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Venezuela is a land of dramatic musical contrasts. There are fiery Afro-Venezuelan styles on the Caribbean coast, cowboys with harps on the Orinoco plains, red-hot salsa in the cities and austere balladry in the Andes. Fantastic diversity and a strong musical identity might seem like a contradiction. Not so in Venezuela. Jon Lusk is a freelance journalist. Musical travels have taken him to many parts of Latin America and Africa, and Venezuela remains a firm favourite.
Listen to the whole programme (20'39) or click on any of the tracks to the left. |  | Si No Me das...
by Grupo Barlovento
album: Aqui Volvemos al Canto
Performance Records (Venezuela)
Christmas music with a difference. | |  |  | Vamos A Darle
by Huracán de Fuego
album: Musica Negra In The Americas
World Network (Germany)
A hard and fast percussion workout. Africa in America, on the Caribbean coast. | |  | La Paloma
by Serenata Guayanesa
album: Corre Caballito
Serenata Guayanesa (Venezuela)
Exquisite and eccentric four-part harmony vocals. | |   |  | Periquera
by Cheo Hurtado
album: Cuatro arpas y un Cuatro
Tropical Music (Germany)
Introducing Venezuela's national instrument, the cuatro. | |  | El Rabo
by Dionisio BolÃvar and Nicolai Coronel
album: Joropo
Pan (Netherlands)
Harps, maracas and rustic vocals from the hilly heart of the country. |  |   | |
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