To "decode" Afro-Cuban jazz effectively, you must shift your focus from notes and harmony to as the primary language. The definitive resource for this is often considered the book Decoding Afro-Cuban Jazz: The Music of Chucho Valdés and Irakere by Rebeca Mauleón and Chucho Valdés. 1. Master the "Clave" First
Decoding Afro-Cuban jazz requires an appreciation for the "mother musics" of Cuba and the intellectual rigor of jazz. Through the lens of Chucho Valdés and Irakere, we see that this music is not just a style, but a living archive of cultural preservation and relentless innovation. decoding afrocuban jazz pdf better