Find the rhythm! A Guide for the Salsa Dancer by Alex Wilson and Lee Knights
Find the rhythm! A Guide to the Salsa Dancer by Alex Wilson and Lee Knights is a must for anyone interested in learning and connecting with music, and not just learning the dance steps. Alex Wilson is a Latino musician, composer, arranger, producer, and educator; Lee Knights is a salsa dancer, salsa instructor, performer, and choreographer; together they form a formidable team to share the passion of music – Salsa.
I met Alex Wilson several years in London at the Ronnie Scott jazz club through a good friend of mine, who told me that Alex Wilson was one of the best Latin musicians in the UK. High praise indeed, and I made it a point to keep my eyes and ears out over the years as to the projects Alex Wilson was working on.
The album Alex Wilson – England, Alex’s previous release, was a mix of salsa, R&B, soul, reggae, and bhangra-salsa that whetted the appetite for more; therefore, when I heard about Find the Rhythm! Conceived as “The Ultimate Salsa Workbook for Dancers Who Want to Connect with the Music,” A Guide to the Salsa Dancer by Alex Wilson and Lee Knights, I couldn’t wait to read the book and listen to the accompanying CD.
Often the hardest part of mastering the art of a new dance style is learning the nuances and rhythms of the music, as well as understanding the beats so you can flow and react to the music, not just memorize and execute the steps. of dance. Some time ago I had the idea of taking Salsa classes in a club, since I love to dance. I thought this would be something fun; however, trying to anticipate the rhythms and changes in the music while trying to learn the dance steps was a definite challenge. Where were Alex and Lee when I needed them?
Now that I’ve read, Find the rhythm! A Salsa Dancer’s Guide and having listened to the CD I have a greater appreciation and understanding of the music and the different styles of Salsa. The chapter “La Fuente de la Salsa” covers the various dances of the 20s and 30s (Son and Danzón), the 40s and 50s (Mambo and Cha Cha Cha), the 60s (Pachanga and Boogaloo) and the 70s. (Dip ); “Anatomy of a Salsa Song” breaks the song down into understandable components; “Latin Rhythms that Make the Salsa Sauce” looks at the music of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and salsa in New York and what makes them different; “La Clave” delves into and defines what the Claves of Son and Rhumba are and how to distinguish them; “The Instrument Signposts” dissects verse and the various instruments and how to engage with them, with the Montuno section incorporating each of the instruments used. The book also has interesting chapters titled “The Questions You Always Wanted Answered”; “Meet Your Salsa Musicians”; “Where’s next?” and a “Musical Phrasebook” that will have you “speaking” salsa like a pro. In addition to the well thought out book, the 82 track CD lets you experience the rhythm as Alex gently guides you through the music.
I am now confident and ready to return to my Salsa dance lessons. If my feet take a while to pick up the pace, so be it; At least now I understand the music and I know the difference between a batá, an iya, a llamador, an alegre drum and a tumba, which by the way are types of drums that are used in Salsa. While it can take me a while to look like a salsa dancer on the dance floor, as far as “speaking” salsa, consider me fluent.
Find the rhythm! The A Guide for the Salsa Dancer CD was produced, conducted and arranged by Alex Wilson and recorded by Alex Wilson Records. Personnel: Piano: Alex Wilson; Bass: Ray Crespo, Javier Fioramonti, Alex Wilson; Trumpets: Steve Dawson, Annette Brown, Paul Jayasihna; Trombone: Trevor Mires, Alistair White; Percussion: Dave Pattman, Emeris Solis, Davide Giovannini; Voices: Alfonso de Jesus, Davide Giovannini, Shahid Abbas Khan, Aquilla Fearon, Naomi Phillips. kuljit bhamra
To buy Find the rhythm! A Guide to the Salsa Dancer by Alex Wilson and Lee Knights, visit the websites: FindtheRhythm.com; and AlexWilson.net.