Critical Review #6: Waxer 1994

The article comments that when music undergoes a geographic shift, it must adapt and transition based on the new surroundings and resources. Thus, "music cannot be considered a fixed, bounded entity that, beyond a few cosmetic alterations, remains essentially the same from place to place." I would agree with this statement, but wouldn't this still be the case with music in the same geographic location within the same genre? Music is always evolving, and no two artists experience the identical varying influences and impacts in producing their music. Geographic location is simply one facet of countless factors that influence any given genre of music.

It does seem to make sense that Cuban music and New York jazz would fit together so well to be fused, as they both place a strong emphasis on structured improvisation to showcase the instrumentalists. It's clear that there was a very apparent exchange of musical ideas between Cuba and New York that influenced each other. How have other musical influences of the time been considered in addition to this 2-way exchange? The various factors in the roots of the music of these areas is described, such as the influence of New Orleans and other Caribbean styles on that of Cuban music. However beyond these roots, certainly other music genres of the 1930s-50s could have had additional impact on both music in Cuba and New York and participated in this exchange?

At times I found it a little hard to follow all the different Cuban music forms addressed int he background section of the article, let alone the other forms that influenced these forms that are offhandedly mentioned with a descriptor of few words. It seems almost futile to try and pinpoint or isolate influences on these various music styles as it seems there is an endless chain of one style influencing another. There are such subtle variations between genres too, as the danzon-mambo is a slight variation on the danzon, but with the purpose to highlight instruments and allow for fuller dancing. I wonder if there's a way to accurately convey all these subtle distinctions between styles of music so that a reader unfamiliar with them could fully imagine and understand them.