Festejo performed by Jembe Den

FESTEJO (from Spanish “fiesta”) is a form of music with roots in the African slave community brought to work along the Peruvian coast. Festejo lyrics often provide historical accounts of the Afro-Peruvian population’s emancipation from slavery or celebrate other themes of liberation. The festejo dance features intricate footwork including the Spanish zapateado. The music typically includes vocals, guitar, and percussion instruments such as the cajón (wooden box), quijada de burro (donkey jawbone), cajita (little box), cencerro/campana (bell), shekere (gourd rattle), congas, and bongos. The cajon rhythms played in our arrangement are from a solo called “Pine Wood Derby” found in the published collection of cajon exercises and solos by Josh Gottry titled Take a Seat: Gottry wrote in the program notes for “Pine Wood Derby” that it “is set in a fast three but is felt in one and embodies more of a compound meter feel characteristic of African-influenced