All done.

   Well this little guy is done now. Two more to go. This shekere ended up having a nice tight responsive action with a crisp sound, but not too loud. That's perfect for a cachimbo for guiro, even for rumba, but I don't think this gourd quite has the presence for rumba. In a guiro this size shekere basically keeps the time, playing the pick-up just before the downbeat and the downbeat and . Ki-la, ki-la, ki-la: just like the cachimbo for bembe or the okonkolo often do.

  I've heard this particular size go by a couple of names. Cachimbo is one, okonkolo like the bata drum is another, and I've even heard it mentioned as an "uno" (one), I assume because it's the smallest, or first shekere somehow?

  Cachimbo and okonkolo are obvious names as a 3 shekere agbe (or agwe) set plays guiro. From what I understand a guiro is similar to a bembe with drums and a toque with bata; the guiro uses primarily shekeres. From what I have seen and heard the songs for the orishas are sung at each. Just to be clear, I'm not a santero, though I know several. I enjoy the music and I enjoy educating myself on it's backgrounds and traditions.

  So this little guy is done and now onto the other two. It's always a pleasure to finish one of these instruments as one is never quite sure how it is going to come together in the end; the sound, the action the appearance.