Luis Enrique Martínez, a minstrel who innovated in Vallenato folklore

The municipality of Fundación, Magdalena, was the place where Luis Enrique Martínez Argote’s curiosity about the accordion was born, who, influenced by his father, also an accordion player Santander Martínez, began his first steps and deepened his learning, although due to issues of destiny he had to stay by the side of his mother Anatividad Argote.

It was a league of knowledge and orality that characteristics of the Colombian Caribbean coast, whose elements were fundamental for the birth of one of the greats of Vallenata music, and who is today honored at the 56th Vallenata Legend Festival.

Martínez Argote was born on February 24, 1922 in the El Hatico district, jurisdiction of Fonseca, La Guajira, and died on March 25, 1995. He began his journey through Magdalena Grande, he walked through the towns of Magdalena, but it was in El Copey, Cesar, where he married Rosa Elvira Serrano and began to leave his work as a farmer to dedicate himself to music, the same music that made him dream and undertake for his family.

He began his artistic career in 1947, after listening to Abel Antonio Villa, who advised him to play on various stages and trust in his talent, which they always considered innate and worthy of projecting.

Adding creativity in the execution of each song on the accordion was always its structure, and today the legacy it left to new generations.

Roberto Ahumada, accordion player and cultural researcher, considers Luis Enrique Martínez as the pioneer of vallenato music, he created “the route to interpret a song by making the melody in the introduction, decorations, turns to introduce the lyrics, the harmonic accompaniment when The singer was interpreting the melody and lyrics of the song, he accompanied with bass, ornaments or melodic connectors. He organized the routines, the fingering, the flavor, the punchline, the counterpunch, the entrance to the second verse and the final, he was a genius on the instrument.”

Luis Enrique Martínez was left-handed and a believer in the theory that everything contained in the accordion had to be used. At that time they didn’t use basses and he was the one who innovated by making them sound.

His versatility and influence on other accordion players and musicians made Luis Enrique Martínez little by little become a legend, which is why he gained several students who followed his style and, therefore, approached him to learn about that perfect fingering to perform. walks, merengues, sones and pujas.

“Hey guys, I’m Enrique Martínez / who is never afraid when it comes to playing. And Luis Martínez, ‘El Pollo Vallenato’ / it’s a candle that you’re going to drink / hey guys, listen to the note how the vallenato plays”

This famous verse is part of one of Luis Enrique Martínez’s most recognized songs, ‘El Pollo Vallenato’ and that’s where his nickname comes from. In all his writings he always made it clear that he was different from others, a complete musician because he played the accordion, sang, composed and versed, said Tomás Darío Gutiérrez, historian.

He describes Luis Enrique Martínez as an innovator and that makes him different. He was a creator, until Luis Enrique Martínez the function of accordion players was to follow the melody of the song, he opened up and began to make arrangements, introductions and gadgets that were born from the melody itself, that is, to create from the melody. He was a new chair for vallenato, he fulfilled the full function of a minstrel: he played, sang, composed and moved throughout the valley teaching and learning which is the function of every wise man, knowing that he has to teach and learn.

“Luis Enrique Martínez made history, I met him when I was little. He made a school, and a self-respecting accordion player knows it. An exquisite touch on the accordion, he was creative, he paved the way for others, he sang very beautifully, he was a complete minstrel,” says singer-songwriter Gustavo Gutiérrez Cabello.

The innovative accordion player who learned from the maestro Francisco ‘Pacho’ Rada and the Mozart of vallenato, ‘Chico’ Bolaño, differentiated himself from the others by having a more heartfelt, accentuated and joyful note at the same time. He composed more than 120 songs, among them the following stand out: ‘La tijera’, ‘Jardín de Fundación’, ‘The funny man’, ‘My farewell’, ‘Don’t make me suffer’, ‘La vacilladora’, ‘La cita’, ‘El gallo jabao’, ‘I have it dominated’, ‘What a pain’, Greetings’, ‘Irresistible love’, ‘La cordobesa’, ‘Morenita’, ‘The rich poor’, ‘Without consolation’, and he was also co-author from ‘La cumbia cienaguera’.

KING VALLENATO

In 1973, Luis Enrique Martínez was crowned King of the Vallenata Legend Festival alongside Juan Calderón in the box and Víctor Amarís in the guacharaca. For the time being the qualifying jury was conformed by Alejandro Duran, Nicholas Elias ‘Colacho’ Mendoza, Calixto Ochoa, Alberto Pacheco and Miguel Lopez.

His great talent and creativity influenced many, to mention a few: Emiliano Zuleta Díaz, Nicolás Elías ‘Colacho’ Mendoza, Israel Romero Ospino, Alfredo Gutiérrez Vital, Orangel ‘El Pangue’ Maestre Socarrás, Gonzalo Arturo el ‘Cocha’ Molina Mejía and Alberto ‘Beto’ Villa Payares.

The notes, style and songs of Luis Enrique Martínez remain present in all the vallenato festivals that take place nationally and internationally, which is why his legacy remains valid among adults and children. Today he is the great honoree of the 56th version of the Vallenata Legend Festival.

For her part, the current Queen Mayor, María Sara Vega, indicated that the minstrel “is a legend, a teacher who has been a reference, I have identified myself through his musical notes, a prodigious and majestic note. The note is tastier, more precise and sentimental.”

Almes Granados, King of Kings of the Accordion, reiterated that ‘El Pollo Vallenato’ is the greatest on the accordion because he played the vallenato with cadence, he was a teacher who continues in the formation of the greatest of the accordion.

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