So for health and safety reasons, as well as the fact that real life has got a bit busy, we are going to forego the usual long introductions and go pretty much straight to the music.
Musically Colombia is in the import-export business (you can insert your own reference to other less salubrious exports here if you wish). Cumbia originated on the Caribbean coast of Colombia but has spread across all of Latin America, and there are many other indigenous styles. Wikipedia gives a good summary.
But back in the 1970s the locals fell heavily for Cuban and Puerto Rican salsa and to a lesser extent to the rock, pop and funk sounds heading down from up north. More recently there has been explosion of hip-hop, with a local twist, and Mandatory American Reggaeton (MARton?). It all adds up to a dock load of disc-based fun.
The waterfront is too broad to cover but today's selection was chosen so you can dip your toes into a range of styles. In order, we have two cuts of cumbia, two salsa and one each of champeta, música llanera, 1970s pop, afrobeat, hip-hop and MAR. Where the album from which the track comes or the artist is on Bandcamp I have added a link in their name.
Special thanks to the excellent Vampisoul label for reissuing several of the albums featured below (and many more excellent records).
The videos kick off with undoubtably the biggest global Colombian star of recent times. Unfortunately she seems to be one series behind but at least she has made an effort.
I have followed it up with the great Joe Arroyo's tribute to Barranquilla, the only place in Colombia I have been to - I had one night there after my plane to the country we are heading to next got rerouted. A proper trip to Colombia is on my (very long) list to places to see.
"El Tiburon Del Aire" - Aniceto Molina
"Que Te La Pongo" - La Sonora Dinamita
"Micaela" - Sonora Carruseles
"Dueña De Mi Amor" - Tirso Delgado
"Wayo" - Hety & Zambo
The Aniceto Molina track is a joy, impossible to dislike.
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