Xandão presents an upcoming compilation of border-crossing cumbia sonidera selected from the legendary Downtown Los Angeles label Discos Barba Azul.

To celebrate, we will have a release party on April 5th at La Cita in Los Angeles.

The evening will start with a discussion with Discos Barba Azul founder, Vicente Pedraza, followed by a dance lesson with Sonido Gandaya, live sonidero performances by Sonido Rumbandela, Sonido La Cumbia, and Sonido Espacio Tropical and DJ sets by Chico Sonido, Metralleta De Oro, and Xandão.

Buy Tickets Here. RSVP on Facebook.

Coming out April 14th, the album showcases how LA became a nerve center of contemporary Mexican cumbia with Discos Barba Azul as an important node connecting Mexico and United States. The album thinks through how saludos–dedications and shout-outs which sonidero DJs dramatically read–connect families separated by borders. Fans speaks to their absent loved ones through the DJ’s voice, which they buy on recordings of the show to send to their family mentioned. Cumbia sonidera–densely layered and personalized–creates an auditory archive of feelings of longing, love, and homesickness.

A collaboration between Dutty Artz and Songs From Home, the compilation features Los Daddy’s de Chinantla, Grupo Kual?, Grupo Ju-Juy, Jorge Meza, Grupo Colmillo, Los Star Boys, Estrellas de la Cumbia, Tinta Roja, Mega Cumbia, and DJ Neo.

¡UN SALUDO! Wednesday April 5th, La Cita, DTLA, $7, 9pm.