Search - Toto La Momposina Y Sus T :: La Candela Viva

Truly great choice

Dr. Ruy Jauregui Sandoval | 02/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a great fan of cuban and colombian music, and was really surprised when I finally listened to Toto la Momposina.

Toto started her career very early singing colombian folk music, some of which is presented here in its original form, as a good example, the first track, "Dos de febrero" is an unadultered cumbia in its pre-comercial form, only drums and a capella voice, "El pescador", which became quite a popular song, is presented here in what I think is the original and the best interpretation, also as traditional cumbia.



Toto then enriched her style by making a research stage in Cuba, and integrating the structure and instruments of traditional cuban folk music into her own, great examples are "La sombra negra" and "Malanga", which follow the cuban son structure and are enriched by guitar and the "marimbola", a bass metal harp-like instrument which gives a deep impact. These two songs are really great.

The songs "Adios Fulana", and "dame la mano juancho" use the reed flutes called "gaitas", another typical component of the colombian folk style.



The last track, "la acabación" is a peculiar gift; the main drummer from Toto's group was trained in a sacred rithm used only during funerals, and taught only to very selected and skilled drummers. Here we can listen to it.



as interesting trivia, Toto la Momposina was invited by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, when he received the nobel price in literature, to play her music in stockholm, at the award ceremony."