50 years of Los Merlos: the creation of the Amazonian cumbia, its book launch and its validity on the stage

Blackbird They made their debut in the Peruvian music industry in 1973. The group is originally from Moyobamba (San Martín) started this project by releasing the studio album “El sonido selvático de Los Mirlos” under the Infopesa label.

Jorge Rodriguezfounder of the Amazonian cumbia group, revealed to Peru information who, under the influence of his father, began to take a keen interest in music, and eventually formed an orchestra with his younger brother, who was baptized Cytas.

With this group they began to experiment with the sounds of the jungle, influenced by the melodies of Enrique Delgado, the Peruvian composer who was the main promoter of cumbia in our country. They began including electric guitars in the instrumental songs they recorded.

Little by little they became known in Moyobamba and other areas by obtaining several contracts. At one point, Cytas They felt it was time to spread their music throughout the Peruvian capital, and they settled in 1972 with the help of family and friends.

“My brother took us to Lima, and here we started to join forces with other family members and friends, all from the jungle. We organized ourselves well and started making our first recordings. At that time, the majority were making songs on instruments, but at that time we thought we should “Offering something different, something we can identify with, so, through the guitars, we started to convey our Amazonian roots.” Jorge Rodriguez.

Founder Blackbird He admitted that the group will continue with the name CytasBut he learned that a group with that name already existed in the Comas area, and was already performing, so to avoid any conflict, they decided to change its name.

It was the same composer and guitarist who thought up the names of the new group, giving wide variety to his comrades, who finally chose Blackbird.

“I put names on the table and everyone was impressed.” Blackbird. The blackbird is a very intelligent little bird. If you teach it a word, the blackbird will learn it and read it like a parrot. He continued: “I had the name as a flag, and I registered it. Thank God, the name stuck and we moved forward.”

50 years of artistic career were not in vain Jorge Rodriguez He remembers his beginnings with great affection, so before retiring from the stage he wants to share his story Blackbird In a book, it is almost finished. In conversation with Peru informationHe said it took him several years to write it because he didn’t know how to finish it, as the collection was still in full force.

It was his son who asked him to finish this text. And so he ended up talking about his experience at the Viva Latino festival held in March 2023 in Mexico, as well as the 50th anniversary concert of Blackbird At the Lima Theater.

Jorge Rodriguez He pointed out that the documentary film “The Dance of Los Merlos” by director Alvaro Luque was a great success, and that some cinemas wanted to show it after its successful participation in the Lima Film Festival.

Likewise, this director has already taken this documentary to other countries, where it has received good reviews. The founder of the Amazonian Cumbia Group feels very proud of what he has achieved in his fifty-year career.

“Alvaro Luque told me that a film company has already taken the documentary, because it is already on the international festival stage. He is, at this moment, traveling, and he has been invited everywhere, which is very surprising. Brand L Blackbird It is well located outside. There are specialists who talk about tropical music, Peruvian music and psychedelic Amazonian cumbia. “You have to see it to know a little about our history,” he said.

Jorge, who is more than 70 years old, is interested in recording all the achievements achieved by the group, to the point of creating a museum for it. Blackbird In his own home. He treasures all the albums he released throughout his fifty-year career, as well as all the recognition he received, both nationally and internationally.

He knows that it is not forever, so little by little he transferred the responsibilities to his son Luis Rodriguez, who is now responsible for organizing rehearsals, recordings and contracts for the Amazonian cumbia band. Jorge focused more on writing new songs, because he knows that it is important to release new music to stay fresh in this market.

“My son already knows a lot, he has traveled everywhere with me. The other members are important pillars of this group. The day I retired I told him this should not disappear. I am telling you the same thing I said in the documentary, Blackbird He added: “With or without me, he must continue.”