Before José Hernando was awarded the BBC World Routes Academy earlier this year, he was just a regular kid on the London block. Yet next week this super-talented, self-taught musician, will represent a generation of British-born Colombians, like him, only just out of their teens, when he plays at the Royal Albert Hall next week, sharing the stage with Carlos Vives’ accordianst, the acclaimed Egidio Cuadrado.
Cuadrado, José’s designated mentor, took Jose on a seven month journey through Colombia ending in Jose competing in the Festival de la Leyenda and playing and working with Carlos Vives, Colombia’s first international superstar before Shakira and the first to take Colombian folk to the Latin American and the US mainstream.
On one level José's story is that of many first-generation Colombian-Brits: his parents came to the UK looking for a better life ‘My Dad had a contract as a chef, and he’s been here for 35 years now! Then my Mum came 10 years later and the 2 of them worked at the Royal Opera House. I’m British enough to be used to the weather, Colombian in my family values, and both in the two languages I use and music I choose’
But regular Joe, José ain’t. There is a talent and passion for music that runs in the family, and a drive to preserve and promote Colombian music that is unusual. ‘My Grandparents were musicians, I used to endlessly play two Vallenato cassettes belonging to my father to teach myself new riffs and melodies. When I saw Lisandro Mesa (one of Colombia’s biggest Cumbia and Valllenato stars) on Youtube, I told my Dad to buy me an accordion. We had no idea about the make or anything, so my Dad ordered one for £150 from America – it took a month to arrive! Then I started playing with the tapes.”
As most Colombians growing up here, jose has had to put up with the usual ignorance and stereotyping from peers, from thinking the accordion is exclusive buskers or waltzy-people, to Colombia being just about drugs. “Nowadays, people refer to Shakira… so I suppose more positive references are developing. There are so many beautiful things in Colombia, the people are very kind and the music… we party all the time. I want Colombian music to become well known, to show people what happens on the other side of the world.’
And so we have a British boy playing Vallenato, probably Colombia’s most popular music. Literally meaning ‘born in the valley’, Vallenato is heady mix of accordion riffs with traditional rhythms and instruments, and evolved as a means of conveying messages and stories between towns, carried by wandering groups of musicians. The creation of the first Festival de La Leyenda Vallenata in Valledupar, Colombia in 1966, launched the first of many Vallenato stars in the legendary composer Rafael Escalona, and has continued to find superstars eversince. So how did this twenty year-old British boy, guitarist, keyboard and percussion player, singing partly in Englishgo down with the discerning judges at Colombia’s most prestigious music competition?
José Hernando: Well, Egidio decided that we go to Valledupar. I was very nervous; it’s a different feeling performing to a Colombian audience. When I sang the first refrain in English I was just met by a static silence, absolutely no applause! It wasn’t until they read the Spanish translation that people started to cheer, they were obviously very curious. I worked on the English versions of the lyrics and then Egidio translated it into Spanish, I mean it was difficult to try and get the meaning across in both languages, translations often vary. I finished 8th out of 71 places, and you know as I progressed into the second and third rounds I started to relax a lot more. Even Egidio’s family and his wife Fanny started to say ‘Wow, the English boy plays like he was born over here!’
LL: How you came to win the BBC 3 competition, what sort of process did you have to undergo?
JH: A friend of mine recommended me, he also plays the accordion, but unfortunately he was too old for the competition! Despite the BBC interviewing him, he wasn’t selected, I was teaching him a few skills as well at the time. Luckily he recommended me afterwards, so I went along and did the competition and I was successful!
LL: Obviously your mentorship with Egidio Cuadrado was a dream come true. Tell us more about the experience
JH: It was thanks to the BBC as I won the chance to perform at the Proms. Egidio was very interested in the project, said it would be making history and was keen to come over to the UK. I used to listen to his records as a little boy, and tried to evoke his own style in my compositions. It’s his mix of traditional riffs and ‘poppy’, experimental fusions that have given new life to Carlos Vives’ covers of lots of Vallenato classics. The traditional Vallenato that I used to listen to is where the roots of the genre come from. So, when I play, I try to incorporate those alongside new ‘fusions’ and more experimental riffs. I’m no way near as nervous playing to a British crowd as I was playing in Colombia!
LL: I understand you even worked with Carlos Vives! What sort of experience was that?
JH: Well, I played about 5 or 6 songs with Carlos Vives in Bogota. He’s a very nice guy. When I first met him I was worried we wouldn’t get along – I mean he’s an artist!- but then we had time to speak. He was so busy, I didn’t even have chance to say goodbye to him.
LL: Do you feel that Vallenato is losing its roots having to compete with all the commercial material.
JH: I don’t think that’s the case at all! The Valledupar festival has been around for about 45 years and it’s a celebration of the roots of Vallenato, with old and new players. New Vallenato material, which is often fusions of other genres – reggae, cumbia for example – is a revival and celebration of Colombia and its music. The whole point of the Festival in Valledupar is that it was established to save the roots of Vallenato. Nowadays, there is a lot more romantic Vallenato and new pop-type fusions on the radio in Colombia, which often appeals to a different audience. I don’t really have a preference, traditional or fusion – I like both.
LL: What about your own material? How would you describe it? How do you go about writing?
JH: Usually I just grab my accordion and start writing. Obviously, in Vallenato the melodies depend a lot on the lyrics as to whether the songs are more romantic or more upbeat. I don’t really have any preference. Growing up I listened to a lot of Lisandro Mesa, who has more of a Cumbia style, Alfredo Gutierrez, who was crowned three times Vallenato King in Valledupar, Egidio Cuadrado and El Binomio de Oro. These maestros have been a great influence for my own material. My lyrics depend a lot on the mood I set in the music of my songs.
LL: How do you think British people traditionally perceive Latin music?
JH: I suppose for a lot of people it’s a bit cheesy…but its because they are not used to the sound, don’t know how to listen to it. I played some Carlos Vives styles of music to people in my band and then they gradually got used to the melodies and styles and started to appreciate it more.
LL: What kind of influence would you like to have on Latin music here in the UK?
JH: Well, I think the singing should be in English. A few other elements could be intriduced as well. I want to experiment with other Vallenato fusions – jazz, blues or rock, which hasn’t been done before. Carlos Vives has done it with Pop and rock, so I want to experiment more with other styles.
LL: What do you think the Future is for Latin music here in the UK?
JH: Well its expanding a lot. Workout DVDs, with Zumba, which was invented by a Colombian Alberto Perez, are very popular. Music is expanding through dance and working out.
LL: Finally, how are you feeling about performing at the Proms and at Womad?
JH: I’m looking forward to performing again with Egidio, we have been working on material for the Proms. Womad festival will be a great experience as we are playing alongside La Papayera, they incorporate other styles from Colombia in their music – I’m even going to play a piece on guitar!
Jose Hernando will be playing at Womad festival on the 29th July at 13.00 on the BBC 3 World stage, and the 31st July at the Royal Albert Hall at 10.15pm. Tickets are available from £5. Click here for more info
