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コロンビアの名レーベル、Discos Fuentes から 1965 年にリリースされ、今ではなかなか市場に出回らないというレア・アルバム『Kabwlú』が初復刻! アメリカで60年代に放映されていたアニメ「原始家族フリントストーン」からグループ名を拝借したロス・ピカピエドラはクンビア、ガイタ、ロック、ツイスト、パチャンガだけでなく、サーフィン、ドゥーワップ、ラテンジャズ、スカやカリプソといった様々なジャンルへの影響をフレッシュに表現しつつも短命に終わったことで知られている。いびつにチューニングされたギターや発明された「洞窟」言語、そして多くの奇妙なサウンドエフェクトによって彩られた彼らのユーモラスなクンビアは後年多くのDJに発見され、メキシコのサウンドシステム=ソニデロでは冒頭曲 "La Hossa" を中心にテンポを遅くしてかけるレバハダ (rebajada) スタイルの定番としてプレイされたのだとか。シンプルな構造のなかに人々の喜怒哀楽、ほとばしるエネルギーを凝縮させた大衆音楽クンビアの魅力を奇妙な形で発展させた時代が生んだ徒花ともいえる逸品だ。


HIGHLIGHTS
First ever reissue of “Kabwlú”, a very hard-to-find album released by Discos Fuentes in 1965.
The mysterious Los Picapiedra (which translates as The Flintstones, inspired by the 1960s American cartoon show), was a short-lived studio group with one albumto their name, “Kabwlú”, mixing ‘folkloric’ and ‘modern’ elements with calculated ‘caveman’ humor.
It is very musically diverse; not only are there the requisite genres that could be found on similar Colombian teenage-oriented groups’ records of the time, such as cumbia, gaita, rock, twist and pachanga, but there is also a smattering of surf, doo-wop, Latin jazz, guajira, ska, and calypso. But what makes the whole thing so special is the odd, off-kilter arrangements, spooky tunings, rudimentary clanging percussion, invented ‘cave’ language, prominent twanging electric guitar and many zany sound effects.
Several of Los Picapiedra’s songs became very popular in Colombia as well as Venezuela and especially in the ‘rebajada’ (slowed down) version as played by the ‘sonidero’ sound system DJs in Mexico, such as “La Hossa”.
Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl.
Part of Vampisoul’s reissue series of classic Fuentes LPs.

DESCRIPTION
While Discos Fuentes was known for recording all sorts of interesting sounds from traditional folkloric Colombian music to the latest popular international styles, every once and a while they would put out a “novelty” record, perhaps to exploit a passing fad, and at times the label would green-light something strange or even outlandish. Many of those left-field releases have their merits and have subsequently become collectors’ items over the years.
One such case is the mysterious Los Picapiedra (which translates as The Flintstones, no doubt inspired by the 1960s American sitcom cartoon show), a short-lived studio group with one album to their name, “Kabwlú”
(an unpronounceable, invented “caveman” term that is also untranslatable, but seems to have been the ‘traditional rhythm’ of Los Picapiedra’s ‘homeland’). What is interesting about the record is that it is very musically diverse; not only are there the requisite genres that could be found on similar Colombian teenage-oriented groups’ records of the time, such as cumbia, gaita, rock, twist and pachanga, but there is also a smattering of surf, doo-wop, Latin jazz, guajira, ska, and calypso. But what makes the whole thing so special is the odd, off-kilter arrangements, spooky tunings, rudimentary clanging percussion, invented ‘cave’ language, prominent twanging electric guitar and many zany sound effects.
Much like its namesake American cartoon The Flintstones, “Kabwlú” trades in creative anachronism, mixing ‘folkloric’ and ‘modern’ elements with calculated ‘caveman’ humor that works on many different levels. For instance the title tune seems to have been inspired by the pachanga craze and recalls the vibe of Ray Barretto’s massive 1962 hit, ‘El Watusi’, but it has a certain joyful simplicity and rock-solid underpinning that elevates it beyond mere novelty or exploitation — and argues for its timely reissue for today’s audience.
The band was a studio invention that had no major significance in Medellin’s live music activity. However, several of Los Picapiedra’s songs were very popular in Colombia as well as Venezuela and especially in the ‘rebajada’ (slowed down) version as played by the ‘sonidero’ sound system DJs in Mexico, such as “La Hossa”.

Pablo E Yglesias (aka DJ Bongohead, Peace & Rhythm)
Additional research by Luis Daniel Vega