The Psy-Fi Recommends Cumbia Albums To Janszoon Thread

[Psy-Fi]

Originally Posted by Sir_Cactoos

Psy-Fi, just wow! So much knowledge about cumbia music. I both admire and envy you.

Wish I had some time to listen to all the stuff you had posted so far.

Greetings, Sir_Cactoos.

Cumbia is one of my favorite genres and I listen to quite a lot of it but there's only so much time I can spend on it, so I'm always learning more and there's a lot of it out there.
I plan to keep posting in this thread and if you don't have time now, you can always return and listen some other time.

Cheers!

[Psy-Fi]

Some recent re-releases on vinyl from three different pioneering, Peruvian cumbia groups. I've mentioned all three of these bands in previous posts in this thread but this is the first time any of these albums have been re-released in any format since their original release dates in the 1960's & 70's and as far as I know, these albums were never originally released in 8-Track, cassette, or reel-to-reel formats.

Los Destellos - Los Destellos (1968)

The debut, self-titled album by Los Destellos.

(The name of Enrique Delgado, the band leader, has been added to the cover.)

Spoiler for YouTube Video:

Los Destellos - En Orbita (1969)

The second album, "En Orbita" (In Orbit) from Los Destellos.

(The name of Enrique Delgado, the band leader, has also been added to this cover.)



Los Mirlos - Los Charapas De Oro (1975)

The third album from Los Mirlos, "Los Charapas De Oro" (The Gold Charapas)

(Slightly altered album cover art from the original album.)

Spoiler for YouTube Video:

Juaneco Y Su Combo - El Gran Cacique (1972)

The third album by Juaneco Y Su Combo, "El Gran Cacique" (The Great Cacique)

(With different album cover art than the original album.)

Spoiler for YouTube Video:

All of these albums are must-haves in my opinion and it's a treat for me to see these finally being re-released after so many decades. I can finally afford to own vinyl copies of these albums without having to pay $100+ for an original pressing in good+ condition. And none of these albums have ever been given a CD release.

[Psy-Fi]

I just posted this album in another thread but it fits here also, so here it is again. From a band I previously mentioned on the first page of this thread; "Agrupacion Ilegal Los Imparciales" with three covers of well-known 60's songs (Tequila, Norwegian Wood, Misirlou) and one original (Color Doppler), all done in a groovy psychedelic cumbia style...

Agrupacion Ilegal Los Imparciales - Media Hora de Psicodelia (2015)

Media Hora de Psicodelia

[Psy-Fi]

Here's a compilation of some contemporary cumbia from various countries (mostly from Argentina, though.) "El Nuevo Sonido de la Cumbia Psicodelica" (The New Sound of Psychedelic Cumbia)
Several of the groups appearing on this album have already been mentioned in this thread. Some sound more "psychedelic" than others to me...

Various Artists - El Nuevo Sonido de la Cumbia Psicodelica (2017)

El Nuevo Sonido de la Cumbia Psicodelica

[Psy-Fi]

Another great cumbia compilation album. Originally released as a two volume album set, this one features various groups from Colombia which were on the Colombian record label "Discos Fuentes", between 1950 and 1988.

Various Artists - Cumbia Cumbia 1 & 2

[Sir_Cactoos]

Dear Psy-Fi,

Being so mesmerized and amazed of your deep passion to cumbia music, let me ask you about some book recommendations about this genre. Is there any English language publication worth to be read about this music? Any hint would be more than welcome.

Thank You very much indeed.

[rostasi]

Good book, but unfortunately, it's already 5 years old.
Wouldn't have been a problem in the earlier days,
but the cumbia scene is growing and changing real fast.

[Psy-Fi]

Originally Posted by Sir_Cactoos

Dear Psy-Fi,

Being so mesmerized and amazed of your deep passion to cumbia music, let me ask you about some book recommendations about this genre. Is there any English language publication worth to be read about this music? Any hint would be more than welcome.

Thank You very much indeed.

Unfortunately, I don't have any book recommendations at the moment. Almost all of what I know about the genre, comes from spending time searching online, looking for articles/stories/band and band member info, reading liner notes and backs of album covers (when I buy them or see them pictured online), occasionally going to a live performance where cumbia is played, talking with other people that enjoy the genre.
There doesn't seem to be nearly as much information readily available as I would like to see. It can often be frustrating trying to find specific information about a group or record that I become interested in and want to find out more about.
If I come across a worthwhile book on the subject, I'll let you know.

rostasi's rec might be your best bet at the moment. I might pick up a copy of it, myself, as I haven't read it yet.

[Sir_Cactoos]

Psy-Fi and rostasi, thank you both for this, I really appreciate it! In terms of books, I am searching for some sources that might be helpful to embrace the genre itself rather than the artists/bands description at the very moment, and I believe rostasi's recommendation would be the good starting point.

And of course, Psy-Fi's posts for knowing the most original and the best cumbia content, these are things I really love right now.

[Psy-Fi]

Various Artists - The Original Sound of Cumbia: The History of Colombian Cumbia & Porro As Told By The Phonograph 1948 - 79

The Original Sound of Cumbia: The History of Colombian Cumbia & Porro As Told By The Phonograph 1948 - 79

Another great compilation of Colombian Cumbia. This one from Soundway Records, covers 32 years, features 55 tracks, and clocks in at 2 hours and 37 minutes of running time.