Alma Moyó: PT.3 of 3-by Dennis Flores

Alma Moyó is an Afro-Boricua musical group dedicated to the preservation of Puerto Ricos oldest living African musical and cultural tradition, la bomba. Founded in 2002 under the musical direction of Alex LaSalle from Moca, Puerto Rico, the groups 10 members are a talented mix of musicians, educators and historians dedicated to empowering people of the African Diaspora by sharing Borinquens potent legacy of Bomba music, the primarily Congolese derived African music of the Puerto Rico.

Closely related to the music of gwoka from Guadaloupe, bele from Martinique, and the bomba from Ecuador, tumba francesa from Cuba, Haitis boumba, and many others. Bringing together different generations of Puerto Rican and Caribbean musicians, Alma Moyó represents the next movement in pan-Caribbean musical expression.

Dedicated primarily to preserving and promoting awareness of the vast diversity that exists within the Afro-Puerto Rican bomba tradition, Alma Moyó seeks to honor the multi-root origin of bomba by honoring the unique fusion of African and Afro-Caribbean elements that blend to create bomba on the island of Puerto Rico. Alma Moyó brings to light the often marginalized musical variation of Bomba from the western part of the island, including Moca, Aguadilla, Aguada, and especially Mayaguez, where it is said that all of Puerto Ricos bomba originates.

This all-inclusive group also pays homage to the traditions from Loiza, Ponce, Cataño, and Santurce. Uplifting audiences with thunderous drumming and soul-stirring singing, Alma Moyos musical treasure chest contains traditional bomba songs from as far back as the late 1700s as well as originally composed songs by its many talented songwriters. These heartfelt songs of lament, wisdom, revolution and the daily lives of African descendants in the Americas tell the stories of our ancestors, our history, our cultural and spiritual traditions, and our vision for the future of all African descendants.

Inspired by the master musicians and artisans of Puerto Rico and its Diaspora who lovingly preserve the Afro-Boricua traditions of bomba, Alma Moyó was born in the celebrated Rincon Criollo Cultural Center in the Bronx, NY, affectionately known as La Casita de Chema.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bomba
• Plena
• Puertorriqueña
• Puerto
• Rico
• Africa
• Afro-Carribean
• Caribbean
• Taino
• Revolution
• Santeria