Get those hips ready to shake and sway because a weeklong celebration of cumbia music is coming to Los Angeles in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“Cumbia is one of the most listened to forms of music, it’s become a global sound,” said Grant C. Dull organizer of Cumbia Week in Los Angeles.
The celebration of the high-energy, traditional Latin dance music takes place at several venues throughout the city and will vary from vibrant dance parties to concerts to film screenings to art exhibitions to panel discussions.
“It’s just going to be a full blast of cumbia. It’s going to be a fantastic celebration,” Dull said.
Here’s your guide to Cumbia Week.
Opening night
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20
Where: The Teragram Ballroom 1234 W 7th St, Los Angeles
The week starts with a bang with a concert by Frente Cumbiero, which is recognized as one of Colombia’s new cumbia movement leaders. It’s the group’s first time performing in Los Angeles with a full band and they’ll be supported by other acts including local traditional cumbia band Very Be Careful. “It’s going to be a sweaty dance party,” Dull said.
Noche de Cumbia
When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21
Where: The Ford, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles
This show is a snapshot of a new generation of Cumbia along with an established legendary act. The night will include bands like Son Rompe Pera from Mexico, Reyna Tropical from the U.S. and veterans Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, who have been around in various forms since the 1940s. “They’re probably the world’s oldest working cumbia band, so you’re going to see a band from where cumbia was born to the most modern avant garde experimental music. It’s going to run the gamut of cumbia sound,” Dull said.
Noche de Cumbia
When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22
Where: The Hollywood Bowl 2301 Highland Ave., Los Angeles
This is the big one of the week with a concert featuring cumbia legends La Sonora Dinamita, who are credited as being among the bands that helped introduce cumbia to the world. The group will be joined by Los Hermanos Flores, another world famous cumbia band hailing from El Salvador, which mixes cumbia with jazz, and Mexican stars Grupo Cañaveral. “These are massive cumbia bands that are going to take over the Hollywood Bowl,” he said.
Reina de Cumbia exhibition
When: 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23
Where: Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles 2401 W 6th St., Los Angeles
The exhibition will include multimedia artwork that looks at the universe of cumbia music. It will also feature a keynote presentation by Mario Galeano of the group Frente Cumbiero about the origins of cumbia plus a workshop on the marimba, one of the key instruments in cumbia music.
Documentary night
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25
Where: Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles 2401 W 6th St., Los Angeles
The night will include the screening of two documentaries about cumbia culture; “Yo No Soy Guapo” by Joyce Garcia and “Sonidero Metropolis” by Alvaro Parra.
Panel discussion
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26
Where: Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles 2401 W 6th St., Los Angeles
This is the closing reception for the Reina de Cumbia exhibition and it will feature a panel discussion led by journalist Daniel Hernandez that will look at the origin and evolution of cumbia music.
Closing party
When: 9 p.m. Sept. 27
Where: Venue to be announced at a later date
The week is closing with another dance party featuring live performances and DJ sets at a yet to be announced venue in downtown Los Angeles.
Ticket prices vary by event. For more information go to zzkrecords.com/news/cumbia-week-in-los-angeles