Dancing the Drum

This album's title expresses the very soul of the Puerto Rican tradition of "bomba": the spiritual and spontaneous communication between the dancer and drummer. Like many of its Afro-Caribbean counterparts, bomba is a result of the African slave trade, colonialism and the plantation experience. Despite centuries of official denial of its place in Puerto Rico's cultural heritage, bomba emerged as a powerful statement of resistance and a testament to the resilience of its practitioners. The Cepedas are one of a handful of families that have kept the tradition of bomba alive through decades of neglect and marginalization. Nine members of the Cepeda family, along with their colleagues, assembled in Puerto Rico to create this recording.