Last month, we delved into the Avanzada Regia , Monterrey’s greatest contribution to Latin American rock. Now, it’s time to explore another musical gift from the Sultana of the North : cumbia rebajada. Characterized by its unmistakable rhythm, cumbia originated as an Afro-Colombian genre but has spread out across Latin America, creating hundreds of local varieties and becoming the “ musical backbone of the continent .
” Cumbia rebajada is known for its slow pace, deep and drawn-out vocals, evocative accordions and lyrics about the significance of home. Migration and displacement are central themes in both its origin and content. To understand cumbia rebajada, we have to look at the presence of Colombian immigrants in one of Monterrey’s most underserved neighborhoods: the Colonia Independencia.
The 1960s saw significant cultural and demographic changes in Monterrey. Colombian immigrants to the city brought with them cumbia and vallenato records which were quickly embraced by regiomontanos . In the Colonia Independencia , home to many of these migrants, neighborhood parties featured a sonidero , a type of master of ceremonies who played this music for friends and families, fostering a vibrant community spirit.
This was the environment that gave rise to Monterrey’s first great cumbia artists, like the legendary Celso Piña . It wasn’t until the 1990s, though, that cumbia rebajada was born. One night, sonidero Gabriel Dueñez experienced an issue with his Rapson so.
