Los Kjarkas is a

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

n band from the

Capinota province Capinota is one of sixteen provinces in the Cochabamba Department, Bolivia. Its capital is the city of Capinota. The province has a projected population over 33,000 inhabitants by 2017. Capinota has three sections and the most populous is Capinota ...

in the

department of Cochabamba Cochabamba ( ay, Quchapampa Jach'a Suyu, es, Departamento de Cochabamba , qu, Quchapampa Suyu), from Quechua ''qucha'' or ''qhucha'', meaning "lake", ''pampa'' meaning "plain", is one of the nine departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the ...

, and one of the most popular Andean folk music bands in the country's history. Among the styles they play are Saya, tuntuna, huayno, and carnavales. The instruments they use include the

charango The charango is a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, from the Quechua and Aymara populations in the territory of the Altiplano in post-Colonial times, after European stringed instruments were introduced by the Spanish during c ...

quena The quena (hispanicized spelling of Quechua ''qina'', sometimes also written ''kena'' in English) is the traditional flute of the Andes. Traditionally made of cane or wood, it has 6 finger holes and one thumb hole, and is open on both ends or th ...

zampoña Siku ( qu, antara, ay, siku, also "sicu," "sicus," "zampolla" or Spanish language, Spanish zampoña) is a traditional Andes, Andean panpipe. This instrument is the main instrument used in a musical genre known as sikuri. It is traditionally ...

ronroco The charango is a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, from the Quechua and Aymara populations in the territory of the Altiplano in post-Colonial times, after European stringed instruments were introduced by the Spanish during co ...

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

, and

bombo Bombo may refer to: Music * ''Bombo'' (musical), a 1921 Broadway production starring Al Jolson * "Bombo" (song), by Norwegian singer Adelén *Bombo criollo or just bombo, a family of Latin American drums *Bombo legüero, an Argentine drum *An 18th ...

. The band's leader has always been singer, guitarist, and songwriter Gonzalo Hermosa González, who formed the band with his brothers Élmer Hermosa González and Ulises Hermosa González, as well as Gastón Guardia Bilboa and Ramiro de la Zerda. De la Zerda left group to form Grupo Fortaleza and Ulises Hermosa died of cancer in 1992, being replaced by Eduardo Yáñez Loayza, Rolando Malpartida Porcel and José Luis Morales Rodríguez. By 2002, Lin Angulo, Gonzalo Hermosa Camacho, and Japanese-born Makoto Shishido had replaced Yáñez, Porcel, and Rodríguez. Makoto joined the band after seeing them play in Japan. In the later 2000s, Élmer Hermosa was diagnosed with diabetes

In 2010, Edwin Castellanos, who was in the band from 1983 to 1995, became mayor of the city of

Cochabamba Cochabamba ( ay, Quchapampa; qu, Quchapampa) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and the fourth largest city in Bolivia, with a population of 63 ...

Kjarkas have founded two schools teaching Andean folk music: the Musical School of Kjarkas (

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

) and La Fundación Kjarkas (

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

). They have toured across Japan, Europe, Scandinavia, the United States, South America, and Australia, and have composed over 350 songs. Among their most popular are "Imillitay", "Al Final", "Canto a la mujer de mi pueblo", and "Pequeño Amor". An unauthorized translation of their song "

Llorando se fue "Llorando se fue" ( en, e/Sheleft in tears) is a Bolivian folk song recorded by Los Kjarkas in 1981 on the album ''Canto a la mujer de mi pueblo'' and released as a B-side of the "Wa ya yay" single in 1982. The song has been very popular in Latin ...

" by French producers Jean Karakos and Olivier Lorsac resulted in

Kaoma Kaoma was a French-Brazilian band formed in 1988 by Loalwa Braz (lead vocals), Chyco Dru (bass), Jacky Arconte (guitar), Jean-Claude Bonaventure (keyboard), Michel Abihssira (drums and percussion) and Fania (backing vocals). Dru is from Martini ...

's hit "

Lambada Lambada () is a dance from State of Pará, Brazil. The dance became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in the Philippines, Latin America and Caribbean countries. It has adopted aspects of dances such as forró, salsa, merengue, m ...

". After a successful lawsuit, Kaoma paid to license the song . The song was also sampled on

Don Omar William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1978), better known by his stage name Don Omar, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. On September 1, 2017, he announced that he would retire after a ...

's "

Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

" and on

Jennifer López Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...

's single "

On the Floor "On the Floor" is a song recorded by American singer Jennifer Lopez for her seventh studio album, ''Love?'' (2011). Featuring American rapper Pitbull (rapper), Pitbull, it was released by Island Records on February 8, 2011, as the lead single ...

". Also "Wayayay" was covered by Tarkan as "Gelip Te Halimi Gördün Mü ?" ("Did You Ever Come To See My Situation ?" in Turkish) at "

Yine Sensiz ''Yine Sensiz'' (''Again Without You'') is the 1992 album of the Turkish pop singer Tarkan. It was released in Turkey. This was his debut album and launched him onto the Turkish pop scene, which was modest at the time. Last 3 tracks were added ...

" ("Without You Again" in Turkish), whose debut album was in 1992. The group's music was also used for the Argentine-Dutch film ''Bolivia'' (2001). The group's cultural heritage is passed down in the next generation of Hermosa blood with the popular youth group band Chila Jatun, made up by the sons of this influential Bolivian group.

Discography

;Studio albums *''Bolivia'' (1976) *''Fortaleza Vol. 1'' (1977) *''Fortaleza Vol. 2'' (1978) *''Kutimuy'' (1979) *''Condor Mallku'' (1980) *''Desde el alma de mi pueblo'' (1981) *''Canto a la mujer de mi pueblo'' (1981) *''Sol de los andes'' (1983) *''Pueblos perdidos'' (1984) *''Desde el japón'' (1985) *''El amor y la libertad'' (1987) *''Chuquiago Marka'' (1988) *''Génesis Aymara'' (1989) *''Sin palabras'' (1989) *''Los andes... descubrió su rostro milenario'' (1990) *''Techno Kjarkas'' (1991) *''El arbol de mi destino'' (1992) *''Hermanos'' (1993) *''A los 500 años'' (1994) *''Quiquin...'' Pacha (Por un mundo nuevo) (1995) *''Por siempre'' (1997) *''El lider de los humildes'' (1998) *''Lección de vida'' (2001) *''35 años'' (2006) *''40 años despues'' (2012) ;Contributing artist *''

The Rough Guide to the Music of the Andes ''The Rough Guide to the Music of the Andes'' is a world music compilation album originally released in 1996. Part of the World Music Network Rough Guides series, the album features the music of the Andes Mountains of South America, focusing espe ...

'' (1996,

World Music Network World Music Network is a UK-based record label specializing in world music. The World Music Network website features news, reviews, live music listings, and guide sections on world music. It also features an online "Battle of the Bands" compet ...

)

External links

Official Site

Bolivian Music and Web Varieties
{{Authority control Bolivian musical groups Andean music