Yeza or Iyesa is a rhythm that came from West Africa. It's the name of a family of drums, rhythms and a religious practice in Cuba.
In this rhythm the low drum is the solo drum. In future blog entries I will cover many variations that can be played by the solo drum. There is an incredible Iyesa on Grupo AfroCuba's Raices Africanas CD. (NOTE: The one I'm showing here is different from the one on the album. The Iyesa on the album uses traditional drums - played with hands and sticks.)
Yeza / Iyesa
High Drum | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + | | S | S | · | S | T | · | T | · | S | S | · | S | T | · | T | · | | R | L | R | L | R | L | R | L | R | L | R | L | R | L | R | L |
Middle Drum | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + | | B | | S | | B | T | B | T | B | | S | | B | T | B | T | | L | | R | | L | R | L | R | L | | R | | L | R | L | R |
Low Drum | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + | 1 | + | 2 | + | 3 | + | 4 | + | | · | M | M | T | | · | B | B | B | | · | T | | · | S | | | L | R | L | R | | L | R | L | R | | L | R | | L | R | |
Key
T = Tone, Open B = Bass, Bass Tone S = Slap, Closed M = Muff, Muffled Tone · = Touch Stroke
X = Clave/Bell Strike
R = Right Hand Stroke, Primary/Strong Hand Stroke L = Left Hand Stroke, Weak Hand Stroke
