The Coachella Valley Prepares for the King of Cumbia
By Esther Sanchez
On Nov, 20th, desert residents will be blessed with the opportunity to experience a legend of Latin dance music. Born in 1953, Celso Piña is a pioneer in the fusion of tropical sounds with many of his works having elements of musica norteña, sonidero, ska, reggae, rap/hip-hop, R&B, etc. Famously dubbed, “El Rebelde del Acordeón” (The Accordion Rebel) Piña started playing traditional Mexican music in his small home town with his brothers Eduardo, Rubén and Enrique. Together they would perform for the local residents, in particular, teenage girls from their neighborhood. With decades of original music under his belt Piña has far from lost his “cool” status. On the contrary, Celso is an inspirational artist who has been solicited for collaborations by younger, contemporary musicians throughout Latin America to this day.
In 1980, Celso Piña bought his first accordion and was introduced to the world of cumbia, a musical genre that, in recent years has transcended racial and cultural lines as all good music eventually does. During the mid-1980s, after having seen Anibal Velasquez and Alfredo Gutierrez in concert, Piña’s group decided to change their musical rhythm to drop the traditional music they had become known for and encompass a more tropical style, decided to fully switch to cumbia and became what they are today known as, Celso Piña y su Ronda Bogotá.
A true talent to his core, Piña taught himself how to play the accordion without formal training. As a result he was able to create the unique sound he is well known for. With close to 30 years of making music behind him, Piña has completed multiple international tours including countries like Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Morocco, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, Canada and the United States. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to witness a legend.
Celso Piña y su Ronda Bogotá will be performing Nov 20th at Sol Sports Bar in Coachella. Opening for Piña will be local rockers, Nel Pastel. 21 and over with ID. Doors open at 8:00 PM. Pre-sale tickets are available at Soul of Mexico Restaurant in Indio or Sol Sports Bar in Coachella. For more info call 760-398- 8538.
