Editorial Reviews

Colombian cumbia is one of the most influential musical styles in Latin America; its easy, loping beat lends itself to an easy dance step and an indestructible groove. Assembled by Colombia's premier record label, Discos Fuentes, this set features some of the finest cumbias from their vaults, songs that were not only mass-market popular upon their release but are performed with an exceptional musicianship that stands the test of time. Joe Arroyo makes two appearances, on "A Mi Dios Todo le Debo," with its forceful cumbión thump, and an earlier tune, "El Gavilán Pollero," recorded with Los Bestiales. Cumbia's seminal supergroup La Sonora Dinamita rock steady on "Mi Cucu," "Amor de Mis Amores," and "El Viejo Sombreron," with the latter featuring special guest vocalist La India Meliyará. Performed by Gabriel Romero y su Orquesta, "La Piragua" is something of a Colombian national anthem, while "La Mucura" by La Integración is as much of a standard as Duke Ellington's "Take the A Train." While the album is mainly dedicated to cumbias, other, less well-known Colombian rhythms like porro, paseo, and paseaito display the complexity of form and sheer power of that country's popular music. Ed Morales, Barnes & Noble

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