“Primal, with intricate rhythms, Raíz Viva performance invited the audience into a kind of trance,” (Le Devoir, 2025). Winner of Silver at the 2025 Syli d’Or de la musique du monde, this quintet, whose name means “living roots,” performs a wide variety of rhythms, all of which trace back to the origins of cumbia. Featuring wind and percussion instruments, the music of their homeland—deeply rooted in Afro-Colombian traditions, a festive spirit, and the celebration of nature and community—brings together Chalupa, Bullerengue and Tambora, not to mention Brazilian samba and Quebec folk music.
