Chicha 45

I got hit listening to a bunch of Peruvian reissue records lately, which in turn made me want to post a few of my own Chicha gems. If I had to explain this new renaissance in Cumbia music though, in its most simplistic way, is that all this popularity is not without merit. The music is great and I am happy to see interest in this genre of Latin music. I myself have to tip my hat to Eamon Ore-Giron (Dj Lengua) – if he hadn’t had all his aunts and uncles running around Lima Peru buying records for him, I would have never really been in tune to this genre 10 years ago. So in whatever form it comes in, it is all warranted.

All in all, some pretty awesome songs in this bunch. If you note, I started with the more popular groups to the more obscure one’s. Los Mirlos are the godfathers of Amazonian Cumbia and they really do justice to Hugo Blanco’s “Cumbia Con Arpa”. The only song that isn’t from Peru is from Los Dinamicos Del Ritmo (Mexico maybe), yet they have that tripped out guitar sound down pretty well. Not sure if Los Vagos De Paramonga are any relation to Los Orientales, but they rip-off their song “Lobos Al Escape” in some new direction. Lastly, cumbia that seems politically topical is also quite common in this genre. Take the song Vietnam on the Do Re Mi label (Huayño acts tend to show up on this one). Although there is no real indication of why Los Pankis would have used that name for the song, I get a feeling that it’s possibly a Huayño view of the outside world – sympathetic view of the downtrodden? or something that might sell a record? Who knows? Asi, asi, asi!!!

1. Los Mirlos: Cumbia y Guitarra

2. Juaneco y Su Conjunto: La Cumbia De Los Cuervos

3. Manzanita y Su Conjunto: Asi Asi Asi

4. Los Sander’s: Si Ya Te Vas

5. Los Vagos De Paramonga: La Muerte Del Lobo

6. Los Pankis: Vietnam

7. Los Dinamicos Del Ritmo: El Platanito

juaneco 0002

14 Responses to “Chicha 45”

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1 Nathanael Holt September 26, 2010 at 2:55 am

I love these posts. Thanks so much for the time and effort.

2 paw September 26, 2010 at 4:43 am

great picks as usual. nice diggin! thanx a lot

Paw, DK

3 lengua September 26, 2010 at 11:29 am

Man, that Juaneco tune is so good, I can totally hear the influence on Chucho Ponce / Los Daddy’s cumbia Poblana, with that really strong cowbell on the recording. One thing I’d like to add is that in Peru they don’t refer to any of this music as Chicha, it’s Cumbia Peruana, the stuff we refer to as Chicha is more along the lines of Los Shapis and Chacalon esp all the stuff from 1980 on. Love the tracks Joe, esp a big fan of Los Sander’s.

4 Adam September 26, 2010 at 11:29 pm

Holeeeee sheeet!

5 fritzthecat September 27, 2010 at 10:14 am

Man – this music is brilliant. thanks for sharing it.

6 Cathy October 3, 2010 at 10:15 pm

I’ve been listening to “Asi Asi Asi” every day on my way to work. Thanks once again!

7 Dj No Breakfast October 11, 2010 at 4:11 pm

I love chicha and i love your blog, i reblog this post via PCL LinkDump

http://easydreamer.blogspot.com/2010/10/chicha-on-45.html

Thanks à lot four what you are doing. It is a unique chance for us to discover this music.
Cheers from france.

8 Retro Hound October 12, 2010 at 9:55 am

Man, they just kept getting better! Though I think #5 and #6 were my favorites. Great stuff, found this through PC LinkDump.

9 Maraya October 31, 2010 at 4:59 pm

excellent findings! thanks for share them!

Best from Lima

10 Juan RIcardo Maravi November 24, 2010 at 12:54 pm

Hey guys check out INFOPESA´s facebook page.
INFOPESA is the most legendary and famous record label in Peru, house of Los Mirlos, Juaneco, Orientales de Paramonga, Manzanita.
Youll find videos, news
Heres the link
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Infopesa/125280644200601?v=wall

11 Justin January 13, 2013 at 7:41 am

Great stuff. Are you able to point mevin the direction of a compilation CD? If not, maybe you should compile one. Many thanks.