The Roots of Chicha

This fine compilation gathers together tracks from the popular Peruvian style known as chicha. Afro-Cuban percussion, the shoulder-shimmying rhythms of Colombian cumbia, the electrified sounds of rock, and indigenous elements all get shaken and served in this fun-loving musical mixture. Chicha originated in the Amazon region of Peru in the late 60s, but eventually spread to Lima where it continued to develop. Crashing timbales nuzzle up to wah-wah riffs and snaky electric guitar lines that echo the Middle East or the Andes. Sometimes it seems like chicha can absorb any sound it bumps into. On “Linda Nena,” by Juaneco y Su Combo (most of the band died in a plane crash in 1976), the interlocking parts evoke the guitar interplay of West African highlife. “Carinito” by Los Hijos del Sol, features playful vocal shouts, an insistent cymbal accent typical of cumbia, and a guitar player who has no trouble slipping a touch of American R&B into the Andean melody. Judging from “El Guapo,” Los Diablos Rojos were familiar with fierce Cuban grooves and the Latin rock innovations of Santana. But don’t worry too much about mapping all the cultural crossbreeding; just put The Roots of Chicha on your player and dance.