I’ve been interested in Afro-Cuban music for a long time. I never really knew where to start when looking for the roots of this music.
When I’m interested in a new style of music, I prefer to start from the beginning. I want to know where it came from and who were the innovators. After seeing this, I have to go way back with this music; back to Africa and Spain.
I learned a lot from watching this three-part series. Harry Belafonte breaks things down. He gives a history lesson and he shows several examples of musicians who were big influencers.
It’s a documentary from the ‘80’s so it’s a little dated when they talk about modern music, but it’s very well done:
Clayton Craddock is an independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City. He is the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University’s School of Business and is a 28 year veteran of the fast-paced New York City music scene. He has played drums in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including “Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill. Also, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.