El Botón del Pantalón

* * * *  Email Comunikae from Marco en Colombia  * * * *

Yo,

Things have been gradually improving on the music front down here. 

This past Thursday I went to see Systema Solar play their first live show in my hometown and it was DYNAMITE!!  Nothing but non-stop "vacile" and good vibes coming from these crazy mofos! Systema are the true working man's Rocky to Onda's British Council puffed up Ivan Drago. :) 

On Friday I went to a record collector's gathering and met Rodrigo Soto who designed the Discos Fuentes logo! Turns out that there are vinyl junkies here after all, it only took me nine whole months to find the sneaky bastards! People from all over the country flew down to show off their rare gems and it was really heartwarming seeing them beaming with pride as their hard to find boleros, danzones, tangos and cumbias blasted from the speakers. Rodrigo played a lovely 45 called "Cumbia para Gardel" in which he sings! As I came to find out this man of many talents was once a member of Los Teenagers as well as a composer of many tropical hits back in the day. 

If I wasn't so broke I would have made my way down to this year's Petronio Alvarez in Cali. I watched the live broadcast and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's already established itself among the finest music festivals currently taking place in Latin America. It reminds me a lot of Wattsstax in the sense that music is being used as a vehicle for afro Colombians to come together and vindicate their identity and vast contributions to our society. I've never seen an audience so entranced by the music and you know that whole Pacifico vibe it's right down my alley. There's a Bullerengue festival taking place later this year and I'm going to make my best effort to go to Puerto Escondido and can catch some of this action in person.

When I open up my chicha pub down here I'll fly you down to teach these fools about marineras and chicano music!!

late

Ondatrópica : Bienvenido a Los Angeles!

For those of you who have been living in reality TV land or, getting your bomb shelter on, or just not into "Latin" music.... OPEN YOUR EYES ESE... the Ondatropica night is about to give you a chon chon sandwich of Cumbia. This night should be recorded straight to vinyl. No joke. This night is like that rare East LA Revue comp that's eluded me for so many years. But its here now, LIVE. Do not miss this event:

Sunday July 29, 7pm @ the Mayan in Los AngelesTickets here

Ondatropica is colombian cumbia band headed by Mario Galeano, from Frente Cumbiero fame.. and.. Quantic who has been living in Colombia for I think a few years now soaking up the culture, music, and even getting his hands on the accordion turning a few hip hop classics into cumbia.

The line up features some legendary talents from the golden years of cumbia and salsa. Fruko is on here, Anibal Velásquez, Michi Sarmiento, Alfredo Linares (Peru) and many more musicians I've never heard of but will definitely look into later this week.

But what interests me a little more for this event is how Colombia is going to mix with the LA style cumbia we got going on here en La Reina de Los Angeles! Chicano Batman is gonna bring the bat chiflado, Buyepongo con sus ritmos sabrosos and Very be Careful.... its all over July 29.

After that I think we can all call in sick and got to the beach with some tall can Tecates.

Ram Jam vs LA Cumbia

Yes, I just got on the Dave Rodigan bandwagon. No doubt, this guy surely stands out from the sea of selectors bumping reggae, dub etc. He's an old white guy, from the UK who first set foot on Jamaican soil back in 1979. AND.... he plays some of the ruffest tuffest tracks ever carved on wax. AND... he is going to be playing in LA at the Echoplex. AND... Dj Lengua will be spinning with Buyepongo bringing there tormenta tropical, LA style..

Hell ya I'm jumping on the bandwagon, this night is going to deliver babies its so pregnant with musical madness.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Check the clips for a lesson...

El Gran Bailarte Vol. 6

Calling all chanclas, sobadores, bicycle theifs and late night taco truck eating winos.. Vengan a Bailarte ! Break it , shake it, and take it... Boogie down, make some friends, PURO PARTI ! ! !. Come get yours at the M Bar Friday night, June 8 in East Lost!

http://www.facebook.com/events/452056938138093/

Beat Swap Meets Cumbia Madness

Today was off to a great start hitting up the Beat Swap Meet 4 year anniversary event in Chinatown.  For all y’all new to the records swap scene, this is by far the most talked about and attended record show in LA County.  We got B-boys battling it out to DJ Renato’s 45s right there in the plaza area, Andy from Record Jungle bringing the latin fire in his “heavy” crates.  Numerous other dealers stocked full of 80s boogie, soul, funk, reggae, latin, and those odd rarities of raregroove.  Lots of guest appearances from local heroes, producers, DJs… This is really an event for everyone, from Reggae Pops to Wutang Diaper wearing babies.   I’m definitely bringing my son to the next one.

There’s a DJ booth out front of the Grand Star with sets ranging from boogie to cumbia to country.   But today the heat was on the inside.  My boy FRESKO got into his usual set of Brazilian but it wasn’t til he started bustin out the Afro Colombian tracks that the party started jumpin!  FRESKO has been doing his thing for years now and is playing monthly at the M bar, definitely check him out.  Up next was LA’s own Buyepongo which I had not seen live yet but had watched numerous clips on youtube.  Its strange how the recorded medium works,… it doesn’t do bands like these justice.  They played an amazing set of stripped down cumbias and Caribbean styled songs.  Instead of a lead accordion they go for a one two knockout of sax and clarinet as leads.  There sound is heavily influenced and inspired by the african rhythms brought to the coastal regions of South America, all funneled through a chicano sensibility and expressed for all to enjoy.



Really had a great time at this show and big props to the guys running the event.  I hope to get in there next time and drop the needle on those eagerly awaiting latin joints from my collection.  Take a listen to the tracks I got at the show.




La Crema - Cisco Kid


Lalo Guerrero