Antonio Rivas

Master of cumbia and vallenato

Antonio Rivas was born in the valley (the etymological origin of the word "vallenato) Istmina in Colombia. He grew up in a family where music plays a key role. One hundred percent self-taught, he began to learn the diatonic accordion at fifteen.

He participates in Colombia to create groups of vallenato and cumbia. On many occasions, it is measured with the great masters of this folklore as Alejandro Duran, Abel Antonio Villa and Mariano Perez.

In France, he created in 1984 the group Antonio Rivas y sus Vallenatos Daniel Farias, Chino who are still there and Nemesio Jimenez "El Condor," died today.

Antonio Rivas takes part in most events around the accordion in Europe and America.

It is one of the protagonists of the training: Accordions in stop: meeting held with the Stopovers Festival of Saint Nazaire where he met Argentine accordionist Raul Barboza and Reunion accordionist René Lacaille.

Antonio Rivas, true to tradition, composes, sings and plays himself his entire repertoire. Vallenato was reserved until the ears of a few insiders and Latino accordion lovers. Today, its success is growing among the general public. Carlos Vives, superstar in the United States and Latin America, and Gloria Estefan, international star of salsa which reserves a very important place on the accordion on his various recordings, as Antonio Rivas help revitalize this tradition. With reason, since it is impossible to resist this festive and energetic music.

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«Sacré bonhomme, Antonio Rivas est un sorcier, capable mine de rien, en deux tempos et trois mouvements, de vous faire traverser un océan, fût-il atlantique, à la brasse. Par brassée entière, alors que vous êtes là, sur les quais, l’exotisme sucré d’un petite Maroc en liesse, l’esprit sans doute un peu grisé par les vapeurs de la fina du Jardinier colombien. Et hop ! Vous dansez de l’autre côté. (...)»
Ouest-France

Available Europe / All year
En trio / Sextet / (4 or 7 people on the road)