Biography
During the 1910s, Sexteto Bolona ranked among the foremost exponents of son, an energetic Afro-Spanish blend of musical traditions. This genre features dual stylistic components. Percussionists of various kinds improvise atop a rumba rhythm that forms the initial, African-derived layer. The Spanish-derived counterpart incorporates tres—three-string guitars—alongside an improvised bass instrument. Traditional decima structures, consisting of rhymed lines each with eight syllables, carry Spanish lyrics above these accompaniments. Expansion occurred for the ensemble during the 1920s through the addition of Felix Chapotin on trumpet and Arsenio Rodriguez on tres. This shift produced a more cohesive sonic texture, departing from conventional son via inspirations from American swing music. Their performances appear on The Roots of Salsa.