Candombe Style Overview
Candombe Music Description
Candombe is an Uruguayan music and dance style that comes from African slaves. It is considered an important aspect of the culture of Uruguay and was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage of humanity.
This Uruguayan music style is based on three different drums: chico, repique and piano drums. This music style is usually played in February during carnival in Montevideo, Uruguay at dance parades called "Llamadas" and "Desfile Innaugural del Carnaval". In the late 1960s and early 1970s candombe was mixed with elements from 60s pop music and bossa nova to create a new genre called candombe beat. The origin of this genre was largely said to be the work of Eduardo Mateo, a Uruguayan singer, songwriter and musician. This style was later adopted by Jaime Roos and Ruben Rada, as well as several Montevideo-based bands that further mixed it with rock. To a lesser extent, Candombe is practiced in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. In Argentina, it can be found in Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Paraná, and Corrientes. In Paraguay this tradition is continued in Kamba Kua (Camba Cua), an Afro- Paraguayan community in Fernando de la Mora near Asuncion. Also, in Brazil, it still retains its religious character and can be found in Minas Gerais State.
