This research explores the drum set's role in the history and development of Afro-Cuban music. It aims to identify the essential aspects of Cuban rhythms that contribute to the authenticity of the country's national music, particularly in modern-day rhythm sections. The roots and branches of modern Cuban music are examined by focusing on these four key genres: rumba, son, danzón, and Afro-Cuban jazz styles. This thesis identifies the drum set's role in the history of Afro-Cuban music from the late 19th century to the present day. The drum set throughout the early history of Afro-Cuban music was mainly an adaptation of other Afro-Cuban percussion instruments until the 1970s when the most significant innovation occurred.

The emergence of the musical style songo, or “Son-go,” in the early 1970s marked a significant shift in how the drum set became integrated into traditional Afro-Cuban rhythm sections. Songo has also accelerated the evolution of the presence and acceptance of the drum set in modern Cuban ensembles. By tracing the roots of songo and more contemporary styles back to the roots of Cuban music, this study seeks to bridge the gap between the history and modern innovations of Cuban music, particularly as it relates to the role of the drum set.

Cuba's rich musical history dates back to the late 15th century when enslaved Africans were brought to Cuba and forced to work on sugar plantations. The cultural connection between European, Spanish, and African cultures in Cuba directly results from this transatlantic slave trade. Cuba received an influx of over one million African natives in the 300 years preceding Cuba’s abolition of slavery in 1873. The African people were forced to Cuba by the Spanish settlers to work the gold mines and sugar and tobacco plantations, and as a result, their culture and traditions were transplanted to the island. The majority of the enslaved people were originally from what is today Nigeria, the Congo, and Angola. From this unique blend of origins, the enslaved people brought with them the rhythms, music, and dance that were an intrinsic part of their religious and social life back home. This resulted in a musical undertone to the culture that would develop over the course of Cuban history. The melding of African rhythms with the Spanish and French sense of melody gave birth to Cuba’s wealth of music and dance. For this reason, the genre is most commonly referred to as Afro-Cuban.1