El Tambó Fest: Cumbia Summit of the Borderlands Part 1

El Tambó Fest, Night One: First-Ever Cumbia Summit of the Borderlands kicked off on April 27, 2018 at Hotel Congress. The event was part of the annual Agave Heritage Festival which explores and celebrates the cultural, commercial, and culinary significance of agave on the border region through a festival of seminars, trade shows, and world-class culinary events. The evening began with a panel discussion of cumbia artists and was sponsored by Southwest Folklife Alliance and CALA Alliance (Celebración Artística de las Américas.) 30 Minutes features remarks made during the first half of the panel.

Founder and Artistic Director of El Tambo Logan Phillips introduced the moderator and the speakers. El Tambo began in 2013 and bills itself as Tucson’s legendary dance party without borders. El Tambo loosely translates as “the Drum” and celebrates the cultural remixing that has always taken place here in the borderlands.

University of Arizona Assistant Professor of Mexican American Studies Michelle Tellez moderated this panel of four cumbia musicians from four of the bands who performed at El Tambó Fest, Night One: First-Ever Cumbia Summit of the Borderlands. Gabriel Sullivan from Chicha Dust, Adrian Rodriguez from La Diabla, Cody Lopez from Tohono O’odham cumbia band Native Creed, and Kiko Rodriguez from El Paso’s Frontera Bugalú.

Recorded by KXCI Music Director Duncan Hudson. Edited and produced by Amanda Shauger.