Diego Obregon was a Colombian New Yorker marimba virtuoso (1971-2020).
Flushing Town Hall Benefit Performance
Some of New York City’s best Colombian musicians play a benefit concert in memory of Diego Obregon on Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook livestream on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at 7pm.
Martin Vejarano of La Cumbiamba NY curates. He will be joined by:
- Grupo Rebolú: Ronald Polo, Moris Cañate and Johanna Castaneda
- Folklore Urbano’s Pablo Mayor
- Sebastián Cruz
- NYC Gaita Club’s Christian Rodriguez, Camilo Martinez, Cristian Quimbay
- Harold Gutierrez playing Obregon’s own marimba
- Freddy Castiblanco of the Terraza 7 jazz club
Diego Obregon
Obregon played Colombian music from the Pacific Coast including: currulao, juga and bunde. He was from Guapi in Cauca, Colombia.
The marimba is traditional in Narino Department of Colombia and Esmeraldas Department of Ecuador. He represented that entire region.
His band was Grupo Chonta. It was named after the hard wood he used to make marimbas. The marimba is originally a West African instrument.
When I heard Obregon play the marimba at Terraza 7 in Elmhurst, Queens, it stirred the African inside me, something very deep, down inside. I still have an emotional reaction to his music. Nobody ever did that to me like that. Obregon’s music was that strong.
We lost him suddenly in 2020. He was a family man who left behind a wife and children. Folk arts are passed hand-to-hand from parent to child. We invite you to join us in donating what you can to the family of this great artist.
Adios Diego. Vaya con Dios.
Nunca te olvidaré.
