Although the carousel organo is native from France, from where it came to Cuba around the middle of XIX century, it settled in such a deep way at our rural zones from the eastern part of the country, that it suddenly formed part of the farmers' folklor adquiring an oriental last name.

The happy idea, caming up from a merchant from Manzanillo, of using the instrument, a cumbersome in wood with secret box that can't be opened, to hide merchandises of contraband, such as weapons and jewels, not only helped to start our liberty struggles, but only set the basis for the development of a mechanical music culture.

Due to its wide melodic and mechanic possibilities, with violin scales, violonchelos, flutes, trumpets and other instruments handled by a great air bellows, it quickly became a useful means of entertainment at farmer parties, where there wasn't electric light and to bring an orchestra was not a very profitable idea.

Through a transculturation process, the ground music, as may be also named due to the handling it possesses, the organ definitely joined our patrimonial wealth, because, although it firstly brought vals and polkas, it assumed later sones, guarachas and other Cuban rhythms beginning an organeros tradition.

Entire families consacrated their existence to approach this sort of music and transmit the heritage from generation to generation. Among the major defenders of this tradition we can highlight natives from Buenaventura, place heading the Calixto García municipality at Holguín Province, cradle of Ajo Brothers, where the House of Organo was founded, celebrating every year the Pepe Ajo Oriental Organo Festival.

This event renders tribute to José Ajo, remarkable musician and producer who took the organo across the entire country, making a lots of recordings. His decendents practice this manifestation contributing to defend the folklor and making this tradition last forever.

During the event, studious of this theme discuss about the features of this instruments, its transculturation and contributions, ''ground'' music is listened from Hermanos Ajo, Joya del Sol, Ritmo Oriental and Great Orchestra #4 among other local orchestras, keeping this Cuban musical tradition alive.

Extracted from a work published in Trabajadores Digital. 2003.

Buy Cuban Traditional music in www.discuba.com