Venezuela - Music from the Orinoco

Cheo Hurtado, a virtuoso on the cuatro and the bandola guayanesa, presents a portion of the extensive traditional Venezuelan repertoire, which mainly originates from pre-Baroque and Baroque Hispanic music: melodic richness and rhythmic power. The Spanish conquest reached Venezuela relatively early. Christopher Columbus had already landed near the Orinoco Delta on his third voyage in 1498. Since Venezuela was close to Santo Domingo and Cuba, which served as the gateway to all contact with the homeland, Baroque Europe also exerted a major musical influence in turn. In addition to ecclesiastical and secular art music, Spanish folk music forms also became known across the entire South American continent. These musical forms may have already absorbed African and American influences back in Spain. Over time, they evolved into traditional music. Cheo Hurtado learned to play the cuatro from his father, appeared as a soloist at a young age, and has been honored with several awards. He has played with various groups, including "Gurufío" (one of Venezuela's most popular bands). He also plays the bandola llanera, mandolin, and Cuban tres.