Afro-Cuban · son · 4/4 son-clave

Son montuno (2-3)

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A two-bar son montuno on I–V in 2-3 clave — Levine's fig. 20-18, played in octaves between the hands. Montunos (also called guajeos) are the repeated figure the pianist plays in salsa; they are usually two, sometimes four bars long.

The rhythm is the thing: count "1 2 & & & & & & &". The first two notes land on beats 1 and 2 of the two side; after that every note is on an "and", and the last one — the C on the and-of-4 of bar 2 — is tied over into the next downbeat. Levine: in 2-3, the "& 1" always goes into the odd-numbered bar. The downbeat attack sits on the two side of the clave, the tied-over note on the three side.

Listen for the bass: it also avoids the downbeat (except the very first time) and plays the and-of-2 and beat 4. The only place piano and bass coincide is the and-of-2 of each bar.

Practice: metronome on quarter notes first, accent each C, don't chop the notes short; then switch the clave layer on and keep the groove without changing the figure — changing a montuno mid-section breaks the dance.

Sources

  • Levine, The Jazz Piano Book, fig. 20-18 (I–V montuno), fig. 20-11 to 20-13 (the rhythm)
  • Levine, The Jazz Theory Book, fig. 22-17/22-18 (same montuno, notation)

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