Ghetto Kumbé, brings together 3 great musicians from the Caribbean coast of Colombia: Edgardo “Guajiro” Garcés, Andrés “DocKey” Mercado and Juan Carlos “Chongo” Puello. This combo of shamans, percussionists, has traveled the world with their afro-futuristic project invoking the audiences of the whole world and the spirits of digital and conscious rumba. It is impossible to resist his electronic/transe rituals. Blame it on his powerful percussion base, Afro-House Caribbean and Afro-Colombian rhythms influenced by traditional West African rhythms.
Signed to ZZK Records, Latin America’s pioneering electronic music label, the group released on July 31, 2020 their eponymous album GHETTO KUMBÉ co-produced with English producer The Busy Twist.
Inspired by the different revolutionary movements emerging around the world in recent years and the social reality in Colombia, Ghetto Kumbé is visceral, committed and rebellious. As it denounces, with its frenetic rhythms, the inequalities and abuses of corrupt governments, while at the same time seducing listeners to join the struggle. Dance mixes with an awakening of consciousness to create a global community, where family, friends and strangers come together through a common love of music to activate change among them.
Ghetto Kumbé creates an afro-futuristic soundscape with lyrics that motivate, uplift and inspire. The tone of Ghetto Kumbé’s music shifts fluidly between tracks that include ancestral chants, deep and resonant vocals, and uplifting and inspiring anthems.
This April 27th, 2022, the first single from GHETTO KUMBÉ’s remix album is released. The conception was a story of encounters through the touring and travels of the musicians. The result is a club version of the album released in 2020, with a selection of incredible producers from Latin America, Europe, USA, Canada and Africa.
With a very strong visual concept, fluorescent ethno-futuristic masks and a super powerful trio of musicians, the band has known an immediate success in the local and international scene. In 5 years GHETTO KUMBÉ has toured all over Europe passing through the biggest festivals and many stages like: Glastonbury/UK, Roskilde/DK, Eurockéennes de Belfort et les Transmusicales de Rennes/FR, Ozora Fest/HU, Etno Sur/ES, Fusion Fest/GE, Paleo/CH and many more.
In the American continent, Ghetto Kumbé has become one of the most important alternative music bands in Colombia, playing in stages such as the Carnival of Barranquilla, the Jorge Eliecer Gaitan Theater or in the first part of the mega band RADIOHEAD during their Soundhearts tour. The group has also gone several times to Mexico (Bahidora Festival), Panama and Ecuador. 2020 was going to be a year of change with a tour in the USA with a very special touch for the opening of the SXSW festival. The covid crisis has put this project on hold but for sure another opportunity will come very soon.
