Bullerengue is a tradition that originated in the caribbean region of Colombia, and it can be heard from los Montes de Maria all the way to el Uraba Antioqueсo. It is through the drums, chants, and dances that knowledge is transmitted from generation to generation. El Bullerengue is a life style, a way to celebrate festivities, life, and the African legacy in Colombia.
Bulla en el Barrio was born in New York City as a way to continue a learning process that started back in Baranquilla, Colombia. It culminated with the arrival of lead singer Carolina Oliveros to the city in 2013, and her connection with a tight-knit group of local Colombian musicians. They began to fill parks and other public places with the sounds of their home country to a small audience. Little by little, some of this audience became participants, and in turn, the participants became students of the sound who eventually joined the group. The ensemble has maintained a deep focus on the art and discipline of los bailes cantados, a series of spontaneous music and dance from Colombia's caribbean region that share a complex history and rhythm depending on their exact zone and tradition of practice. The tradition of el bullrengue is at the core of Bulla's process, and in the case of these recordings, you will hear two examples (fandango & chalupa) of the three different rhythmic structures that make up el bullerengue.
From the beginning days of Bulla, the group has since transformed into a community of over 12 active members who all share a strong sense of connection to their roots - and consciousness of their ancestors. It is through the participation and love of this active membership that Bulla has become not only a creative space where musical ideas are shared, but also a space of integration and immigrant resistance.