In the mid-1960s, cumbia was a style of dance music that was gaining popularity in northern Colombia. Six decades later, it’s the beat behind some of the most popular songs on the planet. Built on a blend of sounds taken from indigenous, African, and Spanish music, its shuffling rhythm is flexible enough to power everything from big-band jazz to big-time pop. Get ready for a high-tempo party when three of the bands who helped turn cumbia into a worldwide phenomenon pop up for a stacked triple bill.
Since their founding in 1995, Grupo Cañaveral has established themselves one of Mexico’s most important cumbia groups, with a charismatic sound rooted in joy and Latin identity. They’ve brought traditional cumbia into conversation with the present, collaborating with artists from other genres and rearranging hit songs into cumbias. The Palmes de Oro award winners behind hits like “Tienes Espinas El Rosal,” “No Te Voy A Perdonar,” and “No Mientas Más” return to the Bowl for the first time since their thrilling 2017 performance.
Without La Sonora Dinamita, it’s possible cumbia never would have made it out of Colombia. The group formed in 1960 and spread the music across their home country. Then, after a breakup, they reformed in 1975 to bring the beat to the world. With a ten-piece brass section, the band has long been a showcase for male and female singers, and songs like “Mi Cucu,” “Maruja,” and “Cumbia de la Cadentia” have inspired younger performers for years—resulting in the 2021 collaborative album Transformando la Cumbia, recorded with Mon Laferte, Flor de Toloache, and more.
Los Hermanos Flores are, quite simply, the most famous and most sophisticated band in the history of El Salvador. Their blend of cumbia and jazz in the 1960s resulted in hits like “La Bala,” “La Enfermera,” and “La Secretaria,” making them hugely popular around the world and transformational for generations of musicians.
Programs, artists, dates, prices, and availability subject to change.
2301 N. Highland Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90068 (Get Directions)
