#RecordOfTheDay “Florentino Y El Diablo” by Los Cuñaos

There’s lots of roads that lead one to purchasing a dusty old record from a bin of hundreds of others. For this LP by Los Cuñaos, I saw the cover of this viejo wearing shades playing a violin and I knew I had to take it home (Miami ✈ Oakland). Upon first listening I realized I purchased some contemporary Venezuelan folk music and was feeling like I came up short—until I reached the last song on side B—an absolute killer Joropo tune. Nothing sweeter than when the last track saves your record purchase.

Including the inside gatefold here as there’s always a decent chance someone responds with “Hey that’s my tio in my mom’s old apartment!”

Podcast: Egypt and beyond

Frenchy

Hosts Arjuna (dj smokestack), Jacobo (dj pozole), Federico (dj papicultor), and May-Li (dj china tu madre) welcome special guest Daniel French from one of the hottest bands from East LA Las Cafeteras to La Sala. Our vinyl journey begins with classic sounds from Egypt then continues onto Tanzania, Zaire and Colombia before returning to California to connect the old with the new.

You can download and subscribe to it for free on iTunes along with all our previous episodes. Leave a review and let us know what you think.

 

6 8 time, con ganas

Sometimes I like to kick start my mornings with a nice strong 6 8 rhythm. My theory is that it’s good for circulation, since I can feel my blood accelerate while I listen. Son Jarocho and Joropo are my two favourite cousins of 6 8 time: Son Jarocho from Veracruz, Mexico, and Joropo from the plains of Colombia and Venezuela.

Son Jarocho

Over Memorial Day weekend we were incredibly blessed with a visit and spontaneous performance by L@s Cafeter@s from Los Angeles, who came to visit us from LA and play some fútbol. Juancho posted a live recording of their show that night, and I’d like to share another, from their live CD. Definitely keep your ears open to the footwork (zapateo) in the recording, because more fancy footwork awaits you in the Joropo post below. The music also features  a marimbol – bass and mbira in one instrument! I can’t wait to get my hands on one of those…

El Cascabel by Las Cafeteras

El Cascabel

Look for L@s Cafeter@s at the Eastside Café in El Sereno, Los Angeles, contact them for classes on how to play, or find more info here

(Note: a very different version of this same song was posted by Juancho here)

Joropo

They say you haven’t truly heard maracas (called capachos in los llanos de Venezuela and Colombia) until you hear Joropo. And perhaps you haven’t really seen a harp being played until you see one of these rockstars pulling their crazy harp antics –playing above their head and even behind their back. Here’s a little treat we picked up in Colombia for you:

Llanero De Condicion by Rene Devia

Llanero De Condicion

The Colombian Grupo Cimarron is also continuing to evolve this form. There’s a treat for you at the end of the clip: some dance footwork that’s so fast, it’s a blur:

(Apparently it helps to start learning young!)

Hope this helps get you going this Monday morning!

China Tu Madre