Quimbara
Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco · 1974 · from the album Celia & Johnny · written by Junior Cepeda
Celia Cruz's signature hit: a tribute to rumba, with congas and bongó out front and a drum break made for a shine.
- congas
- bongó
- breaks
- coro and soneo
Why it matters
Celia & Johnny, the first album Celia Cruz made with flutist and bandleader Johnny Pacheco, came out on Vaya in 1974, and Quimbara, its lead single, went to number one in New York and Miami. Junior Cepeda wrote it.
It's a tribute to rumba, the Afro-Cuban music of drums and voices that gave salsa its congas and its call-and-response. The album is in the US National Recording Registry.
What to listen for
- The congas and the bongó locking together from the first bar.
- The drum break, where the drums take over: a great moment for a shine or a styling pause.
- A short coro that keeps coming back, with Celia answering it every time.