From Bogotá to Briarwood, Bambacumbé sounds the beat of the boroughs

The band Bambacumbé, featuring drummer Rafael Leal Ramirez, will perform tonight at the Center for Traditional Music and Dance. Photo courtesy of Ramirez

By Rafael Leal Ramirez, as told to the Eagle

Rafael Leal Ramirez is the founder and drummer of Bambacumbé, which plays mixes between Colombian music and Jazz, Pasillo, Bambuco, Cumbia, Currulao, and other rhythms from the Colombian coasts, mountains and eastern plains. The Briarwood resident is featured in the Center for Traditional Music and Dance’s Beat of the Boroughs: NYC Online series, which is showcasing the artistry of 54 of the city’s leading immigrant performers and diverse cultural traditions from around the world.

Your musical journey — when did it start and how? 

It started more than 40 years ago in Bogotá, Colombia. I used to listen a Carlos Santana album and with a friend of mine who was the bass player of a rock and roll band from my neighborhood.

He encouraged me to play on the floor with my hands while the music was sounding, and a few months after that I decided to buy a drum kit and started jamming with Beatles songs.

What drew you to Queens? 

After arriving in New York 13 years ago, I spent two years going back and forth between New York and Bogotá. During that time, I used to live at my mother’s apartment while I was in New York. The last time, when I decided to settle in this city, I had the opportunity to live in Queens in a place where I could play my drums and give lessons, both in my home and at different schools in Jackson Heights.

What makes your music distinctive and what inspires you? 

The fact that it is Colombian music mixed with a little beat of Jazz and Pop. Different things inspire me; sometimes they are philosophical and other times religious.

Who is your favorite artist from Queens? 

The Jazz musicians I have known in jam sessions, especially at venues like Terraza 7 and Flushing Town Hall, and of course, the Colombian musicians.

How has the pandemic affected you? 

The shows stopped. The students didn’t come to take lessons at my home anymore, and the music schools got closed. Everything has changed so now I reach audiences online. 

What do you think the future holds for your arts sector in New York as a result of the pandemic? 

I think that it is uncertain, but we have to adapt in order to survive and preserve live music. 

What types of support do you most need now?

I mainly need work opportunities and aid from the City while the pandemic lasts. Right now, I am working on an online project under the sponsorship of Center for Traditional Music and Dance and a collaboration with Queens Community House. I hope finally I can work full time with the music.

What does it mean to you to be part of Beat of the Boroughs?

It is a great honor to be a part of this marvelous initiative, and I hope it will grow bigger and bigger.

 You can watch Rafael Leal Ramirez on CTMD’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/CTMDProgramsConcerts or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CTMDnyc. Learn more about Rafael Leal Ramirez at rafalealmusic.com.