Q: What is a montuno?
A: To a pianist, it's a syncopated pattern played during a repeated section of a piece.

Q: What is a tumbao?
A: It's a syncopated bass line, usually played by a bass player, but a pianist's left hand can also play a tumbao.

Q: When does a pianist play JUST a montuno, and when is it appropriate for a pianist to play both a montuno and a tumbao?
A: Latin jazz pianists playing in ensembles usually play only a montuno, because the bass player is playing the tumbao. A Latin jazz pianist playing as a soloist can play both a montuno and tumbao, since there's no chance of collision with a bass player.

Next: notated examples of a montuno as well as a montuno and tumbao that would fit into the progression from our Spanish-flavored Keyboard Improvisation