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The Cajon, ancient made modern...
During the 1980's, a flamenco artist on tour in South America saw the Cajon (boxes) and took several back to Spain where he gave them to a friend who danced flamenco. He incorporated them into contemporary flamenco music, using them to provide additional beats in time with foot work and hand clapping. The journey of the Cajon has now come to our times. Cajon's are now made of modern materials using engineered ply woods of different thickness to achieve a sonically and acoustically vibrating box producing a drum like sound. The box is sat on as a seat. One of four vertical sides are played on in the same manner as one would play a conga or bongo drum. Some of the more complex sounding Cajon's use drum snares or acoustically vibrating guitar strings that are strung on the inside face of the drums and vibrate when the surface of that side is struck, producing the sizzle effect. In playing the Cajon, the face is struck with different intensities and it can sound like a full drum set, hearing the kick drum and the snare. The first time you sit on a Machudo Cajon, you will realize it's a dream in the works. Machudo Cajon's has re-engineered the sonic aspect of the Cajon to produce a World Class instrument being used by countless touring musical acts, professional percussionists and the occasional weekend player. - J.Machan/Chris Lopez
***The "MARIO OLIVARES" signature Cajon in RED (Rojo de Amor) is now available for $180.00. (price includes $21.50 shipping cost)***
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The Cajon appears to be a simple wooden box. In it's first appearance it was made from shipping boxes that were made to ship dried cod (fish), to be sent back to Spain. The slaves that were required to do this work during this period of history had been stripped of their native ritual instruments, primarily hollowed out tree trunks with skins over one end. Their force of nature to play music was so strong that any hollow wood object was incorporated into their music. The shipping boxes were convenient instruments to play music. Over the centuries the boxes ended up becoming the national instrument of Peru.