From Marseilles, France and featuring vocals, brass, guitar, accordion, percussion and electronics, the nine musicians of Cumbia Chicharra are César Bouteau, Olivier Boyer, Benjamin Charras, Romain Davidico, François Escojido, Patricia Gajardo, Maxime Marachélian, Jérémy Perrouin and Sébastien Ruiz Lévy.  The vocals are handled by Gajardo, Boyer and Davidico. Their high-octane sound gives us lively numbers that put spirit in your feet. Fiery Latin American rhythms, infused with short, snappy bursts of brass, accordion, electronic effects draw influences from a number of genres that know no borders.    

Cumbia Chicharra’s 4th album El Grito (The Scream) hits you like an express train with its infectious fusion of Caribbean, Andean, Afro-American and Oriental elements. The songs have been described as oriental delirium (“Chikilin” and “Polleromax”), copper hip-hop (“Amigo Publico”), lascivious cumbia dub (“Fugitivo”), shamanic (“Grito Animal”), percussion carnival (“Dia Maldito!”) and the accordion cumbia tipica (“Guaton Feliz “ and “Quien es?”). I understand that the band has taken its tasty, explosive music from France to Chile, Russia, Spain, Morocco, Germany, Croatia, Hungary and Italy. Cumbia Chicharra is building itself a legion of fans who can relate to their danceable groove and want to go along on the wild thrilling ride. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)