Aug 8/06
Travel Music
I’ve been travelling off and on since the end of May. With that in mind, sitting here in JFK before yet another flight, I thought I’d post something from another continent. It’s something related but non-African… some champeta.
Remember in March when I went to Belize and played you some paranda music? Many of you wrote in and a few of you, notably Benn loxo reader Ken, exposed me to a whole new world of Central and South American African-influcenced music, including champeta from Colombia.
Like paranda, champeta combines latin and West African rhythm and style. Unlike paranda, champeta has changed quite a bit over the years under the influence of contemporary soukous, Jamaican ragga and American rap. “Modern” champeta is less acoustic latin/African and more pop/urban dance.
I’ll post two tracks today: one that reflects a more roots champeta sound and another with the newer, effect-laden party sound. Both are off the great compilation, Champeta Criolla Vol 2:Visionary Black Music From Underground Colombiafrica. Thanks, Ken.
Batata y su Rumba Palenquera – Ataole
King Elio Boom feat. Corrales & Prinice Nico Mbarga – El Tren
Big thanks for the King Elio Boom feat Corrales & Prince Nico Mbarga track- wicked dance groove bubbling the dance floor any time any where.
Peace
Dj Nnamdi – Host Radio Afrodicia kpfk 90.7fm North Hollywood California . Listen live every saturday 2-4pm west coast time http://www.kpfk.org or rebroadcasting 24/7www.afrodicia.com
[...] [edit] Wow, I just realized that Benn Loxo posted a Nico track a couple of days ago, what are the chances of that co-incidence? [...]
This is great. I’ve bought a lot of paranda on trips to Belize and Honduras, but I’m not familiar with champeta.
Muchas Gracias por mostrarle a el mundo nuestras raices africanas en la costa norte de Colombia, se continua escuchando musica africana y La Champeta, a un que no con mucha fuerza como antes…
Fabian Altahona Romero
Barranquilla Colombia
[...] Travel Music [...]
Hey, love the site. I’m Colombian. Don’t forget to spell it with two O’s. Colombia. That is all.
Thanks for the heads-up, Mike. Corrected…
Following on from your mention of Belize and paranda, I’ve recently been asked to review a ten-year anniversary compilation from Stonetree, the label you mentioned back in your March post. I hadn’t heard paranda before and I thought it was brilliant stuff.
Paranda is brilliant stuff, agreed. Let us know when the review comes out.. and maybe even suggest to the Stonetree guys that we could put up a little post here, too, to promote it.
[...] In other re-posting news, DJ Nnambi is craving some Nico Champeta, Joe wants a better lit road, and Caroline wants Paolo in Amsterdam. [...]
Sorry it took me so long to respond. It was only the recent repost that reminded me to check the comments.
I don’t know the Stonetree people personally, but I had to email the label’s founder Ivan Duran while I was reviewing the album and he seemed uttely nice and helpful. If you wanted to contact him (ivan at stonetreerecords.com) and ask about putting up a promotional post I’m pretty sure he’d be interested.
The review hasn’t gone up yet, as far as I can see. I’m a bit reluctant to advertise it because there must be a tonne of people out there who know more about Belize’s music than I do, and here I am writing reviews — but I suppose it’s better to have a daft review out there than no review at all.