The Hollywood hills are alive, once again, with the dance rhythms of cumbia. Noche de Cumbia is back and bigger than ever, with shows at both the Hollywood Bowl and the Ford . The two-night concert series features the originators and innovators of the Latin music genre.
As its hissing güiro, whistling gaitas and lively horns flow through Los Angeles, Noche de Cumbia aims to celebrate its roots, embrace its variations and encourage a night full of dancing. The well-loved genre originated along the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where a simple rhythm pattern took hold of the region’s Afro-Indigenous communities. Gaining popularity in the 1930s and 1940s , the musical style spread to other Latin American countries.
As each area and country began to adopt the energetic style, the rhythms stayed the same, but with distinct spins. To this day, new kinds of cumbias, like rock and pop infusions, dominate Latin music. Kicking off Saturday night at the Ford, artists like Los Gaiteros De San Jacinto, one of the genre’s earliest touring groups, and Reyna Tropical, who focuses her sound around activism, will share the stage, creating an expansive look at the history of cumbia.
Co-presented by Cumbiaton , a Latina-led music collective and party series, the night will also highlight the marimba-rock of Son Rompe Pera and the uplifting sounds of Yeison Landero’s accordion. On Sunday night, the Hollywood Bowl’s shell-like silhouette will be filled with the musical stylings of performe.