Kindred Spirit

Just joined the Latino media messageboard Taringa.com and found this entry that highlights the top ten Cumbia Peruana acts, Grandes de la Cumbia Peruana

Here's a video of his Top 10:



As commenter johnnystuk says,

"los shapis, chacalon musica exclusiva de delincuentes"

"Academic pursuits are how the mind colonizes the body." - Victoria Santa Cruz

I've been reading this book "Black Rhythms of Peru" about African influence on culture in Peru and what Paul Gilroy refers to as "the Black Pacific." The book talks about the revival of folklore by White Criollo (person of Peruvian and European heritage born in Peru) Jose Durand. His revivalist Pancho Fierro dance company in the 1950's played the highest venues in Lima and laid the groundwork for the 1960s contribution of Victoria and Nicomedes Santa-Cruz's company Camanana.

Whether Durand's influence has been positive or negative is debated. Some argue that he molded the stage show to appeal to audiences and downplayed the erotic nature of the plays, suggesting that he removed this element from the show. Others argue that the plays were never erotic, they were just expected to be by virtue of African stereotypes. He is, however, criticized for the direction that Afro-Peruvian culture went in the 1950s.

The Santa-Cruz's group Cumanana was based on the coreography of Victoria and toured internationally. The plays were crafted by Nicomedes and one satirical one suggests the subtle racism in musical notation. A professor is teaching the students quarter and half notes, respectively the black and white notes. When the professor has to leave the room for something, the students quarrel and wonder why "two black notes equals one white note."

Victoria's coreography is based on the idea of "ancestral memory," which shows diasporic consciousness on the Black Pacific in her works. "Academic pursuits are how the mind colonizes the body," she suggests and I gotta keep that in mind when I retrun to academia next year for ethnomusicology.

Here's a clip from a Cumanana piece "Me gritaron negra" ("I Shouted Black")



Extremely important piece! When I told a Peruvian that I went to Chincha, the heart of Afro-Peruvian culture, she often motioned to her face and say, "Los Morenos" (the Browns). Such responses are not often generated in other Black Atlantic countries, making Afro-Peruvian culture a more interesting topic to investigate.

Cumbia Thriller! (Los Mirlos otra vez)

I finally am able to listen to all the records I got down in Peru! Oh man, what a wait- it's been two months since I've been back and I haven't been in the same place/time as my records and player. What a tease, but I finally dove into them today and it's pure bliss.

I found this little medley off the Cumbia Thriller album by Los Mirlos. They start off with a cumbia version of MJ's "Thriller" (this version recorded in 1984), then go into a blend of their exitos starting with La Danza de Los Mirlos, La Danza de Petrolero, and Eres Mentirosa.

Off to a good start! More comin'!

p.s. don't really know what's up with the font two posts below. Tried fixing it about 5 times and can't get it right.

Los Mirlos - Cumbia Thriller Medley

Blog jams goin live! - Nov. 23rd at Trophy Bar

Got a bag of records for grazing on, plus some West African loves on mine on display this Monday! I'm making a few batches of some sorrel to keep drinks cheap for ya!
$3 sorrel and rum after midnight, $5 otherwise.

Facebook event
Fusicology Listing

Los Shapis - La Novia y mas!

Funny song here by big-time chicha act Los Shapis - La Novia (the Girlfriend)

A story of a poor fellow who goes to church to atone for his sins and there happens to be a wedding going on. But say, who is that bride? She looks very familiar...is that my sis...wait a sec- that's my girlfriend with some other guy!

Los Shapis - La Novia

Los Shapis played a truer style of Huayño, an already fused mixture of Andean folk and city-dance music, than other chicha groups like Los Mirlos, Los Diablos Rojos and Los Destellos. While the other groups embraced more guitar elements in their work, Los Shapis embraced their country roots a bit more.

Their songs, like the one above, talked about emotional hardships, drinking, and the failures of love. The following "Juguetito" ("Little Toy") features some great synths and female vocals:

Los Shapis - Juguetito

Of course, since the genre of chicha is named after a low-strength corn beer drank by the Incas, a good bit of drinking is involved in the genre. This song laments the curse of being a drunk as a way to deal with one's problems:

Los Shapis - Borrachito Borrachon

El Sonido de Los Mirlos!

Originally hailing from the San Martin district, a region of northestern Peru that is about half-way between capital city Lima and capital city of Quito, Ecuador, the group who came to be Los Mirlos (The Blackbirds) brought the chicha sound to Lima in 1971. Chicha, as mentioned a few times on here, came about from the Andean mountain music fused with the fiery Colombian cumbia that was gaining popularity in Lima.

Forming in 1968 under the name Los Saetas (The Bolts), brothers Jorge and Carlos Rodriguez Grández incorporated the jungle sound popularized by groups like Juaneco and Sus Combo with a unique use of guitars and accordians. The accordian was mostly dropped en route to Lima and the band is remembered for their reverb-heavy surf guitar rock over a steady cumbia beat and regionally proud lyrics.

The influential guitar work on "La Danza de Los Mirlos" ("The Dance of Los Mirlos") is the unofficial cumbia guitar anthem until today.

Download "La Danza de Los Mirlos" - Los Mirlos



The distinctive melody can be found in many fan versions all over Youtube. Here's a little punk clip by an unknown Peruvian band:



And some bedroom rock!



Taking on a more pointed political and joking approach, "La Danza Del Petrolero" ("The Dance of the Petrol/Oilman") portray oil hungry folks as buffoons.

Grab that "La Danza Del Petrolero" - Los Mirlos

RIP Arturo Zambo Cavero - an Afro-Peruvian King

Killer article from the Listen Recovery Crew:

Arturo Cavero Velásquez

(b. Peru-Lima, 29 November 1940 – † Peru-Lima, 9 October 2009),

Better known by his fans by the pseudonym of “Zambo Cavero”. He was a virtuoso Afro Peruvian singer, who enjoys international fame. He was considered by many Peruvians a symbol of the Afro Peruvian identity or Peruanidad because of his particular manner of singing that captivates his listeners, many of whom coincide that Cavero’s intensity makes then feel the melodies with a truly Peruvian taste, as a result in his long artistic trajectory, he was very popular, admired and loved, not only in Perú, but by many people from different parts of the world in which he sold his musical reproductions. “Zambo Cavero” specialized in interpreting, with a unique talent and inimitable voice, traditional songs from authentic and original rhythms of Perú, some of his best interpretations are songs that were composed by the notable Peruvian composer Augusto Polo Campos, other comes from a profound Afro-Peruvian traditional Música criolla which is actually Afro Peruvian music.

Give them some hits over there: Arturo Zambo Cavero at Listen Recovery Crew