La Perla is a voice-and-percussion trio from Bogotá Colombia, home of one of the most organically interesting music scenes in the world right now. Their music is rooted in traditional Afro-Colombian rhythms like cumbia, chalupa and mapalé, but it's written and performed by 21st century women who also have their ears on punk, rap and EDM.
La Perla is coming to Richmond this spring: They'll be performing at the Get Tight Lounge on Saturday May 4 (I recommend putting that on your calendar right now), and earlier that afternoon they'll be playing live in WRIR's Studio C during our Cause & Effect radio program. This week on Global A Go-Go I'm going to introduce you to La Perla's music, with two songs from their 2022 debut album Callejera and some related sounds.
Also this week (Sunday March 17, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site): Anatolian rock chestnuts from the 70s, a set of cumbia that will get you moving, guitarist Mark Leggett channels Ali Farka Touré and Baaba Maal, rockin' desert blues including the wonderful new compilation of Abdallah Oumbadougou, and the cinematic psychedelic soul of Barcelona's Bidaide.