Driving into the city this morning I was listening to Latin music on my car stereo. I defy anyone to listen to this music and remain still. This music makes me want to snap my fingers, tap my toes and get up and dance. I’ve always thought that Latin music is the perfect music for those with attention deficit as there is so much to listen to – so much that is happening all at once. Maybe that’s why it makes me so happy?
You can let you ear focus into the ostinato of the piano, then the melody or sometimes punctuation of the horns, the augmentation of clarinets or accordians, and of course the percussion section is an aural feast all on its own. Somehow all this comes together in a rhythm that makes your body want to dance from the inside out.
In this way Latin music is like life. There is a rhythm to life carried on the ostinato of each person’s heartbeat. The melody of life sometimes carried triumphantly on blaring trumpets or playfully in an accordian’s note and at times mournfully in a clarinet’s sigh. All of this intertwined with the sounds of accompanying instruments which reflect the richness and complexity of life.
I double-dog dare ya to sit still!