| Music of Nicaragua Topics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Palo de Mayo | Indigenous | Jazz |
| Punta | Reggaetón | Cumbia |
| Pop | Rock | Hip-Hop |
| Marimba | Heavy metal | Classical |
| Folklorico | Merengue | Salsa |
| Reggae | Soca | Calypso |
| Bachata | Bongos | Garifuna |
| Timeline andSamples | ||
| Central American music | ||
| Belize -Costa Rica -El Salvador -Guatemala -Honduras - Nicaragua -Panama | ||
TheMusic ofNicaragua contains a mixture ofEuropean,Indigenous, andAfrican influences. Occasionally, it also rarely featuresAsian andArab musical influences as well as from other countries ofHispanic andLatino origin.Musical instruments include themarimba and others that are common acrossCentral America.Pop music includes performers from all around the world includingNicaraguans,Cubans,Brazilians,Mexicans,Panamanians, as well as those fromEurope and theUnited States.[1]
Nicaraguans enjoy their local artist's music but also enjoy music from around the world. They enjoy the Dominican Republic'sbachata andmerengue, Jamaica'sreggae, Puerto Rico'ssalsa andreggaeton and Colombia'sCumbia among other genres includingpop.[2] Among the younger crowds,heavy metal androck have become very popular.[3]
| Life inNicaragua |
|---|
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| Cuisine |
| Culture |
| Demographics |
| Education |
| Holidays |
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Nicaraguan music is a mixture of different cultures from indigenous tribes, European conquerors, and slaves. Styles of music vary throughout the different regions in the country. In the Caribbean coast music with African and indigenous influence are heard, in the Pacific coast the music is considered to be a mixture of the indigenous and Spanish culture and in the North/Central region of Nicaragua the music has more of a European flavor, this is because of the significant wave of Europeans, mostly Germans, that live in the region. European influenced dances like thepolka andMazurka are also danced in this region.[3]
Another popular musical genre in Nicaragua is theChicheros, often consisting of a trumpet and trombone or other brass instruments, with additional musicians playing various percussion. This is often to be heard in private parties around the country.[3]
Themarimba of Nicaragua distinguishes itself from the other forms of marimba in Central America by the way it is played. Nicaragua's marimba is played by a sitting performer holding the instrument on his knees. They are usually accompanied by a bassfiddle,guitar andguitarrilla (a small guitar similar to amandolin). This music is played at social functions as a sort of background music. The marimba is made with hardwood plates, placed overbamboo or metal tubes of varying lengths. It is played with two or fourhammers.[1]
Indigenous theater groups performed with music and dance. Theatrical manifestations include theElegant Knights of Huaco Bull and theUNESCO proclaimed masterpiece, "El Güegüense", among many others.
One of the most prominent composers from Nicaragua is the leonés musicianJosé de la Cruz Mena (1874-1907). He wrote a variety of romantic waltzes that display sounds inspired by common and daily experiences, or natural scenarios. Among those compositions, we found titles such as "El Nacatamal," "Los Turcos," and "Ruinas." Besides, Mena's pieces are evocative of biblical characters and love relationship; titles like "Amores de Abraham," "Bonita Margarita," "Rosalía" are part of the most representative ones. By the time, Mena gathered popularity and influenced composers from different countries of the Americas; additionally, in the late 1800s, his name reached Asia and Europe particularly Germany and Italy inspiring Giacomo Puccini's operaLa Boheme.
Another relevant composer isLuis Abraham Delgadillo, with several symphonies, stage works, orchestral pieces, chamber music, songs, and piano music to his credit, andCamilo Zapata, creator of theNicaraguan Sound. Erwin Krüger, creator ofBarrio de Pescadores (Fisherman's District). Justo Santos creator ofLa Mora Limpia (A Clean Coffee Bean), considered Nicaragua's popular anthem.
Other prominent national musicians, groups, and songwriters includeLía Barrios, Marcio Brenes Mejía from Somoto, Nicaragua,Katia Cardenal,Salvador Cardenal,Marina Cárdenas,Dimension Costeña,Norma Helena Gadea,Macolla,Carlos Mejía Godoy,Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, Luis Enrique Mejía López (known asLuis Enrique),Los Mokuanes,Sergio Tapia, andHernaldo Zúñiga.
Of the younger generation of Nicaraguan singer-songwriters there are a few notable such as Latin Grammy NomineeRamón Armando Mejía (Perrozompopo),Arturo Vaughan,Moisés Gadea,Juan Montenegro,Junior Escobar,Elsa Basil,Cecilia Ferrer,Alejandro Carlos Mejía,Clara Grun,Noel Portocarrero,Duo Guardabarranco,Juan Solorzano, andMarcio Brenes JR. Also, rock bands such as Necrosis,Grupo Armado, Crisis,Monroy y Surmenage,Mano de Vidrio,Contrapeso,Q69K,Kerfodermo,Resistencia,Carga Cerrada andCecilia & The Argonauts.
Hip Hop andReggaeton artist includeTorombolo,J Smooth,Mr. Meli,Nello Style,Mayki Graff,Nica andLingo Nicoya.
Nicaragua's Caribbean coast is home to prominentreggae singers and groups such asPhilip Montalban,Carlos de Nicaragua,Kali Boom,Warrior Street,Sabu,Sabu Sr. andOsberto Jerez y los Gregory's.
Also notable instrumentalists such as guitaristsTony Melendez,Arturo Vaughan,Roberto Vaughan,Eduardo Araica,Omar Suazo,Arnulfo Oviedo,Saulo Pérez, and Andrés Sánchez, marimba playerCarlos Luis Mejia, drummersJorge Lanzas,Bikentios Chávez,Matute,Johnny Metralla,Henry Palacios, andpercussionistJosé Areas who was inducted in theRock & Roll Hall of Fame with the bandSantana.[4]
[CAMPOS FONSECA, Susan: "Historia compensatoria y Filosofía: Un caso centroamericano", en BABAB, Nº33, verano, España, 2008, ISSN · 1575-9385. Disponible en:http://www.babab.com/no33/susan_campos.php]
