Music of Venezuela
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Venezuelan music has been largely overshadowed on the international scene by its neighbors, especially Brazil, Trinidad and Colombia. It is known for its own salsa, merengue and other imported styles, as well as the distinct llanero music.
Originally a rural form of the llanos, or plains, llanera spread to musically creative artists like Juan Vicente Torrealba and Ignacio Figueredo, who helped to popularize music through the country , leading to a slick modern form of pop-llanera that has earned scorn from purists and much of the younger Venezuelan listeners, who perceive it as stale and watered-down. Some singers, like Simón Díaz and Reynaldo Armas have maintained a huge following over the years. In a similar vein, there is also is neo-folklore, which takes traditional music and arranges it in an electronic style, for electronic instruments.
Another very popular music in Venezuela is the gaita. This genre originated from the region of Zulia state and is very popular during the Christmas season. It has grown to be a national representation of the Venezuelan Christmas.
Other forms of Venezuelan folk music have achieved little or no popular acclaim, but are extensively recorded and researched due to the work of Caracas-based Fundación Bigott. African-derived percussion (including multiple rhythms, such as sangeo, Fulía and parranda) is perhaps the most well-documented subject, and has produced groups like Un Solo Pueblo, Huracán de Fuego and Grupo Madera. This vanguard fusion artists combine rumba, Latin jazz, joropo, salsa and other forms of music from Latin America.
Venezuelan calypso music, imported from Trinidad in the 1880s by immigrants arriving during a gold rush, has its own distinctive rhythms and lyrical style. Calypso de El Callao in Venezuela, the music has had major stars, including most famously VH. Another imported genre is Cuban-American salsa music, which has several domestic superstars, including Oscar D'León. Dominican merengue and Latin pop acts like Billo's Caracas Boys, Porfi Jiménez Orchestra and Los Melódicos.
Aldemaro Romero is a prolific Venezuelan composer, he has created a wide range of music, such as Caribbean, jazz, Venezuelan waltzes, and symphonic works of great dimensions making and innovative work, which met with an astounding creativity and style the challenge to modernize Venezuelan folk music.
Pop music and rock are very popular too, and several bands have had their rise and fall in the music scene. Venezuelan rock has strong influences from Argentine bands, so their style may somewhat be placed into the same category. However, most bands incorporate caribbean rhythms thus giving them unique characteristics. Some well known bands are Desorden Público, Caramelos de Cianuro, Los Amigos Invisibles, the now extinct Sentimiento Muerto, Zapato 3 among others.
Some Venezuelan pop musicians have gained popularity in other Latin American countries besides Venezuela. Such is the case of Ricardo Montaner (very popular in Chile), José Luis Rodríguez "El Puma" and Ilan Chester to mention a few.
Jazz, house and avant-garde have also been popular, especially in Caracas.
There have also been Venezuelan Classical composers. Among these, Moisés Moleiro, Teresa Carreño (who was also a world-renowned pianist), Eduardo Marturet (who is primarily an international conductor), Antonio Estévez, Federico Ruiz (who also works often with other genres), and Vicente Emilio Sojo (particularly known for his contributions to Venezuelan musicology and music education). The torch of Moleiro and Sojo was picked up by several of their students of which Roberto Ruscitti stands out. Several of his compositions can be heard at his website
Other Venezuelan notable musicians include Edgar Ojeda, Adrenalina Caribe, Serenata Guayanesa, Alberto Naranjo and Cheo Hurtado, as well as the group Guaco.
[edit] References
- Rosenberg, Dan and Phil Sweeney. "Salsa con Gasolina". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp 624-630. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
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