|
|
 |
CD Review
|
| Click Here to go back. |
Slipcue, CD Review >>
Various Artists "THE ROOTS OF CHICHA: PSYCHEDELIC CUMBIAS FROM PERU" (Barbes, 2007) This compilation mines a style of music that, by the compiler's own admission, has never had much of a following outside of the poor barrios of Peru, where it first emerged in the late 1960s. "Chicha is a Peruvian variant on Columbian cumbia, in which manic accordions are replaced by mellow electric guitars, and the tempo is generally kept pretty slow. The style evolved during the acid rock era of the 'Sixties, when American and European rock made huge inroads into global indigenous cultures, particularly in the introduction of cheap, loud, portable modern instruments such as the Farfisa organ and electric guitars, which lent the sound of yanqui rock to local scenes, but were also easily adapted to local styles. The tracks on this album were all recorded between 1966-78, when rock-flavored experimentation was exploding across South America. Calling this music "psychedelic" is a bit of a stretch, although the influence of surf rock is evident, and some of the extended guitar riffs were very improvisational and unusual; there's also a distinctly Andean influence, particularly in the contracted tonal scales, that's kinda cool. Like the cumbia it stems from, this was party music, made for people to dance to, and although it was frowned on by urban sophisticates and never made it beyond a limited regional influence, the good-timey vibe persists, all these decades later. Put it on, and you'll find yourself tapping your toes and wiggling your hips in no time at all... 11/16/07 >> go there
|
| Click Here to go back. |
|
 |
|
|
|
