Vallenato Music Is From A Different Period Of Time And Gaining In Popularity.

Vallenato is a mixture of Colombian, African and European styles that originated from the Caribbean villages in the Valle de Upar, a large valley located in the most northeastern part of Colombia. located to the south of Santa Marta on the southern side of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the city of Valledupar. The term Vallenato is made up of Valle (valley) and nato (born) that make up "born in the valley" or "from the valley", refers to the valley of Upar.
The original form is Puya but there are 3 other styles that give a range of music from traditional form of popular folk music to modern rock fusion.

The four basic rhythms

son, relatively slow
paseo, the most popular and modern sound of Vallenato
merengue, related to the merengue of the Dominican Republic.
puya. (original form), with an accordionist, a caja player and a guacharaca player. This is the oldest form.

A group will consist of

an accordionist (playing a button type German accordion that has no piano keys.)
a caja player (a small drum similar to a congas drum.)
a guacharaca player (a piece of ribbed sugar cane or bamboo or small trunk of a palm tree that is scraped with a fork made of hard wire attached to a wooden handle).
and can include
one or more singers,
a drummer and/or conga player
a guitarist
a bassist
a keyboard player

Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata is a festival that takes place in the city of Valledupar in the Valley of Upar in the department (province or state) of Cesar. The location is between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Serranía de Perijá in northeast Colombia, referred to as being from the northern coast (la costa norte). The ultimate reward for an accordionist is the King of Kings (Rey de Reyes) crown awarded every tenth year of the annual Legend Festival held in Valledupar, Colombia. Hugo Carlos Granados won the title in 2007. I haven't been to one of these festivals but you will always have a great time when Colombians get together. Colombians love dancing and people visiting from other countries.

The Performers

Guillermo Buitrago, born in Ciénaga Magdalena 1920 - 1949
Rafael Calixto Escalona Martinez, composer, co-founder of the Vallenato Legend Festival
Daniel Celedon youtube La Gota Fria (The Cold Sweat) Old Style
Diomedes Díaz, Born in La Junta, La Guajira,
Enrique Díaz
Silvestre Dangond a more modern form.
Alejo Durán Born in El Paso, Cesar, 1919 – 1989
Fonseca (Juan Fernando Fonseca), May 29, 1979 in Bogotá. Latin Grammy winner for Te Mando Flores (2006)
Omar Geles (accordion player and composer).
Peter Manjarrez
Luis Enrique Martínez
Colacho Mendoza (Nicolas Mendoza Daza),1936 – 2003 Vallenato accordian player, Born in Barrancas, La Guajira
Kaleth Morales 1984 – 2005)
Lorenzo Morales
Jorge Oñate, popular singer
Tobías Enrique Pumarejo writer
Juan Humberto "Juancho" Rois (accordion player and composer)
Israel Romero
Abel Antonio Villa
Iván Villazón, popular singer
Carlos Vives youtube La Gota Fria (The Cold Sweat) Modern Style
Emiliano Zuleta, popular composer and accordion player
And many more

Colombian Festivals

Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata that will celebrate its 44th anniversary on April of 2011 in Valledupar, Cesar.
Festival Cuna de Acordeones in Villanueva, Guajira, July 1-4
Festival National de Compositores de Música Vallenata in San Juan del Cesar, Guajira December 8,9,10 and 11
Festival Tierra de Compositores in Patillal, Cesar December 23-25
Festival Folclórico del Fique in La Junta, Guajira November 12-14
Festival de Acordeoneros y Compositores de Chinú in Chinú, Córdoba November 2,3,4,5 and 6
Festival Sabanero in Sincelejo, Sucre. January 20

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