Felipe Cabrera
One of Cuba's most important contemporary bassists — Felipe Cabrera combines deep knowledge of the Cuban bass tradition with jazz sensibility, working across timba"> timba, son, and Latin jazz contexts.
About
Felipe Cabrera is a Havana-born bassist who has worked with many of the important Cuban bands and artists, bringing a jazz-influenced approach to the Cuban tumbao bass tradition. His playing demonstrates the range of what the bass can do in Cuban music — from the driving, repetitive tumbao patterns that lock with the clave, to more melodic and improvisational approaches drawn from jazz.
He has worked extensively in Europe and Latin America as well as Cuba, bringing the Cuban bass tradition to international contexts.
A Cuban popular dance music genre that emerged in the 1980s–90s
- emerged in the 1980s–90s
- influenced by songo, rumba, funk, blues, jazz, pop, rock and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
- Known for complex rhythm shifts, aggressive bass lines, and high energy that push dancers to improvise.
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The clave is a fundamental rhythmic pattern and organizing principle in Cuban music. It serves as both a musical pattern and a guiding concept, deeply rooted in Afro-Cuban traditions.
Lees meer >Timba, the explosive and rhythmically rich genre of Cuban dance music, transformed how the bass functions in popular music. In timba"> Timba, the bass is not just foundational — it’s fiery, funky, and free.
Lees meer >The piano is the harmonic and rhythmic heart of Cuban popular music. In timba"> timba, it is one of the most demanding and expressive instruments in the ensemble.
Lees meer >Son dance is the foundation of all Cuban popular partner dancing — smooth, intimate, grounded, and musical. Every Cuban dance style that followed ( mambo"> mambo, casino, timba"> timba) builds on the body vocabulary and structure established by son.
Lees meer >Timba is the music this site is dedicated to exploring. It emerged as a distinct genre in the late 1980s and crystallized in the early 1990s — born in a moment of social crisis, built on the full accumulated history of Cuban music, and still evolving today.
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