Makondo - Music with Magical Realism

Makondo - Music with Magical Realism

The Living Sound of Colombia’s Caribbean, Inspired by García Márquez

Event Description

Step into the world of Makondo, a spellbinding seven-piece ensemble bringing the vibrant sounds of Colombia’s Caribbean coast to life. Inspired by the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez’s Macondo, Makondo transforms music into storytelling, where myths, memories, and melodies blur the lines between reality and imagination.

Formed in the late 1990s, this acclaimed group reimagines the traditional rhythms of the Caribbean region through the haunting tones of Gaitas and Millo flutes, the driving pulse of Tambora, Alegre, and Llamador drums, and the joyful dance beats of Cumbia, Porro, Gaita, Puya, Bullerengue, and Mapalé.

Rooted in Afro-Colombian and Indigenous heritage, Makondo’s sound is poetic, rhythmic, and timeless, enriched by emotive Spanish vocals that weave seamlessly with the earthy pulse of percussion and wind. The result is a living tapestry of Colombia’s coastal spirit, where every note echoes with history, celebration, and identity.

Join Makondo for an unforgettable evening where music becomes memory, rhythm becomes storytelling, and the magic of Colombia’s Caribbean coast unfolds on stage.

Artist Biography

Makondo
Traditional Gaitas y Millo Group (Colombia)

Founded on Colombia’s Caribbean coast in the late 1990s, Makondo takes its name from Macondo, the mythical town in García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. The group honours the region’s Afro-Colombian, Indigenous, and Spanish roots through their unique blend of flutes, drums, and voices, a sound both ancestral and contemporary.

Makondo has performed at major festivals across Colombia and abroad, sharing the living traditions of the Caribbean with global audiences. Through performances, workshops, and collaborations, they continue to nurture the next generation of musicians and preserve the vibrant folklore of Colombia’s coastal culture.

Makondo’s music is the sound of Colombia imagined by García Márquez, rich in poetry, rhythm, and timeless beauty.

Band Line-Up

• Rafael (Beto) Sarmiento – Musical Director, Gaita Hembra, Gaita Corta, Caña de Millo, Maracas
• Nataly Cotes – Lead Vocals
• Sebastian Rodriguez – Clarinet, Saxophones, Backing Vocals
• Luis Moncada – Clarinet, Saxophones, Maracas, Backing Vocals
• Nicolas Rodriguez – Llamador Drum, Backing Vocals
• Shango Dely – Alegre Drum, Backing Vocals
• Nickolai Rodriguez – Tambora Drum, Backing Vocals