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BassPlayer.com >> This Month >> Cha-cha-cha!
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Cha-Cha-Cha!| December, 2007 If you are a working bass player, you are going to be asked to play a cha-cha-cha at some point in your career. Cha-cha-cha is a groove used quite commonly in pop and jazz music. The cha-cha-cha evolved from the addition of an open vamp to the danzon style, and contains several elements of the son style. By the time the cha-cha-cha became its own distinct musical form, the II–V chord progression—and a specific rhythmic pattern for the piano—had become one of cha-cha-cha’s most common (and recognizable) aspects. Enrique Jorrín wrote the first cha-cha-cha in 1951. Jorrín says, “I named this music cha-cha-cha because that was the sound I heard coming from the feet of the dancers in Havana’s dance halls.” Although Enrique Jorrín was the creator of this style of music, the great Cuban charanga band La Orquesta Aragón has been its most innovative contributor. On the bass, it’s important to play the cha-cha-cha with a strong, driving feel. In a traditional cha-cha-cha setting there is no drum kit; the percussion section consists of congas, bongo, and timbales, and the bass takes on the role of the lowest drum. So, we need to set the feel right from the tune’s downbeat, and drive it along! Ex. 1 shows the most common bass pattern used in a cha-cha-cha. Memorize this pattern and try playing your favorite tunes with this feel. (It also helps to walk on beats one and three.) Examples 2 through 4 are also fun patterns to play on a II–V vamp. Have fun with these grooves and listen to some cha-cha-cha. Until next time, peace. Postscript:HusSain Jiffry
A native of Sri Lanka, Hussain Jiffry studied music at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He currently teaches world music at the Los Angeles Music Academy. His touring credits include the Dave Weckl Band, Sergio Mendes, Yanni, Jonathan Butler, and many others. He tours with the Al McKay Allstars and is a member of Sambaguru. |
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