De Mar y Rio
The marimba, like other tuned percussion instruments, doesn't offer much in the way of tonal variety, but that allows the emphasis to be on rhythm and melody, which, because of the manner of playing, makes it well suited to the repeated melodic patterns found here, a feature also of instruments such as the West African balafon. Using one of the most fundamental ways of producing melody, striking bars of wood of different lengths and thickness, the marimba is, of course, also related to its western counterpart, the xylophone. But although the sound is familiar, its limited palette means it's not that frequently given a central role, though the arrangements here ensure there is never any danger of monotony.
“Viene Orlando” tells the story of Mauricia and Orlando, contrasting machismo in everyday life with the different reality of marriage. The backing vocalists sing the same line repeatedly while the female singer proclaims the verses in a more improvisatory style over the top. One of the marimba players also takes an improvised solo above the repeated patterns of a second marimba.
Although the music of De Mar y Rio is from a particular region of Colombia, there is a familiarity to it which links it to other music with similar roots, whether it be Cuban salsa or Congolese rumba, possibly reflecting external influences coming to bear on these local traditions and also the fact that these traditions having been copied elsewhere. “El Bareque” has a different feel to the other tracks. Slower and in triple time, the song, written by Tomasso Valencia, pays homage to the traditional method of panning for gold by hand, prior to the less ecologically sustainable practice which came with the introduction of machinery.
Aware of the importance of keeping the music and vocal tradition of the region alive, “Cantoras De Mar y Rio” celebrates female singers such as those heard on the recording and invites all those who can do so to come and sing. In dedicating themselves to the preservation of their local musical heritage De Mar y Rio have succeeded in producing a record which should also have wider appeal.
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The sound at the heart of De Mar y Rio's Bailen y Gocen is the marimba, two musicians playing interlocking rhythmic patterns, with different lead singers, backing vocals and other percussion. The music is from the Pacific coastal region of Colombia and is played by a group of young performers who came together while studying in the city of Cali. Their musical mentor was Felipe Amú and he has been the guide for the direction they have taken since. All the tracks here are original compositions but they draw directly from the local traditions, with dance rhythms such as bunde, juga, currulao, and rumba. The opening track, “Bailen y Gocen” is a rumba and as well as being the title track it was also chosen to be released as the single from the album. The marimba sets things off, quickly joined by vocals, drums and shakers. The lyrics “invite us to live each day as if it were our last.”
