This past summer, DFoM student Samuel Murrell-Cole applied the close listening skills he is developing as a jazz saxophone major to a new musical genre—salsa—in an Undergraduate Research Award (URA) project under the supervision of music theory professor Rebecca Simpson-Litke.
As two Afro-diasporic art forms that developed in New York city before spreading around the world, salsa and jazz have many musical features in common. Both alternate sections of music that are composed ahead of time with sections that are created spontaneously in live performance through improvisation; both rely on repeated rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic patterns called grooves to form the predictable foundation that facilitates these exciting and ever-varying improvisational practices; and, while distinct in their sonic characteristics, both jazz and salsa grooves are known to provoke in their listening audiences the irresistible urge to move.
As a salsa dancer herself, Dr. Simpson-Litke’s research has focused on how dancers and musicians interact with each other in social club settings. She is especially interested in what dancers do when faced with the unexpected changes that musicians may throw in from time to time, literally keeping dancers “on their toes” as they navigate the music while simultaneously coordinating their movements with a dance partner in the heat of the improvisational moment.
In the initial training phase of this URA project, then, Samuel learned how to identify important patterns in salsa music not just aurally, but also physically, using the basic salsa dance steps as a music-analytical tool. In the data collection phase of the project, Samuel danced through numerous salsa songs from different artists, geographic regions, and time periods, taking note of instances where musical changes required him to adjust his movement patterns in order to stay coordinated with the music, and thereby contributing to Dr. Simpson-Litke’s broader study of what role these musical changes play in defining the salsa genre as a whole.
As he reflects on both the process and results of the project, Samuel notes how working through the genre methodically and systematically provided an efficient way to get both the sounds of salsa in his ear and the feel of salsa in his body. The URA project has honed Samuel's critical listening skills, provided him with an in-depth understanding of a new musical tradition, and given him additional creative ideas that he will be able to incorporate into his jazz playing, composing, and teaching. While only a second-year student, Samuel looks forward to pursuing graduate studies, and this hands-on introduction to music research at the University of Manitoba has been very beneficial as he contemplates his promising future musical paths.
This is an exciting opportunity for undergraduate students to be mentored full-time by a professor of their choice for 16 weeks during the summer of 2026, to receive a financial award of $7000, and to gain valuable research experience in their field of interest.
Applications are due February 16
For more info, visit Undergraduate Research Award page.
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