Colombian fest offers beats, rhythms for all

June 25, 2010

Just in time to honor Colombia's bicentennial, the inaugural Chicago Colombian Music Festival kicks off Thursday with more than 20 live music events throughout July. From cutting-edge Afro-Latin drum beats to rhythms that have been passed down for centuries, the festival has something for every musical ear. We've highlighted a few performances below. Check out columbianmusicfestival.org for tickets and complete schedule.

Batata & Las Alegres Ambulancias are two groups that preserve the Afro-Colombian musical ceremony traditions with drums and percussion in their North American debut performance. 9 p.m. July 2 at Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave.; $10-$12 (18+)

As a 12-piece orchestra and a staple of the world salsa circuit, La-33 is also influenced by Colombian swing. 6:30 p.m. July 15 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 100 N. Michigan Ave.; free; also 10 p.m. July 15 at Excalibur Nightclub, 632 N. Dearborn St.; $10-$15 (21+)

Displaying a mastery of Colombian cumbia and Vallenato styles over his long career, legendary accordionist Lisandro Meza performs with a full orchestra. 8 p.m. July 21 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave.; $30

Bomba Estereo, an acclaimed contemporary band, fuses classic cumbia, electronic and reggae music. 6 p.m. July 26 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 100 N. Michigan Ave.; free; also 8 p.m. July 26 at Green Dolphin Street, 2200 N. Ashland Ave.; $10-$15 (18+)