Cumbancha Information

Cumbancha is a record label, booking agency and music publisher founded by Jacob Edgar, an Ethnomusicologist and music producer who since 1998 has been the head of music research and product development at famed independent record label Putumayo World Music. It has been Edgar's job to travel the world in search of exceptional artists and songs for Putumayo's critically acclaimed and commercially successful compilations of music from all over the globe. Over the years, Edgar kept coming across artists he felt deserved wider recognition and assistance in bringing their music to the world stage, and he decided to form Cumbancha to address that need. "I believe exposure to music from different parts of the world can help open a doorway to other cultures," insists Edgar. "Listening to music is an excellent way to make a connection with people who are very different from yourself, and it can create a common ground that overcomes some of the barriers that separate people of different walks of life." "My experience at Putumayo has taught me that world music is much more popular than is generally recognized. People from all generations and backgrounds are looking for music with roots in cultural traditions, even if that music isn't as visible as it should be in the mainstream media." Edgar is a global explorer with an insatiable curiosity for the diverse ways in which people express themselves through music. His research trips in search of music for Putumayo's compilations have taken him to Cuba, Brazil, Turkey, India and dozens of other countries, not to mention hundreds of the world's greatest international music festivals, showcases and performance venues in search of exceptional musical talents. Since 2009, Edgar has been the host of the television series Music Voyager, a music and travel show that follows Jacob's adventures as he travels the globe in search of amazing musical experiences. The program is distributed by American Public Television and broadcast on PBS station nationwide, on the CreateTV channel and many other international outlets. Edgar has helped produce compilation CDs that have sold a total of over ten million units worldwide. Always scouring the planet for new sounds, he possibly listens to more world music CDs than anyone else in the USA and, possibly, the world. "My basic role at Putumayo has been to travel the world and dig up as much music as I could, then review it to uncover those truly great artists and songs that rise above, and that would appeal to both fans of world music and neophytes who are just interested in hearing something they like. I often tell people, ?I suffer so you don't have to!' What I mean is I have to listen to a lot of pretty banal stuff to find those musical diamonds, but as a result I've gotten to know some pretty special artists and musical movements." The main motivation for Cumbancha sprung from Edgar's desire to work more closely with some of the most extraordinary artists he has gotten to know over the years. "We used to say at Putumayo that doing compilations was like dating, and signing artists was like getting married," says Edgar. "After years of flirting with some of my favorite artists, it's nice to finally make some commitments and settle down!" "Many of the artists who will appear on Cumbancha have been on a Putumayo compilation over the years," notes Edgar, "so in some ways the label offers an opportunity for people who have become intrigued by artists on Putumayo's collections to explore their work further. At the same time, Cumbancha will present many artists whose work falls outside of the aesthetic boundaries of a Putumayo compilation, but whose work is particularly compelling or innovative. Edgar also continues to assist Putumayo in the development of their popular compilations.