Maracaibo drum ensemble Huracan de Fuego explores the regional drum patterns of Venezuela and the roots of Afro-Venezuelan percussion. Huracan de Fuego was founded by Maracaibo native Nestor Gutierrez who played the congas in a salsa group before becoming fascinated by the great wealth of traditional Venezuelan drums.
Gutierrez gathered together a talented group of percussionists who share his passion to preserve the traditional instruments and performance practices in danger of disappearing in many parts of Venezuela. Huracan de Fuego’s music embraces the regional drumming techniques style of singing and barefoot dance associated with traditional drum performances.
Each region of Venezuela has its own drums and each village often has its own distinctive drum beat. On its Nubenegra album Vamos a Darle (We’re Going to Play It) the group focuses on the cumaco drums which are essential for dancing and have a history that can be traced back to the Congo. A wide variety of other percussion instruments and the strong male voices of the singers supply additional color and vibrancy to this exciting album.
Among the musicians joining Gutierrez on this recording are Carlos Telez, a singer and percussionist from Palmarito (a region known for its rich drumming traditions); Elvis Sanchez, a Maracaibo native who has experimented with fusing jazz and the Afro-Venezuelan drums; Isaac Angulo whose playing is influenced by his Colombian roots; and Nemecia Prieto who played merengue and salsa before dedicating himself to the drums.
Several band members relocated to Madrid, Spain in the late 1990s.
Discography:
Vamos a Darle (Nubenegra)
Agua’e Coco (Nubenegra)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
