Colombian visions

Will Holland is the multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ known as Quantic. His musical output has always been prolific and diverse, from the jazzy funk of Quantic Soul Orchestra to the tropical dub of Flowering Inferno his various incarnations manifest a questing spirit. Since 2007 he has lived in Cali, Colombia. Dubbed the ‘salsa capital of the world’ the city is also a gateway into vallenato, cumbia, champeta and other Colombian sounds old and new. Relishing this immersion, Quantic’s sound connects vintage rhythms with worldwide visions. Here’s his chart especially for Mondomix.

Don’t miss Quantic at Sofrito’s warehouse bash in London - he’s due to go head to head with the Tropical Discotheque maestros on 6 March. Details below.

01. 'La Pava Congona' - Andres Landero

Andres Landero was one of the first to adapt Gaita (a traditional Colombian cane flute) melodies to the diatonic accordion. Along with Anibal Velasquez, Lizandro Meza, Alfredo Gutierrez & Aniceto Molina he was one of the originators of the cumbia sound that spread to Mexico, Peru and beyond, influencing a lot of the modern cumbia and sonidero movement. 'La Pava Congona' is rather like the 'Voodoo Chile' for anyone who plays accordion and his sound, for me, is just as bluesy and raw as Jimi himself.

Andres Landero - La Pava Congona

02. 'Las Caleñas Son Como Las Flores' – The Latin Brothers

Piper Pimienta was a singer from Cali, Colombia, he sang with The Latin Brothers and 'Las Caleñas Son Como Las Flores' (Cali women are like flowers) was a big hit both for him and the city as a whole. The line-up of the band featured a who’s who of Colombian Salsa headed by legendary musician Fruko. It’s hard to avoid this song in Cali, it runs as a subconscious reference to your daily life, occasionally blaring out on a passing bus and preserved forever in the phrase 'Cali es Cali, lo demás es loma' (Cali is Cali, the rest is hills).

'Las Caleñas Son Como Las Flores' – The Latin Brothers

03. Los Viajes del Viento (film)

Like Hollywood, Colombian homegrown cinema tends to revolve around the more violent sides of Latin American life: The Mafia, Drugs, Silicon. So it’s a breath of fresh air when a more poised, mystical and stunningly beautiful movie comes along. 'The Wind Journeys', directed by Ciro Guerra, also manages to avoid some of the cliches regarding Colombian folklore. Well worth a watch.

Los Viajes del Viento - Trailer

04. 'Cuban Fantasy' - Machito

Machito was a Cuban band leader in New York, he was one of the first to really push the Mambo sound and had a super hot band. There are various recordings of 'Cuban Fantasy', including this one in Japan. When travelling with my own band, it’s reassuring to know that back in the day someone like Machito could travel to Japan with such a large band, incredible! (How he held it all together I'll never know!)

Machito & Graciela In Japan

05. 'Bienvenidos' - Systema Solar

I believe this is a group of musicians based between Bogota and Santa Marta. Colombian producers are starting to draw the dots between dancehall and electro and their homegrown roots of Cumbia and Champeta, so I think it’s a really interesting time. I've been playing this song in my DJ sets and it always goes down well.

Systema Solar - Bienvenidos

06. 'Un Canto A Mi Tierra' - Quantic & his Combo Bárbaro

Well, here’s an example of my own work, if you don't know it! This song features Pacific coast folklore singer Nidia Góngora performing a song from the Combo Bárbaro in her home town of Timbiqui. We toured together with the Combo last summer and it was a real joy to perform this song live. Nidia also has her own group called Grupo Canalon with other members of her extended family.

Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro - Un Canto a Mi Tierra

07. 'Beat it' Chirimia Style

Chirimia is a style of music from the department of Chocó on the Pacific coast of Colombia. It is mainly made up of instruments from a military band format and, like Porro music, contains many Afro-Colombian melodies and African drum styles. In many Colombian brass bands popular cover versions are played and if the song becomes popular, many other local brass bands will include it in their repertoire. In this video, shot in a procession in Quibdo, the band interpret Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'.

'Beat it' Chirimia Style

08. '1977' - Anita Tijoux

Hip hop in Chile has a long history and along with Brazil is probably the most advanced scene in Latin America. I was hipped to Chilean hip hop by Pablo Aravena who directed 'Next'. 1977 is the new single from Anita Tijoux, a Chilean singer and rapper who spent her childhood in France before moving to Chile.

Anita Tijoux - 1977

09. 'The Land Where the Blues Began' by Alan Lomax (book)

I was lent this book by a friend and haven't been able to put it down. It’s Alan Lomax writing about his experiences recording Delta Blues musicians in the 30s and 40s. Lomax is every bit a good writer as he is legendary folklorist, producer and self proclaimed 'Song Hunter'.

The Land Where The Blues Began - DVD Trailer

10. 'Pintate Los Labios Maria' - Roberto Faz

There's really nothing better than a piano montuno with cowbells and four trumpets. It seems the further you go back into Cuban music, the harder, funkier and heavier it gets. I think this version was recorded in Spain, hence breakdown 'Ole!'. Points for outfits and sheer musical energy.

Roberto Faz-Pintate Los Labios Maria

Will Holland

quantic.org

Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro - Tradition In Transition
is out now on Tru Thoughts

// Album review

SOFRITO CON QUANTIC!

Sofrito join forces with Quantic for an exclusive evening of heavy Tropical rhythms.

6 March 2010, New Secret East London Warehouse venue.

Quantic (DJ Set) Sofrito Soundsystem (feat. Frankie Francis & Hugo Mendez)
plus live bands Sonido Costeno con La Familia Atlantica y Quantic and Drymbago with MC Kwasi.

Full details and tickets: www.sofrito.co.uk

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