Traditional music and dance
One of Panama's most emblematic traditions is a cousin of the Cuban punto or Puerto Rican trova: the mejorana, a poetic-musical genre based on the "decima" (ten octosyllabic verses). Divided into themes (expressing joy, melancholy, hope, etc.), each of these corresponds to torrentes ("musical tunes") that poets use to accompany their compositions and improvisations melodically and rhythmically. Of these, the cantadera is undoubtedly the most popular, as it is improvised and takes part in a high-flying joust between two or more singers. The mejorana is always accompanied by an instrument with a similar name, the mejoranera, a small five-string guitar, and the rabel, a three-string violin used to play cumbias, puntos and pasillos.
Another perfectly typical Panamanian genre, típico (or "musica tipica") lives up to its name. Although the term refers to a folkloric aesthetic adapted to be played by an orchestra, today it encompasses more than just music: it's a philosophy of life, cuisine, music, dance and, ultimately, regional pride. Formerly played with the mejorana, violin and a drum ensemble, the accordion has become an essential part of this music. One of its greatest ambassadors is accordionist Osvaldo Ayala. This is also true of Nicolas Aceves Nunez, a revered accordionist in the country and an important representative of this "musica tipica". Less authentic from the purist's point of view, Samy and Sandra Sandoval, whose success is enormous, represent a more recent trend, a marriage of ancient rhythms and new influences such as cumbia.
One of the national dances, if not (for many) the national dance, the tamborito, is very popular. This costumed couple's dance is led by a cantalante, a singer (some of whom are still famous, such as Lucy Jaén), supported by a women's choir and a small percussion ensemble. Festive in its DNA, it often features prominently in Panamá's carnival, a veritable institution in the country. While the most popular carnivals are held in Ciudad de Panamá and, above all, Las Tablas, there are also carnivals with local idiosyncrasies that tell the story of the region's past. In Portobelo, for example, the carnival is an opportunity to discover the Congos traditions and theatrical dances inherited from black slaves to ridicule the Spaniards. Later in the year, in March, Portobello also hosts two festivals that alternate every other year: the Festival De Diablos Y Congos and the Festival De La Pollera Conga Portobelo. This celebration of the African influence in Panamanian folklore also features theatrical dances, depicting the time when black slaves mocked their Spanish masters with impressive colorful masks. It's a lively atmosphere, to the rhythm of drums and chants. The "ritual and festive expressions of Congolese culture" are a national treasure inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018.
In addition to the iconic mil polleras parade, which takes place every year in Las Tablas (Los Santos province), a superb showcase for Panamanian folklore, the country multiplies great opportunities to encounter the latter, such as the feria internacional San José de David, the Feria Internacional de Azuero, two of the country's biggest agricultural fairs, with their share of típico concerts and traditional dances, not to mention the Feria del Torito Guapo, one of the country's finest folklore events, featuring the famous Toro Guapo dance.
Salsa
Although salsa has Cuban roots (it was originally a blend of Cuban són and jazz), the Puerto Rican scene in New York in the 1960s - spearheaded by the famous Dominican Johnny Pacheco - propelled the genre first to Colombia, then to the rest of Latin America, giving rise to regional scenes, notably in Panama. And more than just a scene, the country gave one of its greatest names to the genre: Rubén Blades. With a reputation that extends far beyond the borders of Panamá, Rubén Blades has established himself as one of the undisputed ambassadors of Latin music. Born in San Felipe, Casco Viejo, the son of a Cuban woman and a Colombian man, both amateur musicians, Rubén showed a precocious artistic talent. As a young adult, he gave up his law studies in the mid-1960s to go to New York and try his luck as a musician. He did manage to record his first album, From Panamá to New York, but his "militant" style, his "text-based" salsa, struggled to find its place at the time. A few years later, Rubén tried his luck at the Fania label, the sanctuary of Latin music in New York. Since he couldn't make it with his music, he started out as a... letter carrier. This gave him the opportunity to rub shoulders with the cream of Latin music at the time, such as Ray Barretto, who offered him a position as replacement singer on one of his albums. The real turning point in Rubén Blades' career came shortly afterwards, when he met Willy Colón, an exceptional producer and trombonist who was behind half the Latin hits of the 1970s, and with whom he recorded six albums for Fania - including the masterpiece Siembra.
Constantly evolving, constantly seeking challenge and renewal, Rubén Blades embarked on a film career and took his music in new directions, experimenting with new aesthetics and forming new groups such as Seis del Solar and its hit Buscando America, released in 1985. In the 1990s, he threw himself fully into politics, creating his own Movimiento Papa Egoro party (he came third in the presidential elections) before being appointed Minister of Tourism in the 2000s. A rich and intense career for the man who, whatever he does, remains one of Panamá's most important and beloved personalities.
That said, Rubén Blades does not have a monopoly on salsa in the country. Other outstanding musicians include Omar Alfanno, one of Panama's leading salsa composers, Mauricio Smith, a saxophonist and flautist of outstanding repute who has played with Chubby Checker, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Machito and Mongo Santamaría, and Victor "Vitin" Paz, a pillar of Latin jazz trumpet.
Cumbia
Don't tell a Panamanian that cumbia is Colombian, because the genre is so important here too.
It's even a musical and choreographic genre recognized as a symbol of national folklore! In Panama, cumbia is played with a rabel, a small violin widely used in Panamanian music, and percussion instruments such as the guacharaca. The accompanying dance consists of four movements: paseo, seguillida, cruce and zapateo. In the last case, the rhythm is marked by kicks.
For cumbia fans - and the curious in general - who would like to know more about the Panamanian version of the genre, the English label Soundway Records released three exceptional compilations ten years ago, giving a great overview of the genre and including all or almost all of the country's best groups: Panamá! Latin, Calypso and Funk on the Isthmus 1965-75; Panamá! 2: Latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical & Calypso Funk on the Isthmus 1967-77 and Panamá! 3 - Calypso Panameño, Guajira Jazz & Cumbia Típica On The Isthmus 1960-75.
Reggae and reggaeton
In Panamá, the term "reggae" does not refer to the reggae we know, but rather to a dancehall sung in Spanish, the predecessor of reggaeton (reggae as we understand it, like Bob Marley's, is called "roots reggae"). Its origins date back to the 1980s, in the ghettos of Colón and Panamá, where "reggae en español" appeared, a new genre inspired by the great hits of the first wave of Jamaican dancehall by YellowMan, Sista Nancy and Shabba Ranks. The first reggae en español hit was composed by a certain El General (who went on to become a local legend: 17 platinum discs, 32 gold...): Tu Pum Pum. A true ragga in Spanish, the song was the forerunner of what would become reggaeton a few years later.
That's why Panamá proudly claims to be the father of reggaeton - a claim disputed with Puerto Rico, which popularized it through stars like Daddy Yankee and, more recently, Bad Bunny. That said, some of the world's first reggaeton hits are Panamanian, such as Lorna's hyper-famous Papi Chulo. Panamanian pioneers of the genre include Aldo Ranks, Nando Boom and Kafu Banton. They paved the way for the current generation, represented by the hyper-popular Sech (he cites El General as his first influence) and the previous generation, which was undoubtedly the apogee of Panamanian reggaeton: Danger Man, Kafu Banton, Aldo Ranks, El Roockie, Makano, Flex, Joey Montana, Demphra...
In Ciudad de Panamá, one of the best places to dance to reggaeton is the Teatro Amador, a magnificent 1908 building that was the country's first cinema and is now a trendy venue hosting theater, concerts, dance shows and a fair number of reggaeton artists.
Jazz
Panamá doesn't have a bubbling jazz scene, but it does have at least two interesting personalities. The first is Luis Russell (1902-1963), the country's pioneering pianist, who emigrated to the United States to practice his art, collaborating with a certain Louis Armstrong (listen to Louis & Luis, 1929-1940, published in 1994). The second is Danilo Pérez, outstanding musician and founder of the Panamá Jazz Festival, a week of excellent jazz supported by an outstanding program. Born in Panamá in 1966, Danilo Pérez was introduced to music at an early age by his father, a mambo singer. As a result of this heritage and his training, Danilo Pérez quickly established himself as one of the finest Latin American jazzmen of his generation. Influenced by both traditional and contemporary music, he has collaborated with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Tito Puente... He now plays with his own group, the Danilo Pérez Trio, and teaches at the Berklee College of Music, where he himself studied. In fact, one of his students, tenor saxophonist Jahaziel Arrocha, is one to watch closely, as he could be the next Panamanian jazz revelation.
Danilo Pérez has also given his name to an excellent address in Ciudad de Panamá: Danilo's Jazz Club, a very intimate scene with frequent good concerts.
