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Cajon Facts

Cajon Facts
The Cajon is a wooden box-shaped drum, invented by the African slaves who discovered they were not permitted to play drums once arriving in South America in the early 18th century. It is considered an Afro-Peruvian musical instrument because it was created in Peru by the slaves, most of which were from Africa. Creating a drum that looked like a box and could be mistaken for a piece of furniture made it possible for the slaves to enjoy music without risking trouble from the Spaniards. The cajon is a box made of wood, with a hole in the back to allow sound to escape when the front is slapped with the musician's hand. The musician sits on the cajon while playing.
Interesting Cajon Facts:
The word 'cajon' means 'crate, box or drawer'.
Early cajons were often made from shipping cartons brought over on Spanish ships in Spanish colonial America. Small dresser drawers were often converted to instruments as well whenever possible.
The cajon is considered to be a percussion instrument. I is usually 18 inches in height and about 12 inches wide and deep.
Five sides of the cajon are usually made of a thicker wood than the front side where the musician slaps with his/her hand. The front side is thinner and is referred to as the head.
Modern cajons have feet often made of rubber, and screws in the top of the instrument that allow for adjustment of sound.
A bass drum sound is achieved by hitting the center of the front, or head, and a higher tone is achieved by striking the instrument closer to the top of the head's surface.
When the musician sits on the cajon they tilt it slightly while playing. Some musicians also slap other surfaces of the cajon as well, to make different sounds than those that occur from slapping the front, or head, of the instrument.
Cajons are popular instruments in Spain, the Philippines, and in the Americas.
The cajon is a popular instrument in several music styles including Cuban Rumba, Flamenco, Peruvian Waltz, Zamacueca, and Tondero.
In modern music the cajon is often used as an accompaniment to the acoustic guitar, and it is even used to replace full drum kits when space is limited.
The cajon is gaining popularity in other types of music including jazz, funk, rock, pop, and blues.
Irish folk music has adopted the use of the cajon in much of its music.
Hands are not the only striking tool for the cajon. Musicians also use metal brushes, plastic brushes, sticks, mallets, and some use the drum pedal usually used for a bass drum.
The cajon can also be played in an orchestra as part of classical music.
Famous cajon players include Ruben Dantas (70s Flamenco music), Mario Cortes (Flamenco), Mike Meadows (percussionist and drummer), Stephen Paass (percussionist), and Nina Rodriguez (nicknamed 'hands of lightning').
The Peruvian National Institute of Culture declared the cajon National Heritage in 2001.
The Organization of American States declared that the cajon was an "Instrument of Peru for the Americas" in 2014.


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