Magin Diaz, El Orisha de la Rosa
A masterclass in documenting oral tradition, this project centers on the career of Magín Díaz, the world’s longest-active singer and a titan of Afro-Colombian music. My work focused on the sonic preservation of his Cimarrón and Bullerengue heritage—translating a lifetime of remote Caribbean musical activity into a professional discography. This highlights my capability as a producer and sound designer dedicated to the 'BIG Impact' of social and cultural matters, preserving the voices of the masters who shaped the Colombian soundscape.
Project summary
The Magín Díaz Project is a sophisticated exercise in cultural and aesthetic synthesis, materializing in an 18-track dialogue between ancestral traditions and modern avant-garde. My role involved navigating the 'faded boundaries' between historical Colombian Folk and contemporary popular aesthetics, facilitating a seamless collaboration between Magín and global ambassadors such as Carlos Vives and Totó la Momposina. This project highlights my ability to manage complex, multi-layered productions that unify disparate musical eras into a cohesive, national identity.
The Transcription
In the absence of a proper music sheet, I was responsible for the formal transcription and editorial engraving of this historically significant work. By following a specialized set of transcription rules, I transformed the original source into a flawless, professionally edited score. This project serves as a testament to my dedication to technical accuracy and professional stewardship, ensuring that the music’s legacy is protected through a perfectly realized visual representation.
The Final result
This meticulous transcription served as the foundation for a featured arrangement on the landmark album 'Magín Díaz: El Orisha de la Rosa.' The resulting work, a collaboration between Dizzy Mandjeku and Alé Kumá with verses by Leonardo Gómez Jattin, represents a high-water mark in contemporary folk production. Its excellence was recognized on the international stage with a nomination for Best Folk Song at the 2016 Viña del Mar Festival, validating the project’s technical accuracy and creative vision.
Dirección del proyecto: Daniel Bustos Echeverry para NONAME Producción musical: Manuel García-Orozco & Christian Castagno Masterización: Scott Hull en Masterdisk (Nueva York) Dirección de arte: Claudio Roncoli & Cactus Taller Gráfico Diseño de empaque: Cactus Taller Gráfico y Claudio Roncoli Producción ejecutiva: Sebastián Monroy Coproducción: Diego Carranza Producción transmedia: Andrés Rodríguez para Novmelab Producción audiovisual: Juan David López para ElHambreCine Textos: Daniel Bustos Echeverry & Manuel García-Orozco