DUBAI, 13 January 2022 – Representing the regional sounds of Colombia’s southern Pacific coast, the band Grupo Bahía had the audience at the stage at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre on their feet and dancing on Thursday.
Formed over 20 years ago, Grupo Bahía’s guiding principles are love for the culture of the Colombian Pacific and a spiritual connection to the region’s nature and their ancestors.
Through their choice of instruments, vocal and rhythmic styles, which express Colombia’s diverse cultural makeup of African, Indigenous and Spanish roots, Grupo Bahía took the audience through an invigorating tour of their nation’s musical heritage.
Grupo Bahía’s performance combined melodic vocals, in a beautiful call and answer ‘mirror’ effect between the lead and backing vocals, with an infectious rhythm.
The hero instrument of the night, and the band’s work as a whole, is marimba de chonta, a melodic percussive instrument made from chonta wood. The marimba and music of Colombia’s South Pacific have been declared to be an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, making this an evening of culture, as well as entertainment.
