Gypsies

[Salsa Bear]

Anyone know anything about the influence of Gypsy music on salsa, if any?

I think they were a driving force behind the evolution of Flamenco - or is that more properly associated with the Moors? I can't remember exactly.

Anyway, with their insanely rich musical tradition, it's a shame the Romani aren't more closely linked to salsa. Imagine the music we'd have today!

I was also doing some research on human evolution and learned that Indians (as in India, not Native Americans) are the second most genetically diverse group of people after Africans. I think they're also similar to Africans in that their ancestors never interbred with Neanderthals. Which begs the question - what kind of music and dance did Neanderthals entertain themselves with?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50107632/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.UMTNHZPjloV

 

[rob88]

It depends which gipsies you are referring to. The gipsies of Southern Spain have influenced the Andalusian music, and Andalusian music have influenced Cuban music (the main root of salsa music). I do not know much about other gipsy people like the romani.

 

[DJ Ara]

There are two ways that flamenco has influenced salsa music. Firstly, by it being in the fabric of the Spanish music which fused with African and Cuban indigenous (as well as later on with North American Jazz) music to eventually form what we call "Salsa".

Secondly, by influencing salsa produced after the main genre was formed and recognized:

There are other examples of this kind of fusion.