Danzon

Danzón on vinyl: Cuba’s elegant dance

In short: Danzón is a Cuban couple dance from the 19th century – “Las Alturas de Simpson” by Miguel Faílde from 1879 is regarded as the first. Later it was played by orchestras with flute and violins, and mambo and cha-cha-chá grew out of it. In Mexico it is still danced today. The Vinyl Room currently has 13 danzón records.

What is danzón?

Calm, dignified and yet full of swing: Cuban musician Acerina made danzón popular in Mexico with his danzonera – here with “Danzones Clásicos” and “De Ixtacalco Al California”.

The flute in danzón is shown by Alberto Corrales on “La Flauta En El Danzón”, plus Orquesta Aragón and recordings by Buena Vista Social Club.

What to look for

Danzón records came out in Cuba, Mexico and the US; label and country of release help you tell which edition you have – it’s noted with each copy.

From our stock

First pressings

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FAQ

Where does danzón come from? From Cuba, from the 19th century.

Which danzón is regarded as the first? “Las Alturas de Simpson” by Miguel Faílde from 1879.

Is danzón still danced today? Yes – especially in Mexico, for example in Veracruz and Mexico City.

What does danzón have to do with mambo? Mambo and cha-cha-chá developed out of danzón.