"The bass is an instrument that in one word describes itself," says Israel "Cachao" Lopez, a virtuoso Cuban bassist considered the grandfather of salsa -- and creator of the mambo. "We're the depth of ...

"Tumbao" roughly translates into "groove or "swing" and it's what you call the bass line in Salsa music. But tumbao is also the feel of music, the way all the elements come together to make something ...