La Sonora Dinamita - Juntos Por La Sonora (2016)

Colombian arranger/composer Lucho Argain (born Luis Guillermo Pérez Cedrón) made his first record in 1959 after signing up to Antonio Fuentes Estrada's label Discos Fuentes. Soon, the talented musician and the visionary entrepreneur teamed up to assemble a major orchestra inspired by the success of Cuban Sonora Matancera. Unfortunately, the original group disbanded in 1963. In 1975, Julio Ernesto Estrada Rincon, also known as Fruko, re-formed La Sonora Dinamita and began expanding the reach of cumbia throughout the Latin world. In 1977, Pedro Lucho Argaín took over leadership of the group. In 1979, they traveled to Mexico to record their first album in that country. Entitled Fulminante, it became a hit and started the resurgence of the public interest in cumbia as a popular artform. In 1981, La India Meliyará became their first female lead vocalist. With her they made successful, even classic records including "Mi Cucu." Since that time, La Sonora Dinamita has undergone many incarnations and personnel changes. They have been credited as the true source of the popular rebirth of cumbia throughout Latin America. They have issued dozens of albums and compilations and have been on and off the charts. Their 1986 album, Sida, reached number five on the Regional Mexican Albums charts, while their 1989 and 1990 singles "Tucucu" and "El Viejo del Sombreron" landed on Hot Latin Songs Charts. Their Super Exitos, Vol. 1 collection from 1995 also netted three hit singles. The band has toured internationally every year since 1995. Some of their tours have taken them to Europe and North America. In the fall of 2016, La Sonora Dinamita issued the massive 22-track collection Juntos la por Sonora. It featured the legendary group performing hits and traditional cumbias in duet with a star-studded Mexican artists including El Dasa, Roberto Tapia, Mariana Seoane, El Bebeto, and Chuy Lizárraga y Su Banda Tierra Sinaloense. ~ Drago Bonacich.