The Afro-Cuban songo rhythm was created in the 1970s by the Cuban band Los Van Van and its drummer/percussionist José Luis Quintana, aka Changuito. After many years of studying and playing Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms myself, and participating in a festival in the city of Recife in northern Brazil (where samba had its beginnings), I realized one night, while experimenting with a samba pattern, that I had the makings of a hybrid groove, which I call samba songo.

January 2015 Issue