A Legend from the Venezuelan Plains

Vidal Colmenares

…Otro Llano (Cacao Música, 2006)

Música Llanera is the folk music of the Venezuelan plains, Venezuelan cowboy music. Cacao Music has released a CD by  legendary singer Vidal Colmenares which takes llanera music to a new level. While respecting the unmistakable vocal style of Colmenares, producer Orlando Montiel adds contemporary music elements such as bassoon and clarinet arrangements, two types of accordion styles, .

Well respected by fellow musicians, but unknown to most younger Venezuelans, Vidal Colmenares traveled to Venezuela’s capital from Guanarito in Portuguesa state, in the central plains (Los Llanos) of Venezuela. Vidal brought  two of his sons: Jonny, a harpist and bandola player, and Luis, a cuatro player. The cowboy musicians were joined by some of the finest musicians from Caracas for the new album, titled …Otro Llano (Another Plain). "We spent so many relaxed hours in the studio (thank God for the privilege), enjoying this talented artist, who has a genuine voice and lyrics from the Venezuelan llano," says Orlando Montiel.

The beautifully packaged …Otro Llano shows the diverse abilities of Vidal Colmenares, including an a capella canto de arreo, pasajes, joropos, corríos, a milking song, a pasodoble, an aguinaldo (Christmas song), a chipola, a pajarillo, and a guacharaca.  "He was born in Caño de Indio, a very beautiful region in South Portuguesea state," says Luis Durán Rodríguez, official historian of Guanarito. "From an early age he felt the call of the native rhythms of his homeland, and began to sing different styles as joropo, recio, pasajes, golpes, contrapunteos, and vigil tones, among others."

 

Buy the CD:

• In North America: …Otro Llano
• In Europe: …Otro Llano