Describing and distinguishing genres is frustrating, especially when you’re still learning. Recently, I’ve had people ask me about what cumbia is, how it differs from other types of music from Latin America, why one song is cumbia, and another isn’t, etc. And it gets difficult because I had never heard of the music until I moved to SF, so it’s relatively new for me as well. I know it when I hear it, but trying to explain its nuances, or talk about it authoritatively, well, that’s beyond me.
But this article is pretty great, and is both deep and accessible.
Tags: cumbia, interviews