Latino Music: a View of its Diversity and Strength

Robert Garfias - Anthropology 138Q
Winter 2008

        Course Prospectus

        A survey of the musics of the many Latin cultures of the Americas viewed in their cultural context. The course will include Mexico, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean and those Latin cultures which thrive and survive in the US. The indigenous, European and African roots of the various genres of Latin music will be considered as well as their most recent developments.

        Course Outline.

        I. General Introduction

          A. Broad cultural areas and influences
            1. Afro American
            2. European
            3. Indigenous
          B. Geographic and Cultural Areas
            1. Mexico and Central America
            2. The Caribbean
            3. South America
        II. Latin Music in the US and Europe
          A. Introduction of Latin Music
            1. New Orleans
            2. Early Brazilian
            3. Tango
            4. Rumba
            5. Habanera
            6. Mambo
            7. Salsa
        III. Regional and traditional forms
          A. Mexico
            1. Sones Mariachis
            2. Sones Jarochos
            3. Sones de Tierra Caliente
            4. Yucatan- Bambucos, Jaranas & Claves
            5. Oaxaca- Chiapas
              Marimba music
          B. Central America and the Marimba
            1. Indigenous Marimbas
              a. Guatemala Highlands
              b. Indios Janizeros-Nicaragua
            2. Mestizo Marimba
              a. Guatemala - Chiapas- Oaxaca
              b. Costa Rica
            3. African marimba
              a. Columbia
          C. The Caribbean
            1. Cuba
              a. Afro Cuban and Santeria
              b. Early rumbas
              c. Guitar conjuntos
              d. Conga and Comparsas
              e. Sonoras
              f. Salsa
              g. Guajira Music
            2. Puerto Rico
              a. Afro Puerto Rican
              b. Jibaro Music
              c. Urban Trends
              d. Salsa
            3. Haiti
              a. Afro religious cults
              b. Merengues
              c. New pops
            4. Jamaica
              a. Roots - Janncanoe
              b. Ska, Rock Steady sand Reggae
            5. Other island traditions
              a. Zouk
              b. Garifunas
            6. Steel Bands
          D. South America
            1. Venezuela - Colombia
              a. Coastal music
              b. Central plains
            2. The Andean Region
              a. Pre-Columbian tradition
              b. The mixtures
              c. The recent trends
            3. Brazil
              a. Afro Brazilian
              b. Choros
              c. Samba da roda
              d. Escola da Samba
              e. New Pops in the 1920s
              f. Country music - Toadas e arrasta-pe
              g. Northeast and Forros
              h. Brazilian pop scene
            4. Chile and Argentina
          E. Latino Music in the US
            1. Tex Mex
              a. Waila
            2. New Mexico
            3. Puerto Rican
            4. Salsa
          F.Franco Caribbean
            1. Haiti
            2. Zouk
            3. Antigua, etc