Product Description

In the early 70 s a new sound grew out of the booming cities of the Peruvian Amazon. Chicha, as it came to be known, modeled itself on Colombian Cumbia music but replaced the accordion with surf guitars, and incorporated the psychedelic sounds of Farfisa organs and Moog synthesizers as well as Cuban Guajira,and the distinctive pentatonic scales of Andean melodies. Unlike other modern hybrids, such as Ska or Brazillian Tropicalia, the music never crossed international borders. This is the first ever Chicha compilation to be released outside of Peru.

Track Listing

1. Sonido Amazonico - Los Mirlos
2. Linda Nena - Juaneco y Su Combo
3. Cariñito - Los Hijos del Sol
4. Patricia - Los Destellos
5. Sacalo Sacalo - Los Diablos Rojos
6. Ya Se Ha Muerto Mi Abuelo - Juaneco y Su Combo
7. Milagro Verde - Los Mirlos
8. Para Elisa - Los Destellos
9. Linda Muñequita - Los Hijos del Sol
10. Muchachita del Oriente - Los Mirlos
11. Elsa - Los Destellos
12. Vacilando Con Ayahuesca - Juaneco y Su Combo
13. Guapo - Los Diablos Rojos
14. Mi Morena Rebelde - Eusebio y Su Banjo
15. Si Me Quieres - Los Hijos del Sol
16. Me Robaron Mi Runa Mula - Juaneco y Su Combo
17. Danza de Los Mirlos - Los Mirlos

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47120 in Music
• Brand: Roots
• Released on: 2007-09-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .14 pounds

Customer Reviews

Surf and garage-grunge hit South America
This collection mines a style of music that, by the compiler's own admission, has never had much of a following outside of the poor barrios of Peru, where it first emerged in the late 1960s. "Chicha" is a Peruvian variant on Columbian cumbia, in which manic accordions are replaced by gritty electric guitars, and the tempo is kept relatively slow. The style evolved from the introduction of cheap, loud, portable modern instruments such as the Farfisa organ and electric guitars, which lent the sound of yanqui rock to local scenes, but were also easily adapted to local styles. The tracks on this album were all recorded between 1966-78, when rock-flavored experimentation was exploding across South America. Like cumbia, this was party music, made for people to dance to, and although it was frowned on by urban sophisticates and never made it beyond a limited regional influence, the good-timey vibe persists, all these decades later. Put it on, crank it up and you'll find yourself tapping your toes and wiggling your hips in no time at all... (DJ Joe Sixpack)

Retro Sounds from Peru
While the cumbia originated in Columbia, today variations of cumbia have been adopted all over Latin America - from Argentina in the South to Mexico in the North. This collection of Peruvian Cumbia has a unique and somewhat grungy/psychedelic sound. The music feels experimental and somewhat unformed, similar to the Cuban music performed by early West African pop bands of the same period.

If you enjoy these chicha selections, also recommended is an excellent compilation roots bachata from the Dominican Republic:
Bachata Roja: Acoustic Bachata From the Cabaret Era

And you'll find striking similarities between Chicha and the psychedelic guitar vibes of this Senegalese 1970s live Baobob recording: N'Wolof

Can't Keep from Dancing
Columbian Cumbias, recreated by urban Peruvian Bands, great lively music collected by the owner of one of the hippest bars in Brooklyn, who has also formed a group to perform this music, and has put out this disc on his own label.

For anyone into dancing, and contemporary Andean music this is a great find, and kudos again to Amazon for making it so easy to find this fairly obscure disc.