Picó: Neighbourhood bailes | Femdelic & Edna Martinez

My guest today: Edna Martinez who is releasing her first Vinyl compilation. A multicoloured selection of African Music that inspired and infused Colombian's Carribean Coast in the early 70's and 80's and merged into the Afro-Colombian Champeta. The Soundsystems and Its DJ's were responsible for this sonic journey. The so called Picós; hand-painted soundsystems, each with its own name and sonic identity, lived and died by its tunes. DJ's sourcing rare vinyl from Africa, finding a home at picós, that brought street parties to the Afro-Colombian towns. Labels were scratched off, false names were given – anything to retain exclusivity over an Afro party anthem. Tracks sung in Zulu or Ibo were given new names according to what people thought they heard.

Musicians started to record their own versions of African songs, and so Champeta – the Latin-tinged response to music from Nigeria, South Africa and Congo – was born.

We are going to listen to some songs of the Compilation as well as other tracks that are known as Champeta, the music of black Colombia and inspired Edna. The Double Vinyl LP 'Picó - Sound System Culture' will be released on the 20th june via Strut