Two Harps! When Wales Meets Columbia: Catrin Finch and Cimarrón

Forget wearing purple, when I am older, a red dress and a red sequinned bull horn headdress is the way to go. One of my startling conclusions from Catrin Finch and Cimarrón Collective’s gig celebrating a collaboration of Columbian and Welsh influences. Plus double harp action; just hearing the Columbian harp tune up was charming.

I was hearing, it turned out, Joropo music from the Orinoco River plains with a focus on nature and ‘Latin’ sounding, and yet much deeper than that with a range of guitars from the cuatro and bandolo to the bass, a range of percussion (surdo, cajones de rumba, tambora, deer skulls and ofcourse maracas). Rocking large cowboy hats, even in PVC or leather tops, net sequinned shrugs and at times, mystical red gauze shrouds, the band are still fierce, having a cajon beats battle and jumping on top of said cajones! Not to mention the stomp dance used as another form of percussion (made me think of Northern clog dances, but also tap)…and bull like flexes…

Most powerful was the vocalist Ana Veydó, who sort of Flamenco danced and sang incredibly expressively. She also had the most wonderful range of outfits from lace mantilla to red bull horn headdress with sequins! The custodian of Joropo cultural heritage, she formidably trains the next generation of musicians and dancers in this unique style.

A fun moment was when the maracas gathered round the Welsh harp, as well as any chance to get up and clap as an audience!