Colombia in Focus Newsletter (Music) 11-19

November 19, 2010
Did You Know…
Inside Colombia
The Rich, Diverse Sounds of Colombia
Colombian Music Artists Bring Home Two
Latin GRAMMY Awards
Colombian artists ChocQuibTown and Diomedes
Diaz were among the winners at the last week’s 2010
Latin GRAMMY Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada.
ChocQuibTown won “Best Alternative Song” for its
hit, De Donde Vengo Yo, which the group also
performed during the show. Diomedes Diaz won
“Best Cumbia/Vallenato Album” for, Listo Pa’ la foto.
The pop/rock music of Colombian stars Shakira and
Juanes is known throughout the world. But Colombia is
also home to a rich and diverse array of other music
styles, including:
• Cumbia originated on the Atlantic Coast and dates
back to the early 19th century. Influenced by African
cultures, instruments used in cumbia include drums,
the gaita (flute), claves and trombones, to name a few.
• Llanero is mostly performed along the plains east of
the Andes Mountains between Colombia and
Venezuela. Well-known Colombian artists have
popularized the genre with melodic and rhythmic
virtuosity, percussive drive and sabor colombiano (or
Colombian flavor).
• Vallenato is Colombia’s most popular form of folk
music. It combines the sounds of an accordion, the
caja vallenata (a small drum), and the guacharaca (a
wooden ribbed stick and fork). The word vallenato –
“born in the valley” – originated in the valley between
the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de
Perijá mountain ranges.
Other popular Colombian music genres include
currulao, tropical and salsa.
Photos: ChocQuibTown, Diomedes Diaz
ChocQuibTown, one of Colombia’s most popular
hip-hop groups, combines funk, North American hiphop, Jamaican reggae, and electronic music elements
and traditional Colombian rhythms to create a unique
sound. ChocQuibTown’s popular records include
PARIS-BOGOTÁ, ORO, and SOMOS PACIFICO.
Diomedes Diaz is one of the most recognizable
Colombian vallenato singers and composers. Over
more than three decades, Diaz has produced multiple
albums, including Gano el Folclor, Mi Vida Musical,
Experiencias Vividas, and – his most recent – Listo
Pa’ la foto.
To hear the sounds of ChocQuibTown, visit
http://chocquibtown.com/english.html
What’s News
Colombia’s Fan-Friendly Shock Music Awards a Hit in Bogotá
On Wednesday, November 17, the Shock Music Awards 2010 were held at the Coliseo El Salitre in Bogotá. The
annual Colombian music awards show – where fans cast their votes for the winners – recognizes music artists
across the entire music industry. Some of the notable winners included ChocQuibTown, Don Tetto, and J Belvin. To
read more on the show and this year’s winners, visit http://bit.ly/9S61U9.
Get to know Colombia.
Learn more at www.colombiaemb.org.