Beyond Salsa Piano: The Cuban Timba Piano Revolution: Vol. 1: Beginning - The Roots of the Piano Tumbao

This is one in a series of books about Cuban piano - but it's much, much more. The history and images and information in the book are just extraordinary. Kevin Moore is a musical genius and a great writer. His ability to study and research and write about Cuban music is like nothing I've ever seen before. The web site for which he is lead writer, [...], has so much information that is free and accurate and interesting - that it makes me want to buy 10 copies of every one of Kevin's books, just to support the incredible work he does. Don't miss this opportunity to have a series of books like none other in the world, and be sure to go to [...] and [...] to get the audio files which accompany this timba piano book series. Gracias, Kevin

I wish somewhere - in the Amazon listing or in one of the reviews by others - it had explained that, if you pay $18.00 to buy this new on Amazon, you will get a thin book with written examples that refer heavily to the tracks of the recording - but THERE IS NO RECORDING PROVIDED. In the book, it explains that the audio examples can be downloaded from the website - cool, no problem - but when you go to the website, they do not give you the recorded examples, instead they ask you to pay an ADDITIONAL $9.99 in order to download them. I'm not making any judgement about the quality or value of the product - I just feel that this is the kind of thing for which the web should be good: warning you that purchasing a product does not get you what you would expect. So, I'm adding this review with no judgement of the book. but hoping others will see it and realize that the "$18.00" price is somewhat deceptive - expect to pay $27.99 to get what you think you are purchasing!

Awesome. Love it. Couldn't be happier. Very detail and very easy to understand. Also having the audio tracks it's a great help

super to learn story in the same time we learn piano

Mild disclaimer: I have known the author, Kevin Moore, for over ten years now. But while we are friends, I would be just as enthusiastic about these books even if I didn't know the author. These books are astounding gems, the result of over ten years of meticulous research. There is simply nothing else available that is even close to them.I myself have worked with Cuban music for over ten years with my group Mamborama. I wound up practically living in Havana, and recorded two albums there that were twice nominated for Cubadisco, the Cuban equivalent of the Grammy (yes, I am bragging).After corresponding by email for some months, I met Kevin in person for the first time in Havana in the spring of 2000. I was there for my first time, looking to experience the music in its natural habitat, and to take piano lessons from some of the better players. Kevin was at that time just starting the extensive research that has now resulted in this series of books. With a laptop and MIDI keyboard, he was recording some of Cuba's top Timba pianists for study purposes. And now, we have the first results, this multi-volume encyclopedia of not just Cuban piano, but Cuban music as well.Each of these books are like onions, there are layers and layers. Rather than just present a book full of two-bar patterns (tumbaos), Kevin goes into every aspect: theory, practice tips, history, harmony, rhythm, clave, interaction with the other instruments, and more. And although there is tons of information, his style is never pedantic. The books are set up so one can take one's own approach to the material; you could simply learn by ear from the downloaded audio examples (available separately); you can read through the printed tumbaos, but the real genius of the books is in the text. For example, one of my teachers in Havana told me that you can never learn the "feel" of Cuban music from a book. Kevin is well aware of this, and throughout the series he has several exercises and suggestions for getting that elusive feel, which can be so difficult to achieve for non-Cubans who have not grown up in that culture. The way I was taught to get it was to go back and listen to the pianists that preceded Timba, like Ruben Gonzalez and Peruchin. These books go much further than that, the entire history of Cuban music in the 20th century is studied. It remains true that you can't get the feel from a book, but these books can show you the way to get the feel.The appendixes alone are worth the cost of admission, containing a glossary of terms, harmonic analysis and exercises, lists of recommended listening and more. Interspersed between the music examples are sections on clave, arranging, improvising within tumbaos with variations, history, instrumentation and far more.The music is well notated, and each example is written in both 16th and 8th note notation, the latter being far easier to read, but having the examples one above another will help one learn to read difficult rhythms in the normal Cuban notation of 16ths. Available separately for download are audio MP3s of every example. These have the piano split with the left hand on the left channel, the right hand on the right, so with your balance control, you can isolate each one for clarity. After a 4 beat count-off, the only accompaniment is the clave, essential to getting the feel of the rhythm. There are also "slow motion" versions of each example slowed down to 50 beats per minute.Volume 1 covers the roots of the piano tumbao, more specifically, changui, rumba, danzon and the beginnings of son. It also contains extremely important exercises to help you understand clave and its relationship to the tumbao. There is also an appendix of rhythmic terms that goes further into clave.It was a good idea to publish this work in multiple volumes; it will allow it to grow (projected to be over 20 volumes!), and it allows the reader to go in increments. Accomplished players will be tempted to start in on Volume 3 or 4, but be sure to eventually include the first books as well, there is a lot of valuable information in them. Think of it as a set of encyclopedias.If you are serious about learning Cuban music, this series of books is indispensable. There is nothing else even remotely close to it.

Got this as a gift. Wasn't really into Cuban music before I got it (I was more into salsa). It totally changed my life as a musician. Opened me up to timing and styles that has done amazing things for my playing. Very well written and easy to get the lessons and styles.

Beyond Salsa Piano is a remarkable and unique series. Although there are other books available on the market that deal with salsa piano, Kevin Moore's series digs deeper and goes further than anything previously seen. Not only are harmonic elements dealt with in great detail, his attention to the rhythmic elements is unprecedented.-David Peñalosa, author of The Clave Matrix.

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