same region. This was a clear attempt to disrupt their communication, by forming mixed groups of laborers who were not able to speak the same language. As a result, the rhythms played by the drummers and the corporal movements of the dancers became a fundamental way of communication, more so than the complexity of the lyrics.

The Bomba tradition has spread beyond the island of Puerto Rico reaching migrant communities in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, California, Illinois, and many other US states.

Up next: Nuestro Tambó, Chicago’s newest Bomba group.