Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto Grammy Award winners and one of the oldest and most important folkloric musical groups in Colombia were born in San Jacinto in the Colombian Department of Bolívar in the 1940s. Miguel Antonio Hernández Vásquez also known as “Toño” Fernández, assembled a group of San Jacinto musicians including Juan and José Lara, Pedro Nolasco Mejía, Catalino Parra and Manuel de Jesus “Mañe” Mendoza who formed the group’s official line-up. From the 1950s onwards, they began touring Colombia and the rest of the world, managed by writer and researcher Manuel Zapata Olivella. As decades passed, the group began incorporating a second generation of musicians, among whom can be found some of the sons and family members of the original line-up. Today, Antonio”Toño” García, Nicolas Hernández and Juan “Chuchita” Fernández who are now in the 80’s continue playing in the group along with the new generations.
Their music, a blend of the indigenous, african and spanish cultures evokes the simplicity of everyday peasant life. Instrumental pieces and verses are composed honoring love, broken hearts, family and friends, agriculture, the beauty of being alive. Struggles and perseverance. Coming from an area where armed conflict has deeply affected the community, their music pays homage to Colombian multicultural ancestry; it is a symbol of brotherhood, unity, peace, resistance, strength, equality and a bright light of hope for the people of Colombia . Today, they continue to tour and share the traditions of the gaita music from Colombia to the rest of the world.
LOS GAITEROS DE SAN JACINTO at Terraza 7. Thursday July 16th, 2015 at 8pm
$20 cover charge for Mezzanine $15 cover charge for First Floor