mambo music

[missy_xx]

Hi everybody,

I want to make a cd with different kinds of music so I can practice my dancing. I have found a lot of good music already, but no mambo music. I hope someone can give me some titles and artists of good mambo music.
Thanks a lot

Kisses Samantha

[pygmalion]

Hi missy_xx. Welcome. :D

[peachexploration]

Hi Samantha. Welcome to the DF family! :D
Try these two threads. There are loads of them there:
Salsa Music Discoveries (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3566)
All Time Greatest Salsa Hits-Your Picks? (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=220)

[Sagitta]

Welcome onboard!! :) Would love to have you joining us and sharing your opinions and experiences.

My guess is that since Boriken dances power on2 his recommendations would be good for you. Another one that you can try are top hits lists such as at http://w w w .mamboston2.com/djnik.htm. The cool thing is that you can actually listen to the entire songs so you can figure out what exactly you like and how much you like it before making any purchases. Hope this helps. :)

[pygmalion]

Just a side question. What is mambo music, anyway? I mean, if you can count it or feel it, you can dance on 2 to any music, salsa or mambo. But there are just some songs that make me think mambo and others that make me think salsa. I bet there's some musical reason why I can hear a difference, but I can't put my finger on it. Or am I just imagining things? :roll:

[pelao]

Mambo was very popular back in the old days, so you'll have to dig deep.

You wanna compare mambo/salsa? Get an old Beny Moré song and then get a richie ray & bobby cruz song from the 70s. Listen to both and you will hear a very significant difference.

I have a few mambo, bolero, cha cha cha, bugalu (boogaloo), watussi, pachanga, etc. cds from the days of my parents and grandparents. Honestly, I just never held enough interest to wanna remember them - so off the top of my head I can't remember much, I'd have to find my cd book and records to list some.

Even then, for most of the old folks I know; its the boleros that they still listen to. For people like my moms age (who were from the 60s/70s eras), they listen to a mix of [mostly] salsa, then some: bolero, and pachanga/bugalu.

[peachexploration]

Welcome onboard!! :) Would love to have you joining us and sharing your opinions and experiences.

My guess is that since Boriken dances power on2 his recommendations would be good for you. Another one that you can try are top hits lists such as at http://w w w .mamboston2.com/djnik.htm. The cool thing is that you can actually listen to the entire songs so you can figure out what exactly you like and how much you like it before making any purchases. Hope this helps. :)

Right Sagitta. This is definitely a good place to start as well. :D

[peachexploration]

Just a side question. What is mambo music, anyway? I mean, if you can count it or feel it, you can dance on 2 to any music, salsa or mambo. But there are just some songs that make me think mambo and others that make me think salsa. I bet there's some musical reason why I can hear a difference, but I can't put my finger on it. Or am I just imagining things? :roll:

Nope, not imagining at all. :D I know it/feel it when I hear it but not sure what musical difference it is. Boriken can explain. Boriken? DF calling Boriken? Where are you? Hmm, must be out dancing or getting his pony tales done. :lol: :lol: :lol:

There's other threads around where we talk about it but I can't find/think of where they are. Here's one that touches on it. New Salsa Music Is.... (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1700&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0)

[missy_xx]

Everybody, thank you very much for your reactions.

What I meant by mambo music, is music that you know you can dance the mambo to.
I'm just a beginner and I can't really hear in the music whether it is a mambo or not. That's why I asked for songtitles. So I am sure that I am not dancing on the wrong song.
When I know the kind of dance you have to do on a song, then I can pick up the rhytm quite easily, but I can't seem to figure it out for myself.

Love, Samantha

[pygmalion]

You are so sweet! :D

I wasn't suggesting you take on a bunch of complicated stuff. It really doesn't matter all that much, especially when you'er a beginner. Just dance and have fun. 8)

When I asked what mambo music is, I was hoping somebody could clear up for me something I've been wondering about for a while. Mambo dancers dance on the second beat ("on2") ; salsa dancers vary between on1 and on2, depending on whom you ask. And, when I hear certain songs, usually of older vintage and with slower tempos, I hear mambo clearly. Other songs sound like salsa to me. Some, I can't tell. So I was hoping one of our resident experts would clear up my mental fog. :oops: :lol: Or is there really no difference, just semantics? *shrug*

[peachexploration]

Everybody, thank you very much for your reactions.

What I meant by mambo music, is music that you know you can dance the mambo to.
I'm just a beginner and I can't really hear in the music whether it is a mambo or not. That's why I asked for songtitles. So I am sure that I am not dancing on the wrong song.
When I know the kind of dance you have to do on a song, then I can pick up the rhytm quite easily, but I can't seem to figure it out for myself.

Love, Samantha

Hi Samantha, you can dance On2 to "any" salsa/mambo song, it really is the same music. Your dance style depends on where you're taking classes, your partner, your location, etc. If you're really just wanting music, I have a couple of suggestions. Try the Spanish Harlem Orquestra CD, Un Gran Dia En El Barrio and as Sagitta suggested, listen to the songs at w w w .mamboston2.com/djnik.htm. You can go through the song links given previously in the thread as well. Also see following article. I hope this helps. :D

Salsa & Mambo FAQ
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By Enio Cordoba

Where did the term Salsa come from? I read in Latin Beat magazine that Chano Pozo and some of the others used to call out "Salsa!" (which means "sauce" as in hot sauce) during the really hot jams. Another story is that like a good sauce, they added more and more ingredients from the jazz influence so that it mutated the Danzon roots. Remember this stuff was called Latin Jazz in the 40's & 50's. When Latin music underwent a resurgence, in the 80's, rather than reviving a dead horse, the movers and shakers gave it the term Salsa and the dance caught fire.

In theory Salsa and Mambo are really the same dance. They are both based on the Clave beat, yet the feel is totally different. Musically it's still Mambo yet mutated. When you hear the Salsa bands they are usually playing slower than the bands of 10 years ago. Listen to El Gran Combo (the #1 Puerto Rican band for decades)--their stuff is really fast. Listen to Niche, Oscar D'Leon, Hansel Martinez. They will occasionally play something fast but usually its slower than Mambo.

What's the difference step-wise? Primarily, which country's style you are doing. Colombians though Salvadorans dance more side to side like an off time Samba whisk which is because of the Cumbia influence. Cubans and Puerto Ricans dance more forward and back which comes from the Mambo influence. All the young Salsa kids in the clubs are doing more of a nightclub two-step (yes, Buddy Schwimmer's) version than anything else. Why? Because Salsa is a street dance, the best dancers in a club set the style, create the moves and everyone copies them. 1) Mambo originated in Cuba but it was discovered in Mexico where Pérez Prado made it famous. 2) The best dancers dance Mambo on the 2 beat not because the beat is there but because they dance their hips on the 1 and fall into the 2 on a forward beat. The salsa dancers still use the body but not in the same fashion as one would in Mambo. 3) Most Cubans dance on 2, and from what I have heard most Puerto Ricans do as well. Those that break on one are usually untrained dancers or what many people call foot dancers. Puerto Rican style looks different from Cuban style with a lowered shoulder into the break while Cuban dancers dance more upright, but otherwise pattern-wise they still do the forward-back Mambo pattern.

Having trained in both Mambo and Salsa, I dance Mambo when the music has an edge to it. Mambo steps are cut. By that I mean Mambo has a quick feet-hold feeling while Salsa has a undulating feeling more like an ocean wave. While Mambo is a stop in the middle dance, many salsa dancers close feet on the end of the pattern (where most mambo dancers would rock fwd or back). An advanced Salsa basic is close, fwd, fwd pause, close back back pause. the feet have much less tone, foot arch, but the feet are much more active because they are always either flicking or dragging the slow.

Salsa dancers invariably break on 1 or 3. Untrained dancers hear the strong beat on 1 and step on it. The more Latin they are, the more they break on 3. Why? They usually hear it as SQQ because of the dead 2 beat. If you are dancing SQQ, to dance a slow you don't do Q, hold2, QQ-- you would move through the 1, landing on 2, which makes it a slow, and then do QQ on 34. (Yes that puts the feet on 2, 3, 4).

[Pacion]

Salsa & Mambo FAQ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Enio Cordoba

...Those that break on one are usually untrained dancers or what many people call foot dancers.

In defence of On1 aka foot dancers... :banana: :lol:

[pygmalion]

I never have understood why people can't just dance their own preferred way and leave everybody else alone. On1 works. On2 works. Heck. On3 works. So why can't we all just get along? :roll: *shrug*

[peachexploration]

Uh oh. Sorry guys. :( The article wasn't meant to offend anyone or start another them vs. us debate. The term "foot dancer" wasn't a put down, just saying the "emphasis in the foot is to hit the one beat". Also, the term untrained wasn't meant as a put down either, just that "naturally" most people move on one because that's the beat that they hear.

[Pacion]

Hey Pygmalion and Peach... can I offer you a peanut butter n jelly sandwich :banana: :lol:

I wasn't offended - I read the article before even if I hadn't I have met Enio and Terryl in a few years ago, so I wasn't offended. :D

I was just messing about with reference to the thread "In defence of Pattern Dancers" :( :D

[peachexploration]

Hey Pygmalion and Peach... can I offer you a peanut butter n jelly sandwich :banana: :lol:

I wasn't offended - I read the article before even if I hadn't I have met Enio and Terryl in a few years ago, so I wasn't offended. :D

I was just messing about with reference to the thread "In defence of Pattern Dancers" :( :D

Oh, I get it now. :doh: :D :wink:

[squirrel]

:) just to give you a name... Tito Puente - "Mambo Diablo" or "El rey del timbal"... usually, from what I know, Tito Puente's songs are mambo...

[pygmalion]

Yup. Most I've heard have been mambo rather than salsa. He did have quite a few others -- cha cha, sambas, etc. But when he played something in this genre, mambo is what I've heard.

[salsachinita]

Salsa & Mambo FAQ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Enio Cordoba

....... 3) Most Cubans dance on 2..... Those that break on one are usually untrained dancers.........

:shock: I'm slightly on the confused side (of course, not having visited Cuba personally doesn't give me any credibility to make much of a point :oops: ).

Having recently danced with our latest addition from Cuba (an untrained, "street" salsero), most of us who learnt from 'trained' Cubans will tell you that he felt totally different.....and that it took a while before we got used to dancing with him well.

It was explained to us (by an instructor trained in Cuba) that our new addition dances son on2....like many people (who have not been officially trianed, yet grew up dancing) there. Then we got told that all the 'trained' Cuban dancers that we all got used to dancing with are on1.

This seems to be a contradiction to Enio's statement :? .........

Not that it matters anyway, I am happy to follow whatever timing, as long as one dances with heart & soul 8) .

[borikensalsero]

Salsa & Mambo FAQ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Enio Cordoba

....... 3) Most Cubans dance on 2..... Those that break on one are usually untrained dancers.........

:shock: I'm slightly on the confused side (of course, not having visited Cuba personally doesn't give me any credibility to make much of a point :oops: ).

Having recently danced with our latest addition from Cuba (an untrained, "street" salsero), most of us who learnt from 'trained' Cubans will tell you that he felt totally different.....and that it took a while before we got used to dancing with him well.

It was explained to us (by an instructor trained in Cuba) that our new addition dances son on2....like many people (who have not been officially trianed, yet grew up dancing) there. Then we got told that all the 'trained' Cuban dancers that we all got used to dancing with are on1.

This seems to be a contradiction to Enio's statement :? .........

Not that it matters anyway, I am happy to follow whatever timing, as long as one dances with heart & soul 8) .

Almost the entire thing is off base... Sounds more hear-say than study.

[salsachinita]

Almost the entire thing is off base... Sounds more hear-say than study.

:shock: Me, or him.......Boriken?

If it's me :oops: :oops: :oops: .....

[borikensalsero]

Almost the entire thing is off base... Sounds more hear-say than study.

:shock: Me, or him.......Boriken?

If it's me :oops: :oops: :oops: .....

Sorry for the confusion salsachinita, him, he sounds very hear-say oriented...

[mexi_gabacho]

Ok, I don't know where the 'most cubans dance on2' thing comes from. But, having grown up in New Orleans and now living in Florida, AND having many cuban friends, SOME of which have recently come over the ocean... I would say that is a completely false statement from my experience.

Let's get something straight: Dance on whatever freaking beat you like! Obviously, that was written by a NewYork presumido. (No offense to the newyorkers, just the obsessive ones who have a need to be different, as opposed to dancing on2 because it 'feels' better to them). I get really annoyed with this debate, and especially the 'attitude' that seems to come from CERTAIN on2 people. Like the other night, I asked a girl to dance and she says to me 'on1 or on2' almost like it is her waying of telling me how GOOD she is (with attitude and everything). My response.. 'just follow' :D

Btw, as a muscician and specifically a percussionist, there is no difference between mambo and salsa. It is the same tumbao, clave, etc. The difference can SOMETIMES be attributed to the 'styling' in the music used by the brass instruments, but otherwise, it is virtually the same. In fact, most muscicians in the 70s would tell you "I don't know where the terms 'salsa' and 'mambo' come from... I've been playing the same stuff for years". :)

The bottom line of this debate is simple... dance on whatever freaking beat you want... but, when you dance with me, you'll be on1 :D (sorry, couldn't resist). It just feels more 'right' to me. But, then again, I haven't tried dancing on2 much (just time to time with some newyorkers).

[peachexploration]

Sorry guys, my only intent was to say that you dance On2 to any Salsa/Mambo song and in theory are really the same dance, I didn't pay attention to some of it, obviously. :cry: :cry: Boriken, your hair looks good today. Did you get a relaxer at the salon? Love the new makeup. :lol: :lol:

[pygmalion]

Like the other night, I asked a girl to dance and she says to me 'on1 or on2' almost like it is her waying of telling me how GOOD she is (with attitude and everything). My response.. 'just follow' :D
The bottom line of this debate is simple... dance on whatever freaking beat you want... but, when you dance with me, you'll be on1 :D (sorry, couldn't resist). It just feels more 'right' to me. But, then again, I haven't tried dancing on2 much (just time to time with some newyorkers).

:lol: :lol: I love it!! :D

[salsachinita]

Like the other night, I asked a girl to dance and she says to me 'on1 or on2' almost like it is her waying of telling me how GOOD she is (with attitude and everything). My response.. 'just follow' :D

The equivelent of this in my city would be leaders asking me: "Cuban, or L.A.?"

My respond: "Just lead, & I will do my best to follow :P !"

I get mixed reactions from :shock: to :bouncy:.....!

[peachexploration]

Btw, as a muscician and specifically a percussionist, there is no difference between mambo and salsa. It is the same tumbao, clave, etc. The difference can SOMETIMES be attributed to the 'styling' in the music used by the brass instruments, but otherwise, it is virtually the same. In fact, most muscicians in the 70s would tell you "I don't know where the terms 'salsa' and 'mambo' come from... I've been playing the same stuff for years". :).

Right, Mexi_gabacho. That's all I meant. :D

[borikensalsero]

Did you get a relaxer at the salon? Love the new makeup. :lol: :lol:

Glad you noticed, you just made my day!!! I went to the salon the other day, and they worked wonders for me. I told them many people on the virtual fam were complaining that needed a make over. They did a wonderful job!!


BTW, the "difference" musically speaking between mambo and salsa is that mambo will never haver other music geners mixed in with it. Although they use the same underlying musical structure as mexi_gabacho explains, you won't hear a mambo with calypso, rock, merengue, cumbia, pachanga, reggea sections in it.... Where as salsa does, it is very typical to hear a salsa and noticed its boogaloo sections, merengue, pachanga, etc.

One of my instuctors is very good a pickout the different genres within salsa. She is so good at it, that you can see her going from merengue, to pachanga, to reggea all within the same song. When you ask her what she is doing, she sits down with you and explains where certain beats are coming from and how you can blend them in the dance called Mambo...

The dance is mambo the music now days is salsa because of that difference. Otherwise, it would be a straight up mambo like, cara de payaso, or cuando cuando by Tito Rodriguez. The difference in the dance now a days, is that there has been a mix of other dances caused by the music itself, and the creativity of the dancers.

The early mambo with the Jazz Fusion is called Mambo Jazz, also known as Latin Jazz. you can pick one this babies out in a hay stack, it is so distinct! Tito Puntes never really got into the salsa wave, he played the big band sound of the 50s (Mambo Jazz).