Toto La Momposina and Baranquilla Carnaval Live in La Habana (2013)

Afrocolombian spirit gliding over La Habana, could be a good summary of this unique night, beginning in the Teatro de America, and ending in the streets as an improvised carnaval...

On their way back from Santiago de Cuba (where Fire Festival 2013 had Colombia as special guest), colombian artists including a Baranquilla folkloric group and Toto la Momposina were booked for a concert to share afrocolombian culture, carnaval music and dance. The venue was one of La Habana numerous theaters, Teatro de America, which was open in 1941 (Avenida de Italia, locally know as Galiano) and still transmits the majestic atmosphere from this golden era.

MIX /// Tropical Roundtrip Selection (from Colombia to Africa)

(Muzzicaltrips TRT019).

A real tropical roundrip, beginning in colombia with classy 60s cumbia, guiro y guaracha, merecumbe, maracumba, currulao, afrocolombian...
A selection warmly advised to people still convinced that all latin music is more or less salsa... Actually we begin with few examples of the countless styles having emerged in Colombian regions, as merecumbe, being a blend of merengue+cumbia initially popularized in the 50s by Pacho Galan, and here played by Lucho Bermudez.

Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros - Fandango (and Porro from Colombia, 60s)

(Fuentes LP 0011).

This early LP recorded by Pedro Laza for Fuentes label consists of 2 kind of styles widely played in Colombia: Fandango and Porro. 

Fandango is originally an old spanish ternary rhythm, but being brought early to Colombia, it integrated local influences, african drums, brass bands (bandas papayeras), to become a successful style for record industry in the 50s.

Luis Morais em La Bonanza - La Murga Panamero (Cumbia de Cabo Verde, 70s)

(Morabeza Records 6810 254).

Cabo Verde being on the road between Africa and the Caribbean, latin covers regularly appear. This Luis Morais LP includes a murga (credited to W. Calon and H. Lavon!), a cumbia (Lisandro Meza) and some other tropical rhythms.

Climaco Sarmiento - Bombo y Maracas (Colombia, 60s)

(Fuentes LP0061).

This heavy record is the second Cimaco Sarmiento released for Fuentes. It includes cumbia, gaita, porro, plena and also palenque, as is tagged the "Bombo y Maracas" hit. Hanging around in Baranquilla bars can reveal great record collections, and even in some small places, attention is paid to play the music with original vinyls...

Los Doggers de Colombia - Saca tu Pareja (Colombia, 70s)

(Benny LP001).

As I received several questions about a track selected for the Muzzicaltrips en Colombia mix, i post here another catchy track from Los Doggers.

Pico Culture #03 - Mysterious records (Colombia)

In order to maintain exclusivity of tracks played on each pico (and thus gain loyalty of the public who has to go to the party to listen to specific exclusive hits), it was common to tear away or paint the label sothat no one could read the original track. The result is some really unique beautiful pieces, but also some unidentified hits (everyone knows the song but no one knows who was the artist, so the track is only known by his spanish surname). That's the case with the following 7" played by the pico El Dragon, but originally from the famous pico El Coreano.

MIX /// Muzzicaltrips In Colombia

Colombia is surely one of the most impressive country in Latin American, notably due to importance, diversity and quality of his music. Regionalism and opening to numerous influences being two particularities, listing and studying every styles (and sub-styles) becomes quickly a full time job. 

Conjunto Miramar - Carruseles (Early Colombian cumbia, 60s)

(dia 1505 - Grabaciones Ondina).

Let's follow the trip in Colombia with a cumbia from Medellin. This record is the LP from Conjunto Miramar (from the early 60s, then the band was renamed Sexteto Mirarmar), where the accordion takes his place not only on cumbia songs but also on a variety of great afrocaribbean rhythms played by the conjunto (guaracha, guajira, porro, pregon, son montuno).

Polito Bances y su Conjunto (Cumbia form Peru, 70s)

(Ind. Peruana 0876).

Polito Bances is a sax player from Peru, and played also in Ecuador. "Chiclayanita" is how is fondly called a women coming from the north shore city of Chiclayo.

The tunes is a great cumbia, composed by Rufino Millones.

Lisandro Meza - Shakalao / Shakara (Fela Kuti vibe in Colombia, 1975)

(Limeza).

Muzzicaltrips travels around mutual influences between Africa and Latin America.
Here's a great example, "Shacalao", played by Colombian Lisandro Mesa, cumbia master, known as "Accordion World Champion", joined by his conjunto.

It consists of a roots afro-colombian version of nigerian king of afrobeat Fela Kuti song "Shakara".

Amazing mixed influences version, atlantic ocean seems to have evaporated...