I start with ChocQuibTown as opposed to any other Colombian fusion band I love, out of respect. A 2007 gig of theirs in Bogota was my first taste of Colombian fusion music. An awesome taste of much more to come.
By the time I found ChocQuibTown I had already spent one month in Cartagena on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia. I had found no original live music there.
To Bogota
A woman coming alone to Bogota? It’s too dangerous. My advice to you is not to come.
Having decided I should listen to the Colombian woman giving me that advice, I had ditched Bogota in my Colombian travel plans. Until some Bogotanos I met in Parque Tayrona told me that if I loved music so much, I had to go to Bogota.
So to Bogota I went – and musically blessed for that I have been ever since.
But I need melody
My first night there one of those Bogotano friends took me to Quiebra Canto, a well known bar in Bogota for live music.
I saw the band setting up and was thinking Oh no, there’s only three of them, and it all looks really percussive. I need melody in my music. This will be shite.
I was so wrong.
Bogota, Yes 🙂
The ChocQuibTown music I heard was incredibly unique, like nothing I’d ever heard before. Percussion yes, but also with an abundance of super sweet melodies.
It was awesome to dance to, the performance was amazing, and made me very happy I had come to Bogota.
The Mix
ChocQuibTown make music that is a fusion of Afro-Colombian music, funk and hip-hop.
They hail from the Pacific Coastal region of Choco, and their music and their lyrics pay proud homage to that fact. Those regional flavours with the funk and hip hop, blended seamlessly; the awesome melodies in the music and in the vocals and raps of Goyo, Tostao & Slow – are why I love the music.
Albums
ChocQuibTown have a few albums and an EP. You can easily buy the real CD copies on-line. Or you could buy the MP3 versions on-line too I suppose, if you wanted a lesser quality version.
Sample ChocQuibTown listening tracks here…
Somos Pacifico (2006)
Macru
Oro (2009)
Mi Musica
Colombian Fusion Music, Yes 🙂
I’ll always be grateful to my Bogotano friend Sebastian for convincing me I had to go to Bogota. He introduced me to the joys of Colombian fusion music via ChocQuibTown. Gracias amigo.
