Cumbias Y Algo Mas

Performer: Los Tigres del Norte
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: One could say that Mexicans and Colombians have, for many years, had a mutual appreciation society when it comes to la musica. From mariachi, ranchera, and banda to grupero, Mexican artists have been big sellers in Colombia -- and cumbia (which originated in Colombia) has been influencing regional Mexican music for a long time. It has certainly influenced los Tigres del Norte, who have a large Colombian following. Audiences in Bogota and Cali have been eating up their meaty polkas, waltzes, and narcocorridos (which strike a chord with people living in a country that, sadly, has had more than its share of drug-related crime). The Colombian influence in los Tigres' music is celebrated on Herencia Musical: Cumbias y Algo Mas, a 20-song best-of collection that focuses primarily (though not exclusively) on their contributions to cumbia. Saying that most of this release is Colombian-influenced isn't saying that tracks like "En Que Falle," "Las Flores de Mi Pais," "Don Nadie," and "La Dieta" are carbon copies of Colombian cumbia recordings -- that isn't the case at all. Los Tigres are very much a Mexican norte�o band, and when they play cumbia, they play it in a Mexican-influenced way (as do many other Mexican artists). Cumbias y Algo Mas is dominated by what is known as cumbia Tex-Mex, or cumbia mexicana, not cumbia as it is played in Colombia or elsewhere in South America (Peruvians, Bolivians, and Argentineans have all put their spins on cumbia). Cumbias y Algo Mas is far from the last word on los Tigres playing cumbia; as much cumbia as these norte�o giants have played over the years, Fonovisa could have easily made this a box set. But it is an enriching collection that underscores los Tigres' ability to be Colombian-influenced without straying from a musical path that is proudly, unmistakably Mexican. ~ Alex Henderson

One of the most popular norteno acts of all time, Los Tigres Del Norte formed in the late 1960s and brought a grittier sense of subject matter to the popular genre of border music. While life's hardships were always lyrical fodder for norteno artists, Los Tigres took things a step farther and introduced vivid tales of crime, drug running, and violent betrayals along the border. Musically, the band plays a polished, highly modernized version of a very traditional style of accordion-driven norteno, helping them maintain their appeal through the decades and across generations.

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