Ecuador is most famous for marimba, a distinctive form of music from Esmeraldas; it is a direct and virtually unchanged import from West Africa.
In addition to marimba, pasillo, pasacalle and yarabi are also popular. El pasillo is played with guitar and rondin, the latter being similar to a flute, and is usually downtempo; it is descended from the waltz. El pasacalle is a form of dance music, while the sentimental el yarabi is probably the most popular form in Ecuador.
The people of the Chota River valley have invented a form of music called bomba, which has achieved some fame outside the region.
