Representing the best of Colombia’s multiethnic culture, Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, are musical heirs to gaita music. They have been performing together for more than 50 years. Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto are masters of Colombia’s puya and porro music, as well as gaita corrida. The gaita ensemble consists of two duct-flutes called gaitas (not to be confused with the Spanish gaita, which is a bagpipe), a maraca, and three drums and may contain a singer. The gaita, a wind instrument fashioned from wood, beeswax, and a feather, has indigenous origins.
Los Gaiteros were created in the 1950s and now span several generations of musicians. Ranging from 60 to 85 years of age, these artists have single-handedly saved this cultural legacy, dedicating their entire lives to performing and transmitting their knowledge throughout Colombia. The music transcends social, political, and cultural boundaries, making Los Gaiteros one of the best interpreters of the beauty and complexity of Colombian culture.
The vibrations of the African drums, the haunting sounds of Indigenous flutes, and the nostalgia of Spanish melodies, created what is now known as gaita, a unique sound emerging from centuries of mixing of three cultures: African slaves, indigenous groups, and Spanish settlers.
In November 2007 the band received a Best Folk Album Latin Grammy for the album Un fuego de sangre pura. Later, in 2012, Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto’s album Así tocan los indios received the Colombian Premio Shock award for best folk album.
In 2014 the band collaborated with Diego Gómez and English producer Adrian Sherwood to release the experimental recording Dub de gaita.
Released on May 31, 2024, the album Orgullo Colombiano (Colombian Pride) contains 12 songs, 10 of which are new, featuring well-known composers like Rafael Castro Fernández (the band’s lead vocalist) and brilliant new talents like Marlon Peroza, known as the Poet of the Gaita.
The album is packed with cumbias, including “Quien No Conozca Mi Pueblo”, “Dame Un Beso” and the title track. It also includes gaita corrida songs such as “Ya Se Va Mendoza, “El Camino Del Indio”, and “El Canto D La Carracacha”. The album also features notable musical collaborations, including the puya rhythm song “Cuando Cantan Las Mujeres” with Carmen Antolínez, known as The Cumbia Queen; and the gaita porro rhythm song “El Octubre Que Venia” with Marlon Peroza as the vocalist. Both guest singers are members of the group Gaiteros de Pueblo Santo.
Partial Discography
Un Fuego de Sangre Pura (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2006)
Así tocan los indios (2012)
Dub de gaita (2014)
Orgullo Colombiano (OM Producciones, 2024)
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.