La Abuela Coca - Montevideo Music

I won't try to put a label on La Abuela Coca and their type of music (I made an error with "Murga" before...and I still live with the embarrassment). But I will say that this group has been following me since the fourth day I got here. Perhaps it's the other way around?

It all started when a friend invited me to a TV studio, a small room which felt like MTV's intimate live music specials, and I was lucky to experience La Abuela Coca for an hour or so. Lamely I didn't bring my camera with me this night because I was still feeling out the city and didn't want to have anything too valuable on my person. But I loved them from the start - a group of ten or so people, horns, drums, guitars, a black and a white singer (many times the white singer appears to have more funk than his stylishly entertaining counterpart).

In the next few weeks, while hanging out on the streets and catching buses left and right (paying 14 pesos, not 7 with the new bus), I saw one of the singers twice - even said hello once to a get a big smile and hello in return.

Tonight I saw a (Montevideo) big concert of theirs, along with two reggae groups that I will soon forget...although one of the singers might stick as he disgusted me with his slothenly appearance and apparent arrogance on the stage. But I could be off there.


Two friends of mine dancing at the concert. Hopefully they don't mind me putting up this photo. We shall all see their comments if they do....


Back to the point, La Abuela Coca has been along with me on this Montevideo ride the whole way. I can't wait to buy one of their CDs, and I wish I could find a homepage to show them off. But youtube will have to do for now....but it doesn't do much justice for the group.