Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto & Fruko Y Sus Tesos in Chicago

Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto is a Colombian traditional music ensemble formed in San Jacinto, Bolívar, in the mid-1950s. Its cumbia and porro repertoire is built around gaita flutes, maraca, drums and voices, and includes pieces such as “La maestranza” and “El morro.” The album Un Fuego de Sangre Pura received the Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Music Album. In 1958, the ensemble joined an international folkloric tour organized by Manuel and Delia Zapata Olivella, performing across Europe and Asia. Decades later, it presented its paired gaitas, percussion and vocal arrangements at NPR’s Tiny Desk in Washington, D.C.

Fruko Y Sus Tesos is a Colombian salsa orchestra founded in Medellín in 1969 by bassist, composer and producer Julio Ernesto Estrada, known as Fruko. The group is known for songs including “El Preso,” “Manyoma,” “Cachondea” and “Los Charcos,” while Joe Arroyo, Wilson Manyoma and Piper Pimienta were among its notable singers. Fruko Y Sus Tesos have performed repeatedly during Cali’s Feria de Cali, an event closely tied to the city’s salsa culture. The orchestra has also appeared at Bogotá’s Salsa al Parque, presenting its repertoire through brass, piano, bass, percussion and lead vocals.