***Subtitled: The History of Colombian Cumbia & Porro As Told By The Phonograph 1948-79. Soundway set sail for Colombia once again, delving deeper into the South American country's rich musical past. Fifty-five tracks spread over two CDs, The Original Sound Of Cumbia is Soundway's definitive guide to the origins of Colombian cumbia and porro and the result of five years' painstaking research by WILL HOLLAND (QUANTIC SOUL ORCHESTRA, QUANTIC Y SU COMBO BARBARO). Disc 1 tells the story of some of the earliest Colombian cumbia recorded, a genre that captured a nation, spreading from its birthplace on the Caribbean coast inland to central Colombia and the capital Bogata. Disc 2 sees the evolution of cumbia. Greats of Colombian music like ALBERTO PACHECO, TONO FERNANDEZ, and ANIBAL VELASQUEZ brought the genre forward, bringing new influences and instruments to the genre. What had once been considered the music of the underclasses had risen up as the new sound of a nation. Along with good friend and head of Soundway Records, MILES CLERET, Holland ihas condensed hundreds of 78s, 45s and LPs into just over two and a half hours of the finest Colombian cumbia. Includes detailed liner notes and original artist pictures and sleeves.