There has been a trend to re-issue Afro-Colombian gems in vinyl since Soundway records released in 2010 their Palenque Palenque compilation. I have no problem with that trend at all. A few years ago, it was almost impossible to find Afro rootsie gems from Latin America. And if you did come across anything, it had brief liner notes and lacked production/sound mastering quality. Today, it's a different ball game as DJ's or compilers such as Lucas Da Silva (Palenque Records), Quantic (Soundway Records), Hugo Mendez (Sofrito Records), and Samy Ben Redjeb (Analog Africa) are helping reintroduce Afro-Colombian music. Analog Africa, based in Germany, is known for reissuing Afro sounds of the 60's - 80's from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Latin America. Recently they released a two part Diablos del Ritmo compilation. As a DJ I was fond to purchase pt. 2 instead of pt.1 which is more on the tropical funk side per se. Part 2, not only has more tracks in general but contains bass and accordion driven jammable Cumbia tracks capable of getting any party rollin'. Both vinyl sleeves contains killer liner notes full of information about the artists and the development of various musical styles from 1960-1985. So if you are not a DJ don't worry either, this compilation (available also in CD) is as good as any book. The liner notes written by compiler Samy Ben Redjeb are very detail and help illustratively educate anyone about Colombia's rich transcendent musical heritage. And to top it off, you know you are holding a must have Afro-Colombian music compilation if they are sourcing Peter Wade's book "Music, Race and Nation: Musica Tropical in Colombia". Why purchase Part 2 personally as a DJ? Well, it has various classic jams that have been heard by DJ's and cumbiamberos, such as "Lluvia by Sonora Tropical, "Santana en Salsa" by Creciendo Camacho, and "Cumbia Costeña" by Alejandro Duran. More importantly, it has track reissues of some groups I had never heard of before; such as Los Curramberos de Guayabal or Los Alegres Diablos, that sound as good as the others. Don't miss out on this amazing record compilation. Grab a copy before they are gone.
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A couple of years ago I was introduced to Buyepongo. They were opening for Alika (Argentinean Reggae en Español artist) and Quinto Sol at House of Blues in Anaheim. I was impressed not only by their stage presence but their unique approach to Colombian Antillean (Cumbia) music. In fact, whether it is related or not, their name reminds me of an Afro-Colombian music/dance genre called Bullerengue (performed mainly by black women circles in Afro-Colombian communities). If you haven't seen this band live I highly recommend checking them out. For now, visit their http://www.reverbnation.com/buyepongo and download some free tracks before is too late. ............................ More info: Buyepeongo is a manifestation of the “migration patterns of people of the Americas (site)”. Carlos (conga) is Guatemalan, Wilfredo (cowbell) if from El Salvador, Edgar (guacharaca) and Randy (bass) parents are from Mexico, Kevin’s (conga) parents come from Mexico and Guatemala, Roberto’s (palago drums) parents are from Mexico and Ecuador, and Bardo’s (accordion) parents are from Colombia and Mexico. So it is only natural that Buyepongo plays cumbia while consciously pushing the music that runs through its’ veins and always paying homage to its’ originators, Andres Landero and Sexteto Tabala, while consistently moving sweaty crowds with original songs and compositions. Moving crowds and shaking masses and excelerate souls is what Buyepongo does, beating drums soaking dry dirt with dripping sweat, to uplift and to ground everyone to Earth’s original pulse. Words by Gary Garay (Mas Exitos) |
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