Just a few years after captivating the world with “Moliendo Café” Venezuelan composer, producer and arranger Hugo Blanco continued his adventures into rhythm. With his trusted arpa viajera (travelling harp) by his side he broke down musical barriers, conquering new territories, creating infinite spaces of Latin American pan-culturality. “Guajira con Arpa” is a musical statement, a seamless musical fusion in which Blanco approaches the Caribbean and Venezuela through strategic elements of both. Thus, in this guajira of Cuban origin, a Venezuelan harp takes the lead and the trumpets of a classic island ensemble accompany him on the trip, all the while not forgetting that they are in the era of rock and roll. In Blanco’s hands, everything is collected in a distinct, timeless way, eyes focused on modernity in the horizon.

As soon as the track begins, the harp makes the tumbao (groove) and is soon joined by the percussion. The drums find a neutral space where the Caribbean and Venezuelans can shine with the same intensity. The harp continues, playing a melody similar to a Venezuelan pajarillo [a style of Venezuelan folk song], taking flight and revealing the nationality of the protagonist, but it is not a national proclamation, the electric guitar invades him, with a syncopated rhythm and almost as another rhythmic element, thus, the local is renew by taking on a new appearance. Thus Blanco goes down in history, he was a renovator, a creator of rhythms and a forerunner of many others within his country. His fine sensitivity is felt in this song, which represents the Venezuela of the sixties with an almost rock and roll brazenness, fresh, always young and full of the flavour of Afro-Caribbean dance.

“Guajira con arpa” is the first single from Color de Trópico, a compilation album released on vinyl by El Palmas Music and compiled by DJ El Palmas and El Dragón Criollo. The release immerses us in the fusion that modernized Venezuelan music from 1966 to 1978. This music that embraced jazz, rock, salsa, funk, psych, prog and disco music, as well as guajira, cumbia and even the native joropo. The figure of the visionary is crucial to understanding Venezuelan music, and although the country has a long tradition of producing such pioneers, they have not always received the recognition that they deserved. This compilation hopes to put that straight.

“Guajira Con Arpa” will be released on September 18 by El Palmas Music.