Members of the Colombia plains ensemble Cimarrón perform "El Guate" (The Foreigner) in a Bogotá studio. Cimarrón is known for its daring interplay of harp and bandola, aggressive rhythms, and improvised melodies. This song is the tenth track from their new album, '¡Cimarrón! Joropo Music from the Plains of Colombia,' out July 26th on Smithsonian Folkways.

Percussive strings and maracas, dynamic vocal expression, and full-throttle pace earned the joropo of the Orinoco plains of Colombia and Venezuela its place among the most exciting regional musics of Latin America. On this, its second Smithsonian Folkways album, the GRAMMY-nominated and internationally acclaimed Colombian ensemble Cimarrón distills this excitement into a tightly arranged, even more explosive rendition of their tropical tradition. Through their powerful, moody, and unbridled sound, they live up to the meaning of their name Cimarrón—“wild bull.” This album is part of the Smithsonian Folkways Tradiciones/Traditions series of Latino music albums, produced with support by the Smithsonian Latino Center.