At the time of the so-called “discovery” of America, Spain was a multiethnic country. From this “discovery,” a process would develop that began with the music sung and played in Spain in the late 15th and 16th centuries, which would be defined in the 18th century as truly Cuban.

Spanish music has had a profound influence on the sociocultural character of Cuba for centuries. It has contributed important and enriching elements to Cuban musical genres, which continue to be part of Cuban music today. Fernando Ortiz stated: “Some music entered Cuba as the property of the conquistadors and the ruling class; others as that of the slaves and the dominated class. White music, from above, and black music, from below. That is why their manifestations have been very changeable, their influences very different, and their significance in shaping national musicality variable, depending on the vicissitudes suffered by the economic, social, and political structure of the Cuban people.”

Since Cuban music is a form of high quality, it possesses all kinds of musical rhythms, predominantly inspired and influenced by African and Spanish music. It is known that Cuban music is born from a combination of Spanish folklore and African rhythms. The extraordinary richness of Spanish folklore, mixed with the energy of African music, quickly created an exuberant and explosive musical fabric.