Son a Yemayá - Son del nene
There is a lot going on in this song, son, rumba, yemaya
🎧 About the song
Son a Yemayá is on Mi deseo (EGREM, 2008), the debut album of Son del Nene: a septeto led by singer Pedro Lugo Martínez, "el Nene". He previously sang with groups such as Conjunto Chappottín and Jóvenes Clásicos del Son. The album moves from traditional son to a more contemporary sound.
In this song the band stays close to its African roots: the coros bring back phrases and songs linked to Yemayá, the Orisha of the sea. Son, rumba influences and Afro-Cuban religious tradition come together in one song.
📝 Sources
Rumba is the most African-rooted of all Cuban music and dance forms — born in the streets, courtyards, and docks of Havana and Matanzas in the late 19th century, with no European instruments, no salon setting, and no pretense of European propriety.
Lees meer >The horn layer over the montuno: short, powerful and rhythmically intense riffs that the horns lay over the ongoing groove, building energy toward the climax of the song.
Lees meer >EGREM (Empresa de Grabaciones y Ediciones Musicales) is Cuba's state recording company, founded in 1964 after the Revolution nationalized all private recording labels. Its main facility, Estudios Areíto in Havana, is where virtually every important Cuban recording from the Revolution era was made.
Lees meer >Yemayá is the mother of all Orishas and the ruler of the sea. Her dance is one of the most visually beautiful in the repertoire — expansive, flowing, and in constant, wave-like motion.
Lees meer >Yemayá is the Orisha of the sea and the mother of all Orishas. She governs the saltwater ocean and all living things within it. As mother, she is nurturing, protective — and when angered, devastating.
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The bongo is a pair of small open-bottomed drums played with fingers and palms. It originated in eastern Cuba and became one of the defining percussion voices of son and timba.
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The tres is a Cuban guitar-like instrument with three pairs (courses) of strings. It is the defining melodic-rhythmic instrument of son cubano and its ancestor genres.
Lees meer >Timba, the explosive and rhythmically rich genre of Cuban dance music, transformed how the bass functions in popular music. In Timba, the bass is not just foundational — it’s fiery, funky, and free.
Lees meer >Adding a trumpet turned the sexteto into a septeto, giving it more projection for bigger venues and open-air dances. The trumpet also added space for improvisation, call-and-response with the singer, and a more “urban” flavor. Example: Septeto Nacional (Ignacio Piñeiro).
Lees meer >The cuerpo, also called canto, largo or verse, is where the lead vocalist sings the main lyrical content of the song.
In Timba, the canto often contains a narrative or thematic element and is supported by the rhythm section and background vocals.
Lees meer >This is the opening section of the song, which sets the mood and introduces the musical motifs.
It often features a horn section and can include elements from the song's main themes.
Lees meer >The conclusion of the song, which often mirrors the intro or brings the song to a close with a final statement by the band.
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