Sí, Soy Llanero: Joropo Music from the Orinoco Plains of Colombia / Si, Soy Llanero: Joropo Music from the Orinoco Plains of Colombia

Eastern Colombia, near the Orinoco River and the border with Venezuela, offers its own stunning musical tradition of joropo, which has become more prominent in recent years, although not enough to really register on the world music radar. It seems that might just be a matter of time, however, on the basis of the music on Si Soy Llanero: Joropo Music from the Orinoco Plains, driven by percussively played stringed instruments, especially the harp, cuatro, and bandola. This release offers a compendium of styles within joropo, and it's a thrilling education, especially on pieces like "Los Merecures," which careen along at breakneck pace, demanding huge technical ability from the musicians, or "Seis por Derecho," a style of golpe where the instruments trade off lines, pushing each other further and further, with Carlos Quintero's harp playing absolutely outstanding. Kudos, too, to the rhythm section — percussion and a bassist who goes beyond underpinning the rhythm to provide astute counter melodies. While the focus is instrumental, there are some songs — like the melodies, derived from the tradition — and they do offer a respite from the frenetic musical speed that pervades the rest of the album: "Maria Laya," sung by the lovely Ana Veydo, offers such an example. The interplay between musicians is phenomenal, and the music itself is virtually irresistible. Very definitely a Latin find.