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although her family are originally from the rainforests in the North-East of Argentina, close to the Brazilian border. She grew up listening to cumbia, chamamé (the accor- dion-driven sound of Argentina’s North- East, best known internationally thanks to Chango Spasiuk – fR250, 309) and more contemporary electronic sounds. Having studied Western classical music, she got involved in the local underground roots scene, hit on the idea of combining the folkloric and the electronic and has never looked back since.
L
a Yegros’ debut album, Viene De Mi, was released by ZZK Records in 2013. Its combination of cumbia and other folkloric rhythms with dub and electroni-
ca appeared to arrive fully formed, although, as she explained to me back- stage, on the afternoon of the Jazz Café gig, was actually the outcome of four years of work with producer King Coya.
From the word go, her music was more successful internationally (especially in Europe) than it was back home. Her rootsy, beaty blend helped to open up our ears to Argentinian sounds beyond tango. As a result, she’s now mostly based in Europe, although now belatedly begin- ning to become known in Argentina too. Lyrically, she deals with emotional and social issues. “I talk about the increasing social problems back home,” she tells me. “And about the power of women.”
Her second album, 2016’s Mag-
natismo, was released by UK African music specialists Soundway Records. “I see it very much as following on from the first album, only made while I was in the middle of the craziness of a tour, rather than slowly developed in the studio. As a result, it has more of a live sound, with the backing of a proper band.” The plan is for her currently in-the-pipeline third album to go back to a more electronic studio-based sound.
“I see myself as very much part of a folk tradition,” she tells me. “By mod- ernising the music, I’m opening it up to a younger audience who would never explore the older folkloric roots. By using electronics and modern European influ- ences, I’m presenting it in a way that is accessible to them.”
La Yegros has most recently cropped
up on Cabillito Del Mar, one of the stand- out tracks on A Long Engagement (Won- derwheel), the excellent new album from New York-based producer and DJ Nickode- mus. “He’s a good friend of mine, we’ve played many shows together and as his new album features music from lots of dif- ferent places, it made perfect sense for me to get involved. Especially as what he and I do shares so much common ground.”
That evening, having been warmed up nicely by Malphino, the crowd of most- ly young Latin American (presumably Argentinian) people who’ve packed out the Jazz Café, go wild for La Yegros and her band. Everyone seems to be dancing and singing along to the choruses. She may have come across as unassuming and humble during our interview, but on stage, La Yegros is clearly in charge and relishing every minute.
La Yegros O
ver in the South of France, Cumbia Chicharra have been kicking up quite a racket for quite a while now. Formed in 2001, this big band combine
cumbia with all kinds of styles without ever compromising the folkloric pulse of the music and have just released their third album Hijo De Tigre (Discos La Chicharra).
The band started out as just a group of mates from Marseille trying to recreate the sound of vintage cumbia they’d discov- ered via a cassette they’d picked up, play- ing friends’ parties for fun. “It was not about technical perfection,” explains per- cussionist and manager César, down the line from France. “But about involvement. We really enjoyed to party on stage and the audience was following the vibe!”
Since 2006, they’ve also drafted in Latin American musicians. By then, they were playing proper venues and festivals, retaining that all-important good-time party spirit, but increasingly also recognis- ing the need for musical authenticity and originality. Nowadays they go out live as an eight- or nine-piece.
“The band has always been quite a
family,” César tells me. “A collective pro- ject with no identified leader. Every musi- cian is given the freedom to bring their ideas and express themselves artistically. And members have all really different musical and artistic influences. As a band, we draw from traditional Afro-Colombian and Afro-Cuban music to cumbia, funk, rock, Balkan music, dub, pop and noise punk… There's a real progression from the first LP Ya Va A Emperar (2010), which is the more roots / traditional / nearest to cumbia, to the next LP Sudor (2013), which gave us the opportunity to present more compositions and to settle our ‘cumbia fusion’ style. Hijo De Tigre is more psychedelic, with a greater use of strings, effects and sound working. But paradoxi- cally it’s also cleaner and more produced. It was recorded live in the studio; we were playing all together in a perfect place to isolate each instrument but still get the ‘live feeling’ that gives our music the groove we want.”
I wondered if he recognised a connec- tion between the original Colombian home of the music they play and the place in which the band are geographically based? “With regard to diversity and mix of cultures and people, for sure. Also, for the Caribbean part of Colombia and the south coast of France: there are some con- nections in the way people are more relaxed about life, their link to the sea. The career looks less important, but quali- ty of life is the key. But there are also big differences between being a musician in the rich part of Europe and in the poorer parts of Colombia.”
Do they see anything political in what they do (especially in these times of increasing prejudice and nationalism)? “We don't make direct ‘political’ lyrics and statements in our music. But in our opin- ion, the fact that we love putting people together, every kind of people from young to old, women and men, people from rich and poor neighbourhoods, mixing really different musical influences, is already a statement about living and enjoying all together on a small planet. The power of music is to join people's souls and bodies for a moment that anyone can share.”
malphino.com layegros.com
lacumbiachicharra.com La Cumbia Chicharra F
Photo: Francois Escojido - Seven Hole
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