Fresno’s ArtHop highlights cumbia music and its significance in Latin America
The Mexican Consulate in Fresno will spotlight the culture, history, flavor and rhythms of cumbia music Thursday evening at Arte Américas during a free event as part of ArtHop.
Cumbia is a type of Latin American dance music that originated in Colombia and variations have been made in other countries, including Mexico, based on the original Colombia style. Cumbia music is not heard as much in the Central Valley as other musical rhythms such as banda and regional Mexicano.
The Mexican Consulate’s 6 p.m. Thursday event will spotlight cumbia music with a book presentation of “Cumbia Somos,” as well as a live cumbia music session by DJ Enrique Perez. Guest panelists will include Betto Arcos, a writer and cultural manager who experienced the cumbia boom in Mexico, and Radio Bilingue programmers Jackie Torres-Fritz and Enrique Sanchez, who are specialists in Latin rhythms.
“We are going to brighten up our lives a little with cumbias,” said Evelyn Velázquez, a consulate spokesperson.
“Cumbia Somos” is an anthology about the rhythm of cumbia and reviews the history of iconic musicians and bands, its origins in Colombia and how the cumbia boom was born in Mexico.
“We wanted to bring a bit of central Mexico (to the Valley), because that is where the rhythm of cumbia is most regularly heard and that unites us with Latin America,” Velázquez said.
How to attend
Thursday: Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. at Arte Americas, 1630 Van Ness Ave, in Fresno.
Cost: Free
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 10:18 AM.
