Gaiterolog

La Cumbiamba Live on Soundcheck

2006-11-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, La Cumbiamba appeared on WNYC's Soundcheck, hosted by John Schaefer, for a performance of two songs and an interview with frontman Martin Vejarano. You can listen for free at: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes/2006/11/21

Have a listen and let me know what you think, but I'm a little disappointed that Schaefer went directly for the topic of war in Colombia instead of focusing on the most interesting story, which is that the NYC Colombian music scene is so tight and exciting that Marta Gomez showed up as a guest vocalist on "El Arenal." I mean, isn't this the big deal? Marta, famous for her gentle, breezy melodies, shows up practically unannounced to sing with the rollicking eNeYé? I get the feeling that some people wanted to hear the acoustic, gaita y tambor songs that have such an African feel to them--and that they heard the big band sound as being less authentic in some way. But I guess this is part of the process of teaching people about Colombian music. The cumbia and the fandango (they played "Andando Vengo") are authentic Afro-Colombian sounds, just different styles. I agree it's a shame they couldn't play an acoustic song, but there will be more time for that.

Thanks to everyone who got our CD after hearing the interview--if you're new to the Chonta sound, then welcome. We have lots of new gigs to tell you about, so please keep checking in.

A Better Place for your Colombian Music Fix

2006-11-13T11:27:00.000-05:00

Hello! If you're here, you've probably noticed that I haven't updated this thing in months. Which isn't to say we haven't been busy--Chonta Records is about to release its sixth CD, and just last night we had the wonderful Encuentro of Colombian Musicians here in New York City. We have a new website, lots of new press, and a lot of energy after a great 2006.

But you want a blog that keeps you well informed about Colombian music? Well, check out Notas del Bajo Mundo, a vlog/blog that is getting a lot of attention from the Colombian music scene. It's something we've really needed, and I strongly suggest you go to check it out.

And maybe we'll get into a better updating habit here, too.

Ricardo Gallo

2006-04-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

Last week was Ricardo Gallo's CD release in the U.S. for his debut solo album, Los Cerros Testigos. It's a great Colombian jazz CD by a pianist/composer whose songs bear the mark of his extraordinary intelligence. This is a jazz CD, with challenging tunes that effortlessly incorporate elements of traditional Colombian music. In some ways, it is the yin to (Folklore Urbano's) Baile's yang.

This is especially important to Chonta because it marks the first dual release with Bogota's artist collective, La Distritofonica. Ricardo is an active member of La Distritofonica, and he is also a member of the fantastic Bogota jazz group, Asdrubal.

I'm so happy to be a part of this, and I'll have a review of the album up this weekend.

Fashion review: Ladeeda purses!

2006-03-16T16:27:00.000-05:00

I don't often post on non-music topics, but I have to let you know about my favorite New York purse company: Ladeeda. Well, I have a bias here, because my girlfriend is one of the sisters behind the bags, but I do think they're great! And they were featured in the magazine, Shop, Etc., this month.

The bags are made of vinyl and leather, and all of the designs are hand-sewn and one-of-a-kind. The designs vary from the abstract expressionism of the bag at the left to lots of flower petal designs. And starting at $80, they're a great value for some NYC style.

Basically, they're perfect for carrying your Chonta CDs to a night of dancing cumbia :)

Colombian Jazz written up in Colombian press

2006-03-09T21:11:00.000-05:00

This week's issue of Semana (the Time magazine of Colombia) has a great article on Colombian jazz. The talk a lot about Medillin group Puerto Candelaria, who have become something of the standard-bearers of Colombian jazz. But there's also a great bit on Chonta artist Ricardo Gallo's new album, Los Cerro Testigos, which in a rough translation calls it "something more rhythmically risky." Ricardo is quoted as saying that he "wanted my music to contain new textures, and even though I'm not a traditionalist, that there would be an allusion to tradition."

There's also a mention of La Distritofonica artist Asdrubal, whose CD I've listened to a bit, and I want to write about them soon. But Ricardo's CD is so much better! This Colombian jazz, along with the resurgence in traditional Colombian music, is really the new thing!

Can't say enough good things about Folklore Urbano...

2006-03-07T01:27:00.000-05:00

O.K., so I'm not the world's best blogger. I'm too busy and too unfocused for this kind of writing, but enough of you still stop by here that it's worth pointing out to you some brand new reviews of Folklore Urbano that just appeared at Descarga.com.

Pablo Mayor Y Folklore Urbano
Aviso
CD (Chonta Records) 2003
The first volume of a two cd series that might just go down as a classic in 20 or 30 years. A synthesis of a bunch of Colombian rhythms and jazz improvisation — Andy Gonzalez is on bass — it all sounds honest. In part this is due to Mayor’s piano playing. He’s calm, and a real improviser; he’s not flashing lines, but playing melodies and rhythms. There are a few horns to play the melodies, plus three Colombian percussionists; it’s recorded beautifully. There are elements of Cuban music in some montunos, but it has that caballo sway of Colombian music. Because of its clarity, and simplicity, the music can be listened to over and over. It’s real.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous, 06-Mar-06)
Category: Latin Jazz => Latin Jazz
ORDER TL-21632.10 CD $16.98 Add to My Shopping Cart

Pablo Mayor Y Folklore Urbano
Baile/ Dance
CD (Chonta Records) 2005
The dance, and second volume of the highly ambitious two cd series by the pianist Pablo Mayor. This one has faster rhythms, vocalists, and dance music arrangements. It’s also brilliant music, laid over rhythms from Colombia. There are solos, too, and Mayor nods in the direction of Herbie Hancock among others. The percussion rhythm section boils.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous, 06-Mar-06)
Category: Latin Jazz => Latin Jazz
ORDER TL-21631.10 CD $16.98 Add to My Shopping Cart

Isn't this something? Their gig in Brooklyn, at the Brooklyn Museum's First Friday, was unbelievable, and a just over a week ago they introduced their sound to an enthusiastic crowd at Philly's World Cafe Live.

Things at Chonta are going so well. We have a double-release on March 28--Ricardo Gallo and La Cumbiamba eNeYe! They'll be celebrating the release at a show at Makor (92nd St. Y), and we expect people just to love this combo. I'll tell you all about them soon.

But I wanted this blog to be much more than a promo site for Chonta. To that end we're going to be building a blog that will allow musicians from Chonta, La Distritofonica, and more to talk about music and share sounds with each other. That way fans and newcomers will be able to learn about the music and participate in this amazing scene that's going on these days.

But until then, just spread the word on Folklore, O.K.?

2 new reviews of Folklore Urbano

2006-01-12T16:27:00.000-05:00

Over the holiday week there were 2 new, glowing reviews of Baile/Dance, which I'm happy to share with you here. First, World Music Central said, "Chonta Records, a new record label based in New York, has certainly made a great impression with its first release. Dance Baile by Folklore Urbano automatically became an editor's pick at World Music Central for top 10 albums of 2005." Top 10 albums!

Then, Richard Antone of the Bucks County Courier Times listed Baile/Dance as among his "Overlooked CDs of 2005," saying, "There aren't enough hours in the day for Pablo Mayor. When not busy as a music professor, the pianist-arranger for Qrquesta Broadway leads his own band, Folklore Urbano. The twelve-member New York city-based band is part of the growing music scene known as Nueva Colombia. Combining traditional Colombian percussion with improvisation and jazz rhythm and horn sections, it makes for quite an innovative and exciting sound. Ebullient vocalist Ronald Polo and his enthusiastic bandmates have an eclectic collective background, including stints with Chico 'O Farrill, Maria Schneider, the Vanguard Jazz Irchestra and the Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. Folklore Urbano is shaking up the New York world and Latin music scenes with some of the freshest sounds around."

Send your own reviews, and I'll post them!

Sonidos Colombianos

2006-01-07T13:59:00.000-05:00

After a luxuriously relaxing week in Virgin Gorda, of the British Virgin Islands, I'm back in New York. And already Colombian music is everywhere (I missed it so much!) Last night, Folklore Urbano played to a packed house at S.O.B.'s, and it's clear that this band keeps picking up more and more fans. They're playing Philly next month, and we're trying to line up some festival gigs for the spring and summer. Also, La Cumbiamba has finished the remastering of their debut CD, and we'll have a release date set for sometime next month.

But if you can't wait that long for new Colombian music, try the great program, "Sonidos Colombianos," on 89.9 WKCR Columbia University Radio, from 10-11 p.m. every Sunday night. Hosted by my friend, Sadys Espitia, it's a great mix of all the styles of Colombian music. New Yorkers, just tune into 89.9. To listen to WKCR on your computer, just click here.

Here's a description from the WKCR website:

Sonidos Colombianos presents the music from one of the most culturally diverse countries of Latin America: Colombia! Every Sunday night join us as we explore the sounds from the legendary town of "Macondo". Our bilingual musical tour is guaranteed to include not only "cumbia", but also the guitar-based "bambuco" from the Andean region, the harp "llanero" music from the Eastern Plains, and the accordion-driven "vallenato" of the North Atlantic Coast. Sonidos Colombianos also features the big band music from the 50's, to the newer afro-caribbean music called "champeta". And let's not forget the "salsa" from Cali, the "salsa capital of South America". The last program of each month focuses on one specific musical genre, group or composer.

Chonta enters the digital world

2005-12-08T00:17:00.000-05:00

Hello there! It's been a few days, and this is just another little plug for the record label: Baile/Dance! is now available to buy online, at Calabash Music. Songs are just $0.99 apiece, and there's a special 20-songs-for-$14.99 deal, too. We're really excited about this.

It's been a while since I've posted something non-promotional here, or at least those sorts of posts have been few and far between. As you can imagine, my day job and the rapid developments on the record label front have been keeping me really busy. Moreover, my girlfriend, Mia, who's responsible for our lovely online store, is having a party tomorrow night for the purse company she runs with her sisters. And on top of everything, I've come down with some sort of bug that has run me down.

So there will be some quality posts coming up in the next week, because there's some great material out there, and I do want to share it with you. Until then, chao!

Chonta Store!

2005-12-01T00:28:00.000-05:00

We've been working on this for a long time, but the Chonta Store is finally online! You make easy and secure payments through trusted PayPal (owned by Ebay), and we'll put your CDs in the mail as soon as we can. Right now, we're offering Folklore Urbano's Baile/Dance! and Aviso, and any day now we'll be offering Coba's self-titled debut album. Also, look for a unique Chonta Christmas package, offering both of Folklore's CDs, specially wrapped and specially priced!

Also, please remember that buying through our website ensures that more money goes to the artist. We're a 50/50 record company, which means that we split all costs and profits equally with the artists. It also means that we don't make wild investments in recording and marketing expenses--but we believe that this form of business is more just and more sustainable than most others in the record industry (and I'd like to thank Thrill Jockey Records for providing the example that I'm following here). The only way you're going to get more money directly into the hands of the artist is to buy the CD at their concert--but if you can't make it to a show, or you just can't wait that long, then go to the Chonta Store!

Suburban Kids with Biblical Names

2005-11-29T15:05:00.000-05:00

A break from Colombian music today. Yesterday was Pablo Mayor's birthday, and a whole slew of musicians and Colombians (and Colombian musicians, too) filled his Astoria apartment for a surprise party thrown by his wife, Anna. Today I'm a little tired, the New York sky is dreary, and the apartment has no hot water, so I need a pick-me-up...

Not everybody knows this, but my other big musical obsession is with Swedish music. This year has been full of Sambassadeur, Jens Lekman, Dungen, and El Perro del Mar, and I can tell you more about them later. But today I can't stop listening to the Suburban Kids with Biblical Names, whose new CD, #3, is sure to be a great antidote to the coming winter blues. They're kind of like Jens in their oddly clever lyrics ("Any old chance I get I'm gonna marry you... Any old chance I get I'm gonna buy you stuff..."), but younger and sillier. On the goofy electro-folk-funk of "Loop Duplicate my Heart," (mp3) a song devoted to making music on a computer, they sing, "The neighbors can't complain 'cause I got my headphones on," and the killer pick-up line, "So many interesting effects, I want to try them all on you." The aforementioned "Marry Me" and "Seems to Be on My Mind" show much more maturity in terms of songwriting, with well-placed minor chords and catchy choruses. And then there's the fun "Rent-a-Wreck,"(mp3) which is perfect for bedroom dancing. Oh, and "Little Boys in the Ghetto" is a perfect album-ender for Swedish indie-popsters raised on Warren G and Nate Dogg (on Hammer Hill?).

The thing I love most about Swedish music is something I love about Colombian music, too--the mastery of the music and the sophisticated songwriting combined with a great pop sensibility. Both Colombia and Sweden have a disproportionate number of international pop stars, and their music always sounds fresh and fun. In Sweden music education begins at a very early age, and even though the Colombian education system doesn't provide the same resources, many young Colombians learn to play instruments from childhood. It's something in the culture. Oh--and they love licorice-flavored drinks, too! Well, I still haven't been to Sweden, but something tells me they would love Colombia.

We have two new bands!

2005-11-28T11:03:00.000-05:00

Chonta Records is thrilled to announce the signing of two bands, La Cumbiamba eNeYe and Coba, who are integral members of the flourishing Colombian music scene in New York. Chonta will release La Cumbiamba’s first CD, Marioneta, in December, and Coba’s second CD will be released in early 2006.

La Cumbiamba eNeYe is the greatest crowd-pleaser of the NYC Colombian scene, which includes fellow Chonta artist, Pablo Mayor – Folklore Urbano, as well as Chesky Records singer/songwriter Marta Gomez and harp virtuoso Edmar Castaneda. La Cumbiamba’s music, built on sophisticated compositions and an ebullient live show, draws from the rhythms of Colombian folkloric music, especially from the Afro-Colombian rhythms of the country’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts. This is the same area that has spawned such international stars as Toto la Momposina, Grupo Bahia, and Cabas.

Marioneta allows fans to experience the band’s highly praised live show at home. This live show, which has moved audiences in such prestigious venues as Symphony Space, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, and Central Park Summerstage in New York, has won them a following among many young fans of danceable Latin music. Each show is a party, but it is also an homage to the masters in Colombia who invented and wrote many of these rhythms and songs. La Cumbiamba’s frontman, Martin Vejerano, has recorded with master musicians such as Gaiteros de San Jacinto and Jose “Guajalo” Torres.

Coba is the brainchild of composing wunderkind and guitarist Sebastian Cruz, a Colombian from Bogotá who creates beautiful songs by combining Colombian sounds with modern elements. The lyrics tend towards the personal, which gives a unique depth for Colombian music. Cruz works extensively with giants of Colombian music, such as Ivan Benavides and Lucia Pulido, who both contributed to his self-titled first album.

With these signings, NYC-based Chonta Records cements itself as a leader of the promotion of a fresh and innovative music scene that stretches from New York to Bogotá and throughout Colombia.

For more information, please contact:

Robert Kelley
Chonta Records
{contact} (at) {chontarecords} [dot] {com}

What an encuentro!

2005-11-21T13:28:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the Encuentro was chosen by the NYPost as a "Hotpick" for this past weekend? Maybe that explains why hundreds of people showed up, filling the place by 7 p.m. and leaving it packed and overcrowded (to the point of a fire hazard--really) by the time La Cumbiamba had the place rocking a few hours later. I'm not going to tell you about all the bands, but I will say that Lucia Pulido and Coba made a stunning combination, Marta Gomez completely controlled the room for her 30-minute set, and Folklore Urbano delivered as the final act of the night, bringing the whole crowd to its feet. But really, the stunner of the night was Edmar Castañeda, whose performance on the harp was spellbinding. People around me were crying. How can someone do so much with a harp? I mean, the guy has played Carnegie Hall, but I really didn't expect this. He has a record out in a week, I'll try to find some more info on it.

But the big news is that we've signed La Cumbiamba and Coba to Chonta Records! La Cumbiamba has a CD that they've self-released, but we're in the process of remixing and remastering it right now, and we're going to re-release it within a month. And Coba's first CD will be available on our store this week, when the store goes live. And also, Sebastian Cruz, the songwriting prodigy behind Coba, will be going back into the studio early next year to put together a new album with a stripped-down sound. I'll post the press release here later.

BTW, send any e-mail to contact [at] chontarecords {dot}com. No spam!

Scooped?

2005-11-20T14:44:00.000-05:00

We were listed on a directory of record labels, but if you look closely, you'll see that there's some news there that we haven't announced yet. The plan is to make it public tonight, at the Encuentro, and I'll have a lot more to share about it this coming week.

Also we stayed in last night working on the new website and Chonta Records Store. Now Mia just has to finish the programming, and we should be able to offer you our music directly through the internets. And it looks so good! You'll see soon enough.

Chonta Recrods getting noticed on the net

2005-11-19T18:33:00.000-05:00

worldmusiccentral.org has a brief article announcing Chonta Records! Also, the Chonta Records Store is about to go live, I'll let you know when it does. And we've been working all day on redesigning the full, "robust" site, which will enable us to post more info about our new artists and let people learn more about us.

Review for Baile/Dance!

2005-11-18T13:37:00.000-05:00

Spanish speakers out there can read the new review of Folklore Urbano's Baile/Dance! at laconga.org. Non-Spanish-speakers can take our word that it is a great review, and he says that the songs, "with the proper radio and marketing campaign, could be Colombian dance hits at an international level," and he predicts big stardom for lead singer Ronald Polo. He also pays some props to Chonta Records--which only puts that much more pressure on us to provide that proper marketing support, try to get these songs on the radio and in people's ears. We're not looking to create the next reggaeton here, but this is definitely music that could be popularized on a wide, wide basis.

The Encuentro is this Sunday night, read below for more details.

Afro-Colombian Podcast

2005-11-16T14:59:00.000-05:00

Back in June Seattle's best radio station, KEXP 90.3FM, broadcast a show focusing on Afro-Colombian music, which incuds some of the old legends as well as some of the "Nueva Colombia" scene. The show is narrated by a Colombian, Federico Ardila, of the Washington University Mathematics Department. The highlights for me include my favorite, Etelvina Maldonado, as well as Toto la Momposina, Batata, Carlos Vives, Aterciopelados, Sidestepper, and the Neuva Colombia sounds of Curupira and Mojarra Electrica.

You can download the parts and listen to them like a podcast.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

3rd Annual Encuentro

2005-11-15T11:51:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again when the best Colombian musicians in New York get together and show the City the collective talent of this group of artists. The event, the 3rd Annual "Encuentro" of Colombian Musicians, takes place this Sunday, November 20, at Satalla, 37 W. 26th St., at 6:00 p.m. The show will feature short sets from a variety of artists, ranging from new acts to established stars, like Marta Gomez.

Best of all, it will be a good showcase for Chonta bands. I hope that at the Encuentro we'll be able to officially announce the addition of two bands to our roster.

Here's the line-up:

6:00 Trinidad Guitar Trio
6:30 Samurindo
7:00 Johanna Castaneda
7:15 Andrea Tierra (pictured)
7:45 Sativasur
8:15 Kosta
8:45 Coba w/ Lucia Pulido
9:15 Harold Gutierrez
9:45 La Cumbiamba eNeYe
10:15 Marta Gomez
10:45 Folklore Urbano
11:15 Edmar Castaneda

Chonta Records

2005-11-14T01:55:00.000-05:00

It has been a while, but so much has been going on, I've decided to start writing this thing again. The big news is that in NYC we've started a new record label, Chonta Records, dedicated to Colombian and other Latin music. One of the cornerstones of this label is the young scene of Colombian artists, both in Colombia and in the U.S., who are experimenting with new, exciting sounds while at the same time paying homage to the legendary musicians of several generations ago. These bands in New York include La Cumbiamba Eneye, Coba, and Pablo Mayor - Folklore Urbano, whose second album, Baile/Dance!, is our first release. The whole NYC Colombian scene is playing Satalla this weekend--come join us, and there will be lots more to come.

Lost rhythms

2005-06-08T17:01:00.000-05:00

Saturday night Kit and I headed out to Bocachica, a village on the nearby island of Tierra Bomba (which I likened to Staten Island in an earlier post). When we arrived, we were told that our musician friends had come across a legend of local folkloric rhythms.

On the left is Etelvina Maldonado, and on the right is Victor "El Doctor." In the middle is an 85-year-old resident of Bocachica and the last remaining player of a lost Afro-Colombian rhythm. Victor searched for him on the island and convinced him to teach him the rhythm. As the two of them played, dozens of people from the village gathered around to listen and to sing.

Later that night the musicians played to celebrate the birthday of a local dancer. A highlight was seeing Etelvina sing with a beautiful young girl, maybe 20, who sings bullerengue as well. I marveled at the way these songs could go on for 10 or 12 minutes, with the same refrain, but with the singers taking turns improvising lyrics pertaining to the theme of the song. Don't you see? It's jazz! It's hip-hop!

The party went all night, and the next morning we toured the village: no running water, very little tourism, but no crime or squalor. With Etelvina and her husband we toured a minor fort located on the southern tip of the island, which was used as an arrival point for African slaves in colonial times. When a local told us that the Spanish would fill the moat with sharks in order to prevent any slaves from escaping, Etelvina's husband turned visibly furious. "That's how the Spanish treated the blacks!" he shouted. People don't tend to talk much about race here, but on that poor island, staring at history, it seemed entirely appropriate.

Umm, an update

2005-06-03T00:56:00.000-05:00

I wish I could tell you more about what's been happening here with the festival, but I'm not allowed. Long story. I promise, you'll hear some news soon.

Also I have a couple of great entries planned for this page. Was going to have one for tonight, but the subject of the interview found himself in a broken-down car, so we had to postpone.

My friend Kit is visiting this week, it's been a lot of fun so far. Owing in large part to his formidable skills as a cook. Another holiday weekend coming up in Colombia, but it'll be busy.

Hasta pronto....

This is the life...

2005-05-29T23:48:00.000-05:00

Over the holiday weekend, Mia and I headed out to the Islas del Rosario for a couple days of relaxing, kayaking, snorkeling, and eating fish. And of course we were music-geeky enough to bring along an iPod and speakers. In fact, the whole thing was a comedy of errors featuring two New Yorkers "roughing it" at the Hotel San Pedro de Majagua, the exclusive private island resort run by the Hotel Santa Clara. I nearly lost it when the mosquitos poured in after sunset. But after feasting on us, they soon left, and later in the evening we watched a beautiful lightning storm from the private beach in the picture above.

For me, it was probably my last moment of calmness until the festival--big news coming this week, please stay tuned.

Finally, a picture of Etelvina

2005-05-28T22:06:00.000-05:00

On the right is Etelvina Maldonado, a singer in Cartagena and a living legend of bullerenge, a style of music that relies on women's voices and complex percussion. I really wish I could show each and every one of you the power of one of her concerts (those of you living in Colombia should do everything you can to see her perform sometime). To her right is Victor "El Doctor," one of the country's most talented percussionists. They're also great people, and you can imagine how fun a beach trip is when they're along!

Sidestepper

2005-05-24T00:19:00.000-05:00


Electronic music hasn't made the inroads into Colombian culture that it has in several other countries, such as Peru, for instance.  However, there's quite a bit going on here, and I suspect that with some digging, one could come across a great scene.  You don't need to look any farther than Colombia's best rock group, Aterciopelados, to hear the potential that Colombian electronic music has (

Hector Buitrago, the electronic-minded half of Aterciopelados, showed his best work on the band's 2000 album, Gozo Poderoso).

This group probably isn't new to many of you who live in Colombia, but I'm new to Sidestepper, the brainchild of UK native Richard Blair, who with Colombian rock legend, Ivan Benavides, has put together a couple of albums of subtle grooves intertwined with Colombian rhythms and melodies (and also some Cuban and Jamaican dancehall sounds, which I'm less fond of). The most recent album, 3am: In Beats We Trust, kicks off with the stunning "Deja (Mary)" (listen to a sample here), a hypnotic and haunting tune with a track so soothing you could listen to it for ages. Another song in this vein is "Dame tu querer," with a beautiful string track and vocal.

I think what makes Blair so successful here is his background as a drum'n'bass artist. Drum'n'bass has always been one of the most fascinating genres of electronic music to me, mostly because its rhythms are so animalistic and mechanical at the same time, but also because of its modernist simplicity. Blair's at his best when he uses the mixing tables to subtract complexity from the arrangements, leaving the listener to hear the beauty in the elements of the songs.

Sidestepper is another example of the way that traditional Colombian music is alive in a really exciting manner. And with the wealth of material here at his disposal, the project should keep improving. I'm trying to get in touch with Richard for an interview with this site, and hopefully next time I'm in Bogotá, I'll be able to catch him spinning at Quiebra Canto.

Folklore Urbano

2005-05-22T12:13:00.000-05:00


Because this blog was just written up in a Semana article on music blogs, I want to take this opportunity to tell everyone about one of the best bands I came across in the last year: Folklore Urbano. They're a New York-based band that takes traditional Colombian music and melds it with a gritty jazz sound to produce some of the most sophisticated, danceable music around today.

[A los no-anglohablantes les pido que me disculpen--escribo este blog en inglés para promocionar la música y cultura colombiana al exterior. Creo que con la riqueza de cultura que tenemos en este país, tenemos la oportunidad de mejorar la imagen de Colombia y atraer el turismo cultural, en vez de el turismo del sexo y de la droga que ahora está muy popular aca en la costa. Otra cosa: soy medio-colombiano. ¡Nací en Bucaramanga! Mi mamá es colombiana, mi papá gringo, entonces toda mi vida he tenido este amor de Colombia.]

Folklore Urbano is led by Pablo Mayor, who grew up near Cali and is the former director of the jazz program at the Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá. Now in New York, he's leading a movement that I've decided to call "Nueva Colombia," which is a very modern take on Colombian folkloric music. Their first album, Aviso, boasts a collection of songs that are truly Colombian but don't at all feel out of place on your iPod when you're walking up Avenue C. This isn't smiley "World Music" that you put on while cleaning the house--this is the cosmopolitanism of '70s jazz, and this is the rock'n'roll that you stumble upon at barebones clubs like Sin-E.  There's an anxious intensity to it that captures both the joy and the tensions of modern Colombian life.

But on their upcoming album, Baile!, they've really found their groove. I've only heard some unmastered clips of the recordings, but judging from some of their live shows I've seen earlier this year, the sound is much more confident and much more festive. I expect it to be spectacular.

Just to let you know, it was my dream to bring them down for the festival. I don't think any band out there so completely captures my Colombian musical aesthetic as well as Folklore Urbano. But we simply don't have the funds this year. They're looking to play some shows in Colombia in a few months, so please, colombianos, keep your eyes open for any news. For you New Yorkers, this coming Friday night you can check them out at Satalla, on W. 26th street, at 10 p.m. It'll be a great night of music and dancing, so if you're not leaving for the weekend, you shouldn't miss it.

Note: I love the way that the Semana article has a picture of the new Archer Prewitt record. I saw him at the Bowery Ballroom a few months ago with my friends Caryn and Lexa, and it was a great show. The song, "O, KY," is among my favorite of the year so far.