Special Edition – Puerto Rican Music

On 11 September, I wrote a post about my hometown of Juana Diaz. In that post, I included a video, and at the end of it, there was a gentleman playing typical Puerto Rican music. Mary from Midwest Mary liked the music and asked if I could include Puerto Rican music in one of the Rockin’ Thursday editions. Of course, I said yes, so today, I’m deviating from the traditional Rockin’ Thursday and instead including three videos representing our typical music.

A lot of people think Salsa (mainly Cuban) and Merengue (Dominican Republic) music are from Puerto Rico. Although Salsa and Merengue dominate the airwaves in Puerto Rico, Jíbaro music, played with a Cuatro (a type of guitar), is our traditional music. This music comes to life during the Christmas season and is enjoyed throughout the island.

Of note: Jíbaro is a term used in Puerto Rico to refer to countryside people who farm the land in a traditional way. The jíbaro is a self-sustaining farmer and an iconic reflection of the Puerto Rican people. Jíbaro culture is also characterized by its own typical Puerto Rican folk music, commonly called ‘jíbaro music.’ Jíbaro music is defined by the use of the Cuatro, its central instrument.1

I selected three instrumental-only videos that capture the essence of our music, and I hope you enjoy today’s post. Mary, this is for you.

The first video is from Fabiola Muñoz, a talented cuatrista (cuatro player). She played on 6 January 2024, the day we celebrate Three Kings’ Day.

The next one is from Maribel Delgado, playing a medley of some of our most prominent songs.

Last, an aguinaldo (traditional Christmas song).

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jíbaro_(Puerto_Rico) ↩︎

39 thoughts on “Special Edition – Puerto Rican Music”

  3. Wow!! Fabiola (as well as the others) were insanely talented. Twelve strings are really hard to play abs the length of the song and the sheer volume of notes to remember are amazing!

    I tried to see but couldn’t quite make out if they were finger picking or using a pick.

    Thanks again, very cool 😎

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  7. Lovely sounds, Edward! Cheerful, as it is typical for Latin American music. Thank you for introducing me to Jíbaro music; I truly enjoy it! Aguinaldo’s performance sounds particularly masterful. Lots of light and blessings to you, my friend*

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  8. Brother, you brought me to tears. Our music is so often overlooked, yet it’s incredibly beautiful. While Salsa, Merengue, and Reggaeton dominate the airwaves, Jibaro, Trio, and Navidena music linger in the shadows. Unless someone has the albums or visits Puerto Rico, they miss the essence of our rich traditional music that brings joy, happiness, and even tears to those who hear it.

    This music lifts the spirits of everyone around and has a magical way of bringing people together to sing, dance, and yes, even eat!

    Thank you for shining a light on this and sharing what remains hidden from many.

    I can’t wait for my book to come out! I’m praying it’s soon because I’m excited to share another piece of our history—the story of The Three Kings.

    Que Dios Te Bendiga hoy y siempre… WEPA !!!

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    1. Wepa, hermano. Hearing these songs was emotional for me too. They are so powerful and a reflection of our strong culture. As for Bad Bunny, I can’t stand his music. But aguinaldos with the cuatro? I could listen to them all day.

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      1. My Uncle is a musician in Puerto Rico, has been all his life. So Trio, Jibaro music and Navidena is in my Heart, soul and blood. Bad Bunny -haha – he has no idea what are culture music really is.

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  14. Thank you so much, Edward! I love learning about jíbaro culture and music…what a treat. Impossible for me to stay in my seat while I listened. I’m so glad Mary asked…and that you delivered! 🥰

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    1. You’re welcome, Mary. I’m glad you enjoyed the music. It took me some time to find the right videos—well, that, and the fact that I get a little emotional when I hear my music. Those events are a lot of fun.

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