In the 1960s in Peru, a funky popular style emerged in the oil-boom cities of the Amazon. It was largely based on Colombian cumbia and Andean tropical music but using the pentatonic scale of Andean music. Additional ingredients include highland huayno, Cuban percussion, psych and surf rock (especially twangy guitars, with as many as three playing together) and plenty of spacey keyboards.
Often instrumental, the music is infectious and always gets the dancefloor moving on a DJ night. It should also be remembered this music emerged at a time of authoritarian governments and often military administrations, and Peru was no exception. The military promoted local music in an effort to dilute the cultural colonialism of Western pop and rock, and it was in this context that chicha, which takes its name from a corn liquor, developed.
The first Peruvian chicha hit was probably La Chichera (The Chicha Seller) by Los Demonios del Mantero (The Devils of Mantaro), who added mainstream Creole waltz and rock rhythms. Pretty soon after Los Mirlos, Los Ecos and Los Diablos Rojos followed and a new, very danceable subgenre was born. Los Mirlos and Los Diablos Rojos are both still touring the planet with their catchy tropical beats.
Techno beats featured in the 1990s as the genre ran out of steam, only to be revived in 2007 on the back of of two excellent compilations, Roots Of Chicha Vol.1 and Vol.2 on the Brookly-based record label Barbes Records, which were reviewed by World Beat at the time of their release.
As a result, some wonderful albums from chicha's early days have been reissued, the latest of which is the sublime Ritmo Satanico (Satanic Rhythms) by Los Diablos Rojos (Manchester United fans know this name in English: The Red Devils). This compilation, released by the Spanish Discos Fantastico! label, covers the band's instrumental grooves (singles) on the famous Sonoradio label from the late 1960s through to the 1980s, when the musicians were at their peak.
The band kicks off with the song Al Ritmo Del Son Satanico, which is the devilish band's most well-known song, a guitar-driven urgent groove that features some serious twangy guitar riffs, although also included is the first single El Chacarero, and El Fanfarron – this single sold more than 100,000 copies upon its release.
Los Demonios del Mantaro (The Devils of Mantaro).
Every track is a gem on this album. My favourites so far, apart from the band's trademark opener, is the salsa-influenced dancefloor filler Sacalo, Sacalo and the novelty hit Noche Flamenca. This music is so uplifting and so much fun. If you like Los Mirlos, then this one is for you.
More recent developments in cumbia have led to some interesting experiments. Regular readers may remember the fusion cumbia created by the Japanese shin-minyo (new folk) band Minyo Crusaders and their recordings with Colombian cumbia bands.
Just released last month is one from a newish subgenre, "cumbia trash", as led by Argentina's cumbia "hero" Rolando Bruno and his new release Cosas Raras. This is the band's third studio album and this time finds them blending Arabic and flamenco, Afro disco, Japanese pop and Dominican merengue.
For those who like fishing songs -- and there are many, from English sea shanties to Sri Lankan rowing songs to Okinawan laments, that feature the life and hardships of fishing communities -- the cultural cooperative Sons Vadios based in Nazare, Portugal, has brought musicians and the local community together to record an album of music about the sea and fishing.
Released on May 31 to mark National Fisherman's Day in Portugal, MARÉ is a beautiful set of brilliantly performed songs that sometimes feature the Lisbon-based Mutua Choir, made up of people linked to the fishing industry. Look out for the band's official MV, Toma La, Da Ca.
Festival News
- Festivals Acadiens et Creoles will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year from Oct 11-13 in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA. This is the world's largest Cajun and Zydeco music festival. It began life as a modest one-day event in 1974 and has since grown to encompass many aspects of Louisiana's vibrant indigenous French culture. The theme for this year's festival is "50 Ans Et Demain/50 Years And Tomorrow". More information at festivalsacadiens.com.
- The WOMAD Festival is coming to Glastonbury, England, from July 25-28. As usual there is an amazing line-up, including Malian superstars Amadou & Mariam, Gogol Bordello, Senegal's Baaba Maal, Qawwali Flamenco, Faiz Ali Faiz, The Zawose Queens, Gnawa Blues All Stars and Ghana Special (including Pat Thomas Charles Amoah). More information at womad.co.uk.
John Clewley can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com
