Rhumba box
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The Rhumba-box is an Mbira type instrument popular all over the Caribbean in the 1940's and '50's. In Africa this type of instrument is used to play some bass lines as well as high notes. While the Rhumba-box was developed solely to play bass lines. During this period it was very expensive to purchase an upright bass, whereas a Rhumba-box could be made from scrap wood, packing boxes, etc., and old clock springs served as the keys. Thereby, making it a very inexpensive alternative to the upright bass. Rhumba-boxes became quite popular in Jamaica in conjunction with guitars, hand drums, maracas and vocals in the churches, where it was known as "Church and Clap", in the nightclubs where it was known as "Jazz Jim" and among the various hotel performers, who played Mento music. It can still be found in use among Mento musicians today, such as the Jolly Boys, as well as the musicians of Puerto Rico where it's called a marimbola and Cuba where it's known as a Marimbula, referring back to Queen Marimba of the Wakamba, creator of this type of instrument.
