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Los Kjarkas

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Los Kjarkas is a Bolivian group from Capinota in Cochabamba and one of the most popular Andean folk groups in the country's history. The name comes from Quechua and means brave. The leader has always been the singer, guitarist and songwriter Gonzalo Hermosa González. He founded the group with his brothers Élmer and Ulises, Gastón Guardia Bilboa and Ramiro de la Zerda. The group plays styles such as saya, caporal, tuntuna, huayno and carnavales, with instruments such as charango, quena, zampoña, ronroco, guitar and bombo.

Music and breakthrough

In the mid-1980s the group was at its peak. A plagiarism case followed. In 1989 the French group Kaoma made the dance Lambada popular, but that song turned out to be an unauthorised adaptation of Llorando se fue, written by Ulises and Gonzalo Hermosa and sung by Los Kjarkas as a saya. A French court recognised the rights of Los Kjarkas, and Kaoma had to pay substantial damages. The case made the group better known in Europe, Asia and America. The song has since been sampled by others, including in On the Floor by Jennifer Lopez.

Influence

Ulises Hermosa died in 1992. The group founded two schools for Andean music, in Lima and Ecuador, and wrote more than three hundred songs. In this way it passed the folk music of the Andes on to a new generation and took it to a worldwide audience.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Llorando se fue and notice the rhythm of the saya. Which Andean instruments do you hear?

Discography

Studio albums

Mentioned in other articles

Categories: ArtistsAndean music