From the meshing of African, Spanish, Indian and Caribbean cultures. Hispanic music has its own unique sound . Powered by the fluid Latin rhythms, the audiences became part of the action packed demonstration of indigenous percussion and other musical instruments.

This installment will focus on Yoruba instruments.

African instruments

The instruments originating in Nigeria and recreated by the Yoruba (or Lucumi ) people in Cuba include:

bata drums - a set of scared , two headed drums , played in Cuba in a set a three, with the Iya being the largest , the Itotele the middle and the small drum called the Okonkolo. The bata may be accompanied by a small metal shaker called atchere.

agbes ( agues / agwes ) or guiros (also know as chekeres ) - beaded gourd instruments played in sets of three or more, usually divided into parts called the kachimbo or golpe, the segundo and the caja. The agbes may be played together with an iron bell called a guataca or agogo.

bembe drums, a set of three drums made from palm tree logs with nailed on skins ( tuned with heat ).

iyesa drums, a set of four scared drums, cylindrical two headed drums of hand carved cedar, played with sticks. The iyesa are divided as caja, segundo, tercero and bajo (which is played with the hands ). The iyesa drums are accompanied by two agogo bells and a guiro..