various: diablos del ritmo

There are a number of theories as to how, in the mid-20th century, African music made its way to Colombia's vibrant port city of Barranquilla, today's mecca of Caribbean tropical music. Some maintain that a man named "Boquebaba" remains responsible. Others claim that seafaring traders and merchants imported the first sizeable amount of African vinyl. An absolute certainty is that in March 2007 Analog Africa-founder Samy Ben Redjeb arrived in Barranquilla, by some still considered the "Golden Gate of Colombia". After half a decade in which seven expeditions were made to Barranquilla, Analog Africa is honored to present Diablos del Ritmo, an anthology of -- and tribute to -- the immense sound of 1970s Colombia. Thousands of records were collected, boiling down to a colorfully-diverse selection of 32 tracks split between Afrobeat, Afrofunk and psychedelia-inspired rhythms on Part 1 and an array of danceable tropical rhythms on Part 2. Colombian music in general, especially the music from the Caribbean coast, is heavily influenced by the drums, percussion and chanting of African rhythms. Music from big players of the day -- from Nigeria, The Congo, The Ivory Coast and Cuba -- entered Barranquilla constantly. Afrobeat, terapia and lumbalú clashed effortlessly with the tropical sounds of puya, porro, gaita, cumbiamba, mapelé and chandé to create a rich amalgam of irresistible dance music while traditional styles were refined by an elite cadre of accordion players that included Alejandro Duran, Alfredo Gutierrez, Calixto Ochoa, Anibal Velasquez and Andres Landero. The heights Afro-Colombian music had reached by the early '80s was nothing short of exceptional. But, none of it could have been possible without two vital engines. One was the Picó sound systems -- roaming street clubs dedicated to mobilizing and spreading the rawest music of Africa, the Caribbean and the rest of the transatlantic black world. The second were forwarding-thinking producers. Discos Tropical, Felito Records and Machuca, amongst several other key players, governed and diversified the psychedelic and coastal music scene of Colombia. Alongside an all-encompassing 60-page booklet including 40 vintage photographs, 24 interviews and documented first-hand knowledge, the deep cuts of Analog Africa's 12th compilation will instantly transport any listener to Colombia's thriving Caribbean coast to indulge in the succulent belly of tropical music's untold historic tales.