Viento Callejero (“street breeze”) represents the youthful vigor of a renaissance of Latino dance music in communities from East L.A. to Oakland. This Los Angeles-based ensemble is part of a younger generation of artists driving the resurgence of cumbia—reinterpreting this Afro-Colombian form and providing new opportunities for creative collaborations and community building. Breaking down the rhythmic and melodic pulse of cumbia, son montuno, merengue, reggae, dance hall, funk, and rock, Viento Callejero brings a fresh approach to urban “tropical” music, stripping it to its rawest elements and unleashing a sound that keeps audiences on their feet.

The group performed at the 2015 Folklife Festival as part of the Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert, an annual event that honors the legacy of Smithsonian Folklife Festival co-founder Ralph Rinzler and his support of “citizen artists,” people whose creativity and art-making summon public engagement, foster social awareness, and build bridges among communities.

Filmography: David Barnes, Gabrielle Robinson, Pruitt Allen
Editing: Courtney Adkisson