One of the many musical manifestations of the history of Latin America is the arrival of the European accordion. And in the hands of Colombian musician Gregorio Uribe, the accordion is both a melodic and rhythmic wonder. As he launches into "Damasco" with his two musical partners, Jonathan Gomez on percussion and Andres Garcia on bass, images of the lush Colombian countryside push through the bright melodies of the accordion and Uribe's impassioned vocals.
The performance is an explosion of both folkloric vallenato and cumbia and, as Uribe explains, the lively rhythms can often defy the seriousness of the lyrics — he describes "Atlas" as an existential crisis set to a very danceable rhythm. "Media Naranja" explodes into a percussive jam session and "Ay Leonardo" evolves into a joyful singalong as Uribe demonstrates how the spirit of Colombian folk music becomes universal in the right hands.
SET LIST
MUSICIANS
TINY DESK TEAM
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.