THE OTHER ARGENTINE MUSIC (By Hostel Colonial, Buenos Aires)

 Argentine music is not all about tango. The traditional music of our country covers a large variety of rhythms spread over our territory under the denomination of “folklore”. The experts say that folklore comes from the English word “folk”, that comes from the German “volk” which means “people”. Popular music in its core, folklore is a representation of our traditions and our land.

The element that brings together the varied folcloric rhythms is a percusive line in 6/8 or 4/4. The most famous percusive instrument is the “bombo legüero” (a bass drum with a cow skin drumhead). The agrupation completes with a spanish guitar and voice. Different instruments are added according to the specific rhythm or region where it’s performed. The lyrics focus on love, work and suffering issues related to the history, occupations and special features of each place.

The best known rhythmd are the zamba, the chacarera and the vidala (from the North West region), the chamamé (From the North East and Litoral regions), the cueca and the tonada (from Cuyo region) and the coplas (from Patagonia). The most representative artists are: Atahualpa Yupanqui, Los Chalchaleros, Ariel Ramírez, Mercedes Sosa, Antonio Tarragó Ros, Peteco Carabajal, Ramona Galarza, Horacio Guarany, Jaime Torres and José Larralde. The new breed: el Chaqueño Palavecino, Soledad, Los Nocheros, Jorge Rojas, Luciano Pereyra and Abel Pintos.

The classic place to enjoy folcloric music are the so called “peñas”. There, musics and dancers get together and people can join the party by dancing to their music or grabbing the instruments to show their skills. The evening also offerts traditional Argentine country food like empanadas, carbonada, meat pie, among others. Everything with a fine Argentine wine.


Some recomended “peñas” by Hostel Colonial are: La Peña del Colorado (3657, Güemes St, Palermo, www.lapeniadelcolorado.com.ar), La Cautiva (431, Alsina St, Downtown), Los Cardones (2180, Borges St, Palermo, www.cardones.com.ar).