New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Afro-Colombian Grupo Rebolú, currently considered North America's most innovative and danceable Colombian band, is thrilled to announce the release of the first single and video from its latest album Tiempos Buenos (Better Times)on December 8. The band will be performing live at S.O.Bs, the world music venue and restaurant in the Hudson
Square and SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, with 2 sets at 8:00pm and 10:00pm. The music video releases the same day and will be available on digital platforms.
Better Times (Tiempos Buenos) is the story of three individuals who one day decide to immigrate in search of a new life, leaving behind their home, roots, culture and family. Regarding the band's inspiration for the song, Ronald Polo says: "This is a Cumbia, one of the most popular and rich musical rhythms that Colombia has offered to the world. It was recorded with traditional instruments like Tambor Alegre (the happy drum), the Tambora (the bass drum), the Llamador ('the caller', a small drum that sets the tempo), and the Maracas."
The New York-based Afro-Colombian musical ensemble was founded in 2004 by Ronald Polo (composer, Gaita) and Morris Canate(percussion), friends from Barranquilla who trained together Since the age of five, the pair has toured internationally with some of Colombia's best-known folkloric groups. VocalistJohanna Castanedajoined the band in 2009. Grupo Rebolúpromotes the rich musical traditions of their ancestors, the Afro descendants of Colombia's Caribbean coast. It is their belief that these folkloric traditions should continually evolve over time alongside the ideas of new generations of folklorists. This belief is reflected in their music, which features Afro-Colombian rhythms such as Gaita, Tambora, Chalupa, and Bullerengue.
The album Tiempos Buenos will be released mid-January: "The eleven songs of our new album represent a variety of Afro-Colombian rhythms like Porro, Cumbia, Puya, Bullerengue. The lyrics bring up the different scenarios and sometimes memories that we live day to day and is an homage and a humble approach to the lives of our people in Latin America," adds percussionist and Grupo Rebolú's co-founder, Morris Canete.
THE BAND
Morris Canate
A talented drummer coming from a modest family with a linage legendary Afro-traditional musicians and dancer, Canate is nephew of the late Paulino Salgado (Batata III), the single most accomplished Afro-Colombian folkloric percussionist of all time. Canate is considered by many to be among the top five Tambor Alegreplayers in the world. He has performed around the globe proudly representing his Afro-descendent roots and Colombia's Caribbean coast.
Ronald Polo
A composer, Gaitero and musician from the heart, Polo has been composing since the early age of seven and currently has more than eighty songs inspired by family, love, life experiences, tradition, culture, and of course music itself. Polo has also collaborated on many different projects with other well-know composers and musicians throughout New York City. His interest is to take both his culture and musical notes to every corner of the world.
Johanna Castaneda
Castaneda hails from the capital city of Bogota, and also comes from a modest home full of artistic traditions. She developed her interest in dancing at an early age, and with the support of her family she started her career. Shortly after her family migrated to the US looking for better times. It was in a foreign land where Castaneda found herself more drawn into her Colombian traditional roots, in terms of both culture and music. In 2009, Castaneda becomes a key member of Grupo Rebolu by sharing not only her voice, but also her musical knowledge.
When: December 8, 2018
Where: SOB's
204 Varick St, New York, NY 10014
More Info:
Doors open at 7PM
Showtimes: 8:00PM and 10:00PM
YoutubeChannel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAx_Wv-WkBLJ-36sRQUEHCg
