The full-size cajòn measures 12.5x20x6 inch in its collapsed state and weighs less than 12 lbs.

The Siroco cajòn is the first of its kind and a collaboration of two innovative and world-renowned Spanish cajòn makers, Paolo De Gregorio and José Leiva. According to DG De Gregorio, the instrument offers the rich bass tone, characteristic snare effects and sensitivity along with all the features of DG's coveted custom cajòns.

It also features a removable front plate, so you can switch it just like drum set players change heads on their drums.

The new cajòn series is named after the strong, warm winds that form in the Sahara region of North Africa and travel across the Mediterranean Sea to Southern Europe.

DG De Gregorio's cajòns are endorsed by acclaimed artists such as Sheila E., Stewart Copeland, Hamid Drake, Dave Weckl and Marco Fadda.

New distributor for North America
In related news: DG De Gregorio Cajòns has selected Big Bang Distribution as their exclusive North American distributor of percussion intruments. Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Big Bang will introduce five series of the leading cajòn maker’s artist-level instruments to the United States and Canada, including the Bailaor, Bravo, Chanela, Maestral and Yaqui traditional models, as well as the previously mentioned new Siroco portable cajòn.

Bob Kasha, president of Big Bang Distribution, says:

"De Gregorio Cajòns are the finest, professional instruments available today. They provide a handcrafted, high-end alternative to the mass-produced, entry-level products that have been available in the past and we are excited to be able to offer them to American drummers and dealers."

De Gregorio founder and president Paolo De Gregorio adds:

"America has become an important part of the rapidly expanding market for Cajòns and we are honored to welcome Big Bang to DG's worldwide distribution network. We are confident that our Cajòns will be as well received by drummers and percussionists in the United States and Canada as they have been throughout Europe and Asia."

More than just a master builder of custom-quality cajòns, Paolo De Gregorio is a cajòn specialist and intimately connected to development of the Spanish Flamenco cajòn tradition. He began his association with the instrument as a player, taking lessons from Manolo Soler, who was a member of legendary Spanish guitarist and composer Paco de Lucia’s group and one of the Spanish pioneers of the instrument.

Origin and development
The original cajòns (based on the Spanish caja, meaning box) were literally wooden boxes used in place of banned traditional African drums in Peru and Cuba in the early 1800's.

Paco de Lucia is credited for bringing the cajòn from Peru to Spain in the late 1970's where he and other leading Spanish musicians discovered that the cajòn was well-suited for Flamenco music and a new tradition was born.

Paolo De Gregorio was among the first to build cajòns specifically designed for the new, Flamenco style — incorporating a snare effect along with the conventional sounds that allowed the cajòn to gain popularity in a variety of contemporary musical contexts.

His passion for the cajòn lead him to produce three instructional dvds, including the definitive documentary about the instrument, 'Los Caminos del Cajòn', featuring the best players from the Afro-Peruvian, Flamenco and Afro-Cuban styles, as well.