« Cantando, cantando, yo viviré, Colombia tierra querida »Matilde Diaz’s voice intones the chorus of this essential Colombian cumbia anthem, composed by the famous Lucho Bermudez in 1970. In the land of gold and emeralds, music takes pride of place among the countless riches that exist. Omnipresent in this corner of the world, « la música » constantly connects Colombians with their traditions. Through its diversity of rhythms and colors, it embodies the ethnic and cultural melting pot that characterizes them. Colombia is the cradle of internationally renowned artists who, proud of their mixed origins, have exported the frenzied rhythms and bewitching melodies of this tropical country to the rest of the world. The Colombian musical scene features a wide range of styles, inviting both to dance and to listen. Each region has its own, from vallenato to currulao, mapalé to merengue, salsa, llanera music, afro-funk and more. And, of course, cumbia, which embodies everything Colombians hold dear. It charms music lovers with its fusion of Afro-descendant drum rhythms, the melodies of indigenous Andean or Amazonian communities and the harmony and Spanish language brought by the Conquistadors. It’s a marvellous blend of flavours, a sancocho as Colombians like to call it, which we’ll try to sample in the following. Today, Colombian music is back in the spotlight. Particularly in Europe, where audiences are increasingly flocking to festivals and concerts featuring more and more Latin American sounds. In addition to Joe Arroyo, Pacho Galan, Andres Landero and other unforgettable monuments, it’s fascinating to see how the great artists of yesterday are now passing the baton to the new generations.
Colombian pop-stars go international
It’s impossible to talk about Colombian music stars without mentioning, at least in passing, the artists who export best abroad. In this respect, Shakira and Carlos Vives are essential figures. Hailing from Barranquilla and Santa Marta, the blood of the Costa runs through the veins of these two very different artists. In a completely different style, Toto la Momposina is an ambassador for the best of Colombian music. the « Queen of Cumbia » hails from Mompox, a colonial town in the heart of the marshes, just a stone’s throw from the costa caribeña. This icon describes her music as « the meeting of African and Indian cultures, with gaïta flutes, brass band sounds and African drums. But it’s also a declaration of love from a woman to a man. The first female cumbia singers danced it with candles in their hands: a symbol of their role as guardians of the home… and a way of keeping men at bay! This dance was also a sacred ritual, which today’s urban youth know nothing about ». This emblematic voice has just completed a European tour this summer, far from being her last. At 77 years of age and after a 50-year career, this grand dame has lost none of her superb energy, and the concerts she gives, always surrounded by the finest musicians, electrify audiences. In the same vein, singers such as Nelda Piña and Petrona Martinez sometimes cross the Atlantic to present a folk repertoire of traditional cumbia or bullerengue, a closely related genre. On their international tours, these grandes dames are accompanied by young up-and-coming groups such as the Bogota Orchestra of Afrobeat and La Rueda de Madrid. Between October and November, in France, it will be possible to listen to other cumbia legends: los Gaiteros de San Jacinto. Born in a small village on the Caribbean coast, this group is a veritable institution, with five generations of musicians singing of life, love and melancholy.
The emerging music scene
Among these emblematic figures, it’s hard to make a place for yourself! However, a myriad of young Colombian artists are making their mark, drawing on their ancestral roots to offer explosive musical compositions. Such is the case of Bomba Estereo, a group formed in Bogotá in 2005 by the duo Simon Mejia and Liliana Saumet, vocalist and co-writer of the group’s lyrics. This « stereophonic bomb » fuses electronic music, rock, reggae and rap with more traditional sounds such as cumbia and champeta.Herencia de Timbiqui is a group of 11 Colombian musicians from the Cauca region. These artists, all Afro-descendants, are committed to reviving the heritage of black Pacific music. The melodies are driven by the Chonta marimba, the flagship instrument of this kind of music, accompanied by a chorus of powerful voices. In another style, groups such as ChocQuibTown and Systema Solar are crossing more and more borders. The former hails from Quibdo, capital of Choco, one of Colombia’s most isolated regions. Strongly influenced by their Afro-Colombian identity, its members are committed to lyrics that oppose corporate land grabbing and the marginalization of this region with its strong traditions. The merry men of Systema Solar, more Caribbean in origin, are also a hip-hop reference in Colombia, full of energy and self-deprecation. Not really Colombian – but perhaps the most Colombian of the « gringos » – William Holland, better known as Quantic, deserves his place in this selection of artists making the link with Colombian musical heritage. With the Frente cumbiero, a group led by Mario Galeano, he is spearheading the Ondatropica project . The idea was to bring back to the forefront the nuggets produced at the time by Label Fuentes (the biggest cumbia label). As the France-Colombia Year draws to a close, Colombian sounds are flooding into France. However, you’ll need to set foot in Colombia to appreciate the sheer scale of the country’s music scene. On every street corner, in every cab, under coconut palms or perched in the Andes, you’ll be dancing. Whether you like it or not!
