The Whole Music Experience

Los Gauchos De Roldán Button Accordion and Bandoneon Music From Northern Uruguay Smithsonian Folkways When we think of South American traditional music the regions that usually surface in our minds are Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and the Andes.  And each country in South America also provides music audiences with diverse music traditions differing per region, ethnic group makeup and history--Uruguay is no exception.  In the past I’ve heard harp music from Uruguay, as well as, milonga from the Pampas region, (a predecessor to Argentine tango). The jovial songs that appear on Los Gauchos (Uruguaian cowboys) De Roldán’s Folkways recording Button Accordion and Bandonoen Music from Northern Uruguay remind us that many folk music traditions are centered on folk and ballroom dances.  Lead by button accordion player Walter Roldán, the folkloric quartet is comprised of an accordion, a bandoneon (Luis Alberto Vidiella), and two acoustic guitars  (Bernardo ...

Alex Alvear Equatorial Colorao Records For those listeners who enjoy South American Andes rhythms, flutes, and gentle flourishes, could do no better than Ecuadoran musician Alex Alvear's Equatorial . Alex reflects on a rediscovery of his native music on this disc. Like so many of us who discovered rock or jazz music in our formative years and thought that we could turn our backs on our musical lineage, Alex found that one can never run too far away from their roots. (Although he did find himself playing Cuban music for some time before returning to his Andes roots). And thankfully he returned full force to his musical heritage because his sweet musical offering brings smiles to listeners' faces--I am sure of it. "I must confess I never fostered traditional music as many of my fellow Ecuadorian musicians have been doing for decades, despite numerous challenges and lack of support. My knowledge of the music of my homeland has been purely empirical; a collage of inte...