Colombia’s music reflects its Caribbean, Pacific, Andean, plains, and urban regions, producing an exceptional range of traditions including cumbia, vallenato, currulao, joropo, salsa, and modern popular styles.
The music of Colombia is an expression of the Colombian culture, which contains diverse music genres, traditional and moderns according with the features of each geographic region; although it is frequent to find different musical styles in the same region. The diversity in musical expressions found in Colombia can be seen as the result of a mixture of African, native Indigenous, European (especially Spanish) influences, as well as more modernAmerican and Caribbean musical forms, Cuban, and Jamaican.
In a globalised world, many musicians are fusing traditional music with other styles (usually styles from the popular music genres). While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it is no longer traditional music since it is not entirely based on local culture, being influenced by the music that it has been fused with. As a result traditional music tends to be found in a pre-commercial setting. While traditional music continues to evolve today, but generally as a continuation of the music from a pre-globalised culture.
Styles like vallenato and porro were especially influential. When the waltz became popular in the 19th century, a Colombian version called pasillo was created.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia’s “Music of Colombia” article.
This cumbia selection represents one of Colombia’s most influential musical exports, rooted in the country’s Caribbean coast and African, Indigenous, and European exchange.
Folklore Urbano brings Colombian traditional rhythms into an urban ensemble setting, showing how regional forms continue to evolve.