Aporte interpretativo del bajista Salvador Cuevas en los géneros salsa y jazz Afrocubano

Abstract

The main purpose of this work is to identify the electric bass interpretative contributions done by Salvador Cuevas into the Afro Cuban jazz and commercial salsa, visible in Fania and GRP recordings. To begin with, a review and description of the origin and development of the aforementioned musical genres was done. Also, a research on the musical aspects that compose it and its most representative interpreters and musical groups was carried out. In the same way, a tour on the life and musical work of Salvador Cuevas, naming the musical aspects that are part of his interpretative style is included. The work is based on musical and interpretative analysis of the bass lines of the themes “Tumbao Africano”, “Groovin’ High”, “Juanito Alimaña” and “Los Bravos”. From the bassist’s style several aspects were identified. First, the use of walking bass phrases and improvisations from jazz. Second, rhythmic elements of the brass and piano lines in salsa and Afro Cuban music. Third, melodic like the use of octave and fifth intervals. Fourth, funk and rock technicians like slap and tapping. Finally, timbre using effects and pedals plus to the equalization similar to the sound of the contrabass without altering the tumbao, in contrast, always respecting the clave generating complexity and density to the bass lines.