Maguaré

MAGUARÉ
The new sensation for the summer festivals is Maguaré!
Singer Paola Marquez from Bogota Colombia is graduating this year from the Conservatorium of
Ghent. For years she worked with jazz, bossanova and latin bands. Now she decided to go back to the
roots of Afro‐Colombian music
focusing on cumbia and other afrocolombian
rhythms. The rhythm
section of Maguaré consists of
traditional percussionist Javier
Cabrera and Core Pareja., playing the
tambora, tambor alegre, llamador,
maracas, … Backed up by a section of
five horns, double bass, accordion,
piano and organ. Maguaré plays a
mix of Afro‐Colombian beats in the
sprit of Toto de La Momposina and
'60s dancehall cumbia of Lucho
Bermudez, Lito Barrientos, ...
BAND MEMBERS
Paola Marquez ‐ vocals
Javier Cabrera ‐ percussion
Jose Pareja ‐ percussion
Daniel Pastene ‐ clarinet
Jan Verstaen ‐ bariton saxophone, percussion
Tom Callens – tenor saxophone
Glen De Jonghe ‐ trombone
Tom Vanleeuwen ‐ trumpet
Michael De Schryver ‐ organ, piano, accordion
Matthias Debusschere – double bass
CUMBIA
Cumbia is a derivation of the Guinean word ‘Cumbe’, which means celebration. It is one of the must
representative rhythms and dances of Colombia.
Geographically, cumbia finds its origin at the caribbean coast of what is now Colombia and Panama,
mainly in or around Cartagena during the period of Spanish colonization. Spain used its ports to
import African slaves, who tried to preserve their musical traditions and also turned the drumming
and dances into a courtship ritual. Cumbia was mainly performed with just drums and claves.The
slaves were later influenced by the sounds of Amerindian instruments from the Kogui and Kuna
tribes, who lived between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Montes de María in Colombia
and Kuna Yala in Panamá. Millo flutes, Gaita flutes, and güiros were instruments borrowed from
these Native American tribes. The interaction between Africans and Amerindians under the Spanish
caste system created a mixture from which the gaitero (cumbia interpreter) appeared, with a defined
identity by the 1800s. The European guitars and accordions were added later through Spanish
influence.
The slave courtship ritual, which featured
dance prominently, was traditionally
performed with music played by pairs of
men and women and with male and female
dancers. Women playfully wave their long
skirts while holding a candle, and men
dance behind the women with one hand
behind their back and the other hand
either holding a hat, putting it on, or taking
it off. Male dancers also carried a red
handkerchief which they either wrapped
around their necks, waved in circles in the
air, or held out for the women to hold.
Until the mid‐20th century, cumbia was
considered to be a vulgar dance performed primarily by the lower social classes.
In the 50s cumbia was introduced to the dancehalls of ‘high society’ by orchestras of Luch Bermudez,
Lito Barrientos, … From then on, cumbia has undergone mixes with other (regional) musical styles
and influenced musical styles around the Latin‐American continent.
The meaning of Maguaré
The Amazonian Indians, especially the Huitotos, Sionas and Kofanes, who
live in the territory between the rivers Putumayo and Caquetá, use the
maguaré for communication over long distances. Maguaré are cylindrical
drums, made of two big hollow trunks. They are played with wood
mallets covered with rubber. According to the rate and to the intensity
of the sound, the indigenous differentiate the call and interpret the
codes sent by their neighbors, who can be of joy, sadness, prevention for
danger, … Maguaré can be heard over several kilometers. Maguaré are
also used for ceremonial purposes, to gather people and announce
ceremonial dances and others rituals.
www.myspace.com/maguarecumbia
Contact and bookings: info@zephyrusvzw.be – www.zephyrusvzw.be ‐ +32‐(0)486‐287097 - Zephyrus