Ivan Cuesta y sus Baltimore Vallenatos – A Ti Colombia / Arhoolie CD-388

Description

CD 388

Ivan Cuesta – vocals & accordion; Lesly Jean Walker – midi guitar; Andre Breckenridge – congas; Alfonso Rondon – bass & vocals; José “Pepe” Rojas – timbales; Enrique Venegas – vocals.

Baltimore’s singer/accordionist Cuesta who plays pure Colombian Vallenato dance music — including cumbias — not only for his local community but lately at folk festivals for general audiences as well.

1. A Ti Colombia
2. La Tinajita
3. Roberto Ruiz
4. El Medallon
5. El Compae Migue
6. Palmirena
7. La Casa En El Aire
8. La Patillalera
9. La Quince Anera
10. El Caballo Viejo
11. El Chupaflor
12. El Porro Venezolano
13. La Mucura
14. Celia

REVIEW

“Accordionist/vocalist Cuesta was born in northern Colombia where he began learning music at 12. The dominant musicial style in that area is vallenato an acccordion and percussion driven dance music which mixes Spanish African and Indian elements. He continued playing after moving to Baltimore in 1976. The group remains strongly rooted in the tradition although some modern elements (electric instruments and outside influences like Tex-Mex music) have crept in.

Cuesta’s accordion and voice are joined by two percussionists bass another vocalist and a MIDI guitarist who uses the technology to create traditional patterns with acoustic piano and mallet instruments sounds.

Never having heard Colombian music before there was something strangely familiar about this. Recalling several non-Cuban influenced Latin traditionsMexican Tex-Mex cumbia even zydeco and Brazilian forroit leans towards the more laid-back end of the spectrum but is indisputably dance music.”

(Mark Sullivan — Option)