Far away in the South

Welcome to Far Away in the South. A blog dedicated to promote and research different folkloric music styles of South America. This first week I wanted to choose a song from my country: Argentina:

El silbador (the wistler), a beautiful “zamba” written by the great Argentine composer and pianist, Cuchi Leguizamon and interpreted here by el Duo Salteño. This duo, integrated by Chacho Echenique and Patricio Gimenez was one of the most polemic folkloric music groups in Argentina in the late 60’s. Two voices singing independently, creating unusual harmonies for what it was the traditional sound of folkloric music at the time. The two singers incorporated dissonant seconds, sevenths and fourths to the classic intervals of 6ths and 3rds. The legend says that right after the duo started, they were looking for a musician to direct it. A friend invited them to a barbecue in the house of Juan Riera. There, they had the opportunity of singing this beautiful song, El silbador, in front of its composer: Cuchi Leguizamon. He was very impressed with the performance and asked them who re-harmonized his song. They just told him “it came out like that”. From that day on, Cuchi worked with them in what ended up being one of the most successful and revolutionary groups in the history of Argentine popular music, influencing one another and expanding the possibilities of the harmonic landscape of folklore. A new vanguard movement was born.