“Escalona was a chronicler who knew how to turn the everyday into art”

With music, memories and a deep tribute, Valledupar commemorated a new birth of the teacher Rafael Escalona Martínez, an immortal icon of the vallenato and chronicler par excellence of the coastal life. His work, infinite and essential for the development of Colombian folklore, returned to vibrate in the Auditorium Araujo Noguera of the Rafael Carrillo Lúquez library, scene of the sung conversation: “The influence of Escalona in the romantic vallenato”.

The day was promoted by the Rafael Calixto Escalona Martínez Foundation and brought together important voices of the Vallenata culture such as Gustavo Gutiérrez Cabello, Santander Durán Escalona, ​​Rita Fernández Padilla and Alberto «Beto» Murgas, accompanied musically by the Guajira group Los Hermanos Carrillo, faithful defenders of the classical vallenato.

“It was our guide”

More than a composer, Escalona was a narrator of life, a chronicler who knew how to turn the everyday into art. For the teacher Gustavo Gutiérrez, his contribution was vital for the vallenato to acquire the cultural recognition he has today. “The path marked. Without him, the vallenato would not be the same. It was our guide,” he said.

For the composer, Rita Fernández, it was necessary to evoke the magical character of her lyrics: “Composers are not all. You have to have a soul. Escalona had it and that makes her songs transcend.”

Santander Durán said that Escalona was “the first great symbol of vallenata identity”, while Beto Murgas highlighted his role as a cultural leader at a decisive moment for genre.

A life made song

Born in the heart of Cesar, Rafael Escalona composed hymns that still live in Colombia’s memory: the will, the house in the air, the old Sara, among others. Stories of love, friendship, sadness and joy turned into immortal verses. His music transcended borders and times, placing it as a key figure in the history of national folklore.

His closeness with other greats such as Jaime Molina or Carlos Vives, who led his life to television, reaffirmed his height as the most important of vallenatos composers.

The event closed with an emotional presentation of the Carrillo brothers, who performed pieces of Escalona and other large folklore. This was also Santander Durán Escalona and the bass-barrel, Ernesto Fabio Angulo Quintero, accompanied in the accordion of Queen Evafe, Maciel Gómez.

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