Flamenco Festival celebrates the legacy of Paco de Lucía with a “cajoneada” in the Bronx.

The final stretch of Flamenco Festival New York will experience one of its most special moments this Saturday, March 16th at 3:00 p.m. with the Cajón event at Rincón Criollo in La Casita de Chema, right in the heart of the Bronx. Attendees of all ages will have the opportunity to learn some rhythms with a group of percussionists from the Puerto Rican and flamenco communities of New York, bringing their own cajón or using one of the 30 that will be provided to those interested. Rincón Criollo-La Casita de Chema is located at 749 Brook Ave, Bronx, NY 10451. The Cajón event is organized by Bronx Music Heritage Center, La Casita de Chema, Cajón Expo, and Flamenco Festival. The flamenco cajón, with its distinctive deep and resonant sound, is much more than a simple percussion instrument. This iconic component of flamenco art has captured the imagination of musicians and enthusiasts worldwide, becoming an unmistakable symbol of this unique cultural expression. Its origins trace back to African slaves in colonial Peru, who, lacking access to their traditional musical instruments, found in the wooden crates of cargo shipments the perfect canvas to express their rhythm and emotion. From this ingenuity born of adversity, the Peruvian cajón emerged. It was within the context of flamenco where the cajón found its true home and reached its fullest expression thanks to Paco de Lucía, who encountered this instrument in Peru in 1977 and considered its sound reminiscent of the footwork of the flamenco dancer. By the late 20th century, flamenco musicians began incorporating it into their performances, adapting it to their style and imbuing it with new nuances and techniques. The cajón quickly became an indispensable element in accompanying flamenco singing, dancing, and guitar, adding depth and rhythm to the performances. Today, the flamenco cajón is cherished worldwide, used not only in flamenco shows but also in a wide variety of musical genres. Its versatility and its ability to convey emotions have made it an indispensable instrument in the contemporary music scene.