Mambo

Mambo originated in the 1940s in Cuba, fusing traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, which was essentially a way to ensure that dancing never went out of style, much to the delight of party-goers everywhere. Characterised by its syncopated rhythms and vibrant brass sections, it sounds like what would happen if a carnival and a dance-off collided in a burst of colour. It’s a genre that taught the world that if you can’t keep still, you might as well shimmy and shake your way through life.