Peru Negro

Peru Negro almost singlehandedly resurrected Afro-Peruvian culture. Over the years, their group has swollen to over twenty members, featuring singers, dancers and a full band -- and they run a school in Lima dedicated to teaching the next generation. Zamba Malato swings into predictably historical territory, exploring 17th century songs that originated with slaves, but the results are anything but musty. It's almost inconceivable that such joyful, swaggering music was switching its skirts around while the singers were enslaved, but there it is.