Cajón

This article is about the Peruvian instrument, for the town see, El Cajón, California.

A cajón (Spanish for 'crate', 'drawer', or 'box', pronounced 'ka.HONE') is a kind of box drum played by slapping.

Origins

The cajón originated in coastal Peru either as an invention of african slaves or gypsies, also known as Roma.

Popular theory

West Africans, particularly Angolans, sold into slavery in Peru and Cuba substituted wooden shipping crates for their native drums. In port cities like Matanzas, Cuba they used cod-fish shipping crates. Elsewhere, small dresser drawers became instruments. The boxes not only resonated like a drum but could also be disguised as a seat or stool.

The instrument became an important part of Peruvian music and Cuban music.

In the 1970's the instrument was introduced to Flamenco music by guitarist Paco DeLucia.

Another theory

Many Spanish and even Peruvian musicians say it was invented by Peruvian creoles of gypsy or Roma people that came as incognite Spanish herdsmen, farmers or miners, and where many times called Morochucos (Morochucan Cowboys) in the sierra or Piajenos in the northern coast.

But the most common historically accepted origin of the instrument dates back to the colonial era when the African slaves brought to Peru from Angola, began using fruit crates as percussion instruments.

Some could say the Peruvian cajón or simply cajón, does have a gypsy relation; yet it is not a Spanish Flamenco creation but a Peruvian creation.

As in gypsy music, instruments are made of the materials at hand: spoons (either metal or wood) to sound as castanets, bowls (these last two very popular in Russia, Hungary and Romania), wooden tables to beat like drums (very common in the Bulgaria Flamenco), goat skin drums and even pumpkins.

The first proof of cajón or better named Peruvian cajón as an instrument was around the Tondero and Zamacueca (old version of Marinera) dances. For years they where sang stoumpin nuckles on wooden tables as drums and years later with the appearance of the cajón. An important note, is that both dances represented cockfights, a tradition very common for the Roma people.

The drum

Three quarter inch pine or other white wood was generally used for five sides of the box. A thin sheet of plywood was nailed on as the sixth side and acted as the striking surface or head.

The top edges were often left unattached and could be slapped against the box. A sound hole was cut in the side opposing the head or tapa. The player sat astride the box, tilting it at an angle while striking the head between his knees. The modern cajón has three screws at the top for adjusting percussive timbre and may sport rubber feet. The drum has also two or four vertically stretched cords against the inside for added resonance. The percussionist can play the sides with the top of his palms and fingers for additional sounds. The tone of a cajón is often enriched by placing small metallic objects inside, touching the tapa. Guitar strings, rattles or drum snares may serve this purpose. There are also tube cajón, which are played like a conga.

Today

Today, the cajón is heard extensively in Cuban, Coastal Peruvian or Musica criolla musical styles: Tondero, Zamacueca and Peruvian Valse, modern Flamenco and certain styles of modern Rumba. The cajón was introduced into flamenco in only the 1970s by guitarist Paco de Lucía. While in Peru, he was given the cajón by percussionist Caitro Soto.

The modern cajón is often used to accompany the acoustic guitar and is showing up on worldwide stages in contemporary music. Jennifer Lopez, The Dixie Chicks, Ozomatli, Fleetwood Mac, Alejandro Sanz with Destiny's Child, Los Lobos, and the widely popular Spanish flamenco/rock/rumba duo Estopa have all recently featured the cajón either on stage or television, and some have used it in the recording of their albums. As the instrument gains recognition, major drum & percussion companies are following the lead of custom builders and bringing the instruments to a wider audience.

In the Philippines, it has ushered a new breed of percussionists in the "acoustic" club circuit. Better known by the local commercial brand "K-hon", it proved to be a more economical and practical alternative to a drum kit. ^*^*

External links

Drums | Peruvian music