Rumba

The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated

"Rumba" entered the English lexicon in the early 20th century, at least as early as 1919, and by 1935 it was used a verb to denote the ballroom dance.^[4] In this sense, the anglicised spelling "rhumba" became prevalent and is now recommended to distinguish it from traditional Cuban rumba.^[5] Also in the first third of the 20th century, "rumba" entered the Spanish flamenco world as a fast-paced palo (style) inspired in the Cuban guaracha, and which gave rise to other forms of urban music now known as "rumba". Throughout Latin America, "rumba" acquired different connotations, mostly referring to Cubanized, danceable, local styles, such as Colombian rumba criolla (creole rumba). At the same time, "rumba" began to be used a catch-all term for Afro-Cuban music in most African countries, later giving rise to re-Africanized Cuban-based styles such as Congolese rumba.^[6]

In Cuba

During the second half of the 19th century, several secular dance-oriented music styles were developed by Afro-Cuban workers in the poor neighbourhoods of

In the US, the term "

From 1935 to the 1950s, the Mexican and American film industry expanded the use of the term rumba as rumbera films became popular.^[11] In this context, rumberas were Cuban and Mexican divas, singers and actresses who sang boleros and canciones, but rarely rumbas. Notable rumberas include Rita Montaner, Rosa Carmina, María Antonieta Pons and Ninón Sevilla.^[12]

In the 1970s, with the emergence of

In Spain, the term rumba was introduced in the early 20th century as rumba flamenca, one of the palos (styles) of flamenco. Particularly, it is considered one of the cantes de ida y vuelta, since flamenco itself might have had an influence on Cuban rumba, particularly on its vocal style. However, musicologists agree that rumba flamenca does not truly derive from Cuban rumba, but from guaracha, a fast-paced music style from Havana.^[14][15] Apart from rumba flamenca, other syncretic styles of Afro-Cuban origin have been named "rumba" throughout the Iberian peninsula, outside of the context of flamenco (where the term cantes de ida y vuelta is mostly restricted), such as the Galician rumba.

In the late 1950s, popular artists such as Peret (El Rey de la Rumba) and El Pescaílla developed an uptempo style that combined elements from rumba flamenca, Spanish gypsy music and pop. This became known as Catalan rumba (rumba catalana).^[16] In the 1980s, the style gained international popularity thanks to French ensemble Gipsy Kings.

In the 1990s, the term “tecno-rumba” was used to describe the music of

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, a fusion of bambuco and Afro-Cuban music was developed in Colombia by artists such as Emilio Sierra, Milciades Garavito, and Diógenes Chaves Pinzón, under the name rumba criolla (creole rumba).^[19] Rumba criolla is classified into different regional styles such as rumba antioqueña and rumba tolimense.^[20]

In Africa

In the 1930s and 1940s, Afro-Cuban son groups such as