Cantes de ida y vuelta is a Spanish expression literally meaning roundtrip songs. It refers to a group of flamenco musical forms or palos with diverse musical features, which "travelled back" from Latin America (mainly Cuba) as styles that, having originated in the interplay between Spanish musical traditions and those of the African slaves and Native Americans, developed into renewed forms that were reintroduced in Spain. Usually they have a more mellow character than the more traditional flamenco songs.
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In the Spanish Golden Age, dramatists like Lope de Vega and Tirso de Molina already included songs and dances of Latin American influence.[1]. There is also evidence of their popularity in the 19th century: many examples still remain of printed songbooks and sheets, often mixing Andalusian and Latin American songs, which were sold in the streets, and Baron Charles Davillier, in his trip in Spain in 1862 described a fiesta (party) in these terms:
[...] and a young Gypsy [...] danced the American tango with an extraordinary grace. Another widely known music in Andalusia is the Punto de la Habana, whose name indicates its origin, and it is used to accompany the décimas sung between dances in parties.[2]
The exchange of musical influences was particularly important at the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, when the United States gained control over Cuba, the last Spanish territory in Latin America. The defeat involved the return of many Spanish emigrants to Spain. These returned migrants, popularly called indianos, also brought back their songs and their music, which were soon included in the repertoire of flamenco artists, after a process of adaptation to the flamenco style of singing and playing. Although Antonio Chacón already sang these styles (he recorded the milonga in 1913), the first flamenco singer who recorded a significant repertoire of guajiras, milongas, and vidalitas was Manuel Escacena. He made popular the milonga "Juan Simón", which he learnt from Mexican bullfighters around 1911, and which was later recorded by several other singers.[1]
The palos included in this category have different musical characteristics, so the category of ida y vuelta is just a common denomination based on their origin. The palos normally included in this category are the following:
The melodies of guajiras, colombianas and milongas have also frequently been adapted to the rhythms of other palos like Bulerías or Tangos.
Although not normally classified under the category of the cantes de ida y vuelta, some critics consider flamenco tangos to be of Afro-Cuban origin. However, the question of the origins of tangos is much debated.[4] Molina and Mairena considered it a basic flamenco song and therefore Gypsy. Guitarist Manuel Cano found Indian, Arabian and American influences in it. Tanguillos, a lively palo in 6/8 rhythm, usually with humorous lyrics, are sometimes also related with Latin American Origin. Again, their origin is rather controversial, and they are rarely the subject of study of flamencologists. However, the rhythms of tanguillos and, especially, tangos, (or very similar ones) can be found in many parts of the world.
Various artists: Los cantes hispanoamericanos en el mundo del flamenco, Pasarela, 2001 Various artists, (compiled by BLAS VEGA, José): Magna Antología del cante, Hispavox, CD Edition, Vol X, 1992