Newsletter - Colombia, Your Other Music

Hello camara!
Another year gone by and we don’t know where it has gone. Perhaps like the wind who only secrets leave behind. Hello camara, my greetings to all who love the plains, life and nature. To all the people who live the music and dream of peace. Hello camara, greetings from that ranger who works hard to spread the folklore music from the eastern plains with my harp, voice and stubbornness. I shout Hello camara! My heart is with you.

Vocabulary
*Camara- Is an expression of friendship displayed in popular language of the plains colombo-venezuelean folklore and defines a person from the llano/pampa region. You call a friend or partner Camara.

Porfia- Insistence
Stubborn insistence. Is used those who live by hope and perseverance and always prepared "just in case".

Corner Note May
This newsletter will be read in many places other than in Colombia and it will serve to provide interesting information.

Here like everywhere else people have never heard what "llanera music" is or what it sounds like. They cannot even imagine it. They see the harp but don't know what fantastic music Rene Devia brings out of it.

We begin by explaining that it is the music of the cow-herders/cowboys in Colombia; the people who work with bulls and horses and cattle. It is related with the ranch life, it is our country music,(Colombia-your other music).This llanera music is played with other stringed acoustic instruments like the harp, guitar, cuatro, and bandola llanera (cousin to the mandolin).

Monthly Question

Who has a copy of the show Colombia Viva at the Town Hall?

This And That
In San Antonio there are many cultural events. In January there is a great international RODEO that is filled with a variety of events that last almost a month. There are many countries participating and are always accompanied by live entertainment. Only Colombia is not represented. In the month of April FIESTA is celebrated; an event that takes a year to prepare for and for almost two weeks you have artists and cultures from all over. Only the llanera music was missing. Since I've only been here for six months, I don't have the strength or back-up support to propel it. Just now I'm introducing the other music of Colombia. Yes, there is interest because Mexico also shares its own Jarocha harp music.Now we are promoting our new CD Rene Devia International Vol 2 Sol y Sombra, whereby together with international music we can promote our llanera music.

Here And There
There are many colombians abroad who have made great efforts for the llanera music. In New York and Pennsylvania live Jairo and Jaime Castillo, brothers who form part of Los Vaqueros and accompany Rene Devia when he performs in the eastern part of the country. Plutarco Toloza another band member of Los Vaqueros in New York produces and distributes Cuerdas Sonora for acoustic instruments that require high quality strings. In Florida you have Raul Delgado, a very well known folk musician and composer. Karen Stein is a colombian in Iowa who is completely devoted to culture and with her group Los Llaneros along with professor Edgar East, tirelessly travel throughout the nation. Daniel Rojas is a harpist in Miami who promotes harp workshops in different countries including in Mexico. Consuelo Sastoque is a singer who is actively performing llanera music en Miami. Also in Miami, Ricardo Herrera is a  harpist and a primary point of contact for all colombo-venezuelan musicians who come to try their luck here and there.

This is not an easy task and we appreciate your support.

Classifieds

Cuerdas Sonora
tel. Plutarco Toloza
(718)353-0616
Strings for all instruments

Donations

Please send your donations, honorariums or gifts that are very appreciated and needed to promote culture and folklore to

Rene Devia
PO BOX 761492
San Antonio TX. 78245