Music makes Bogotá a “BOmm” town

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During three days, “BOmm” –a venture by the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (CCB) – brings local and national recording artists together with international buyers, offering a plethora of networking opportunities, business sessions and lectures with BOmm Talks.

This year, 261 Colombian artists have been invited to participate, covering a wide spectrum of genres and from all regions of a musically talented nation. The 177 buyers on this year’s guest list also represent some of the most sought-after recording studios and record labels.

BOmm wants to launch successful careers in music and the Chamber’s business platform facilitates networking, one-on-one interviews, and a rare opportunity for Colombians to get feedback from influential music industry professionals. And this year, all eyes are on the United Kingdom as the guest nation of BOmm.

We all know the UK is a nation of musical greats. Before the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Coldplay and Rolling Stones, there was Elgar, Finzi and Britten. The United Kingdom is on a permanent quest for discovering new talent, and this year, Colombian singer-songwriters will have their chance to be heard. As there is no shortage of talent, the BOmm VIPs will listen to some of our musical roots that covers cumbia, salsa, merengue, jazz, hip-hop, folk and rock.

Bogotá was declared by UNESCO in 2013 a Creative City of Music, joining Liverpool, Kingston, Adelaide, Nashville and Salvador. So the capital has what it takes to keep “bommers” busy over the next three days. On Tuesday, Monica De Greiff, president of the CCB joins Katherine Johnson, Political Secretary of the British Embassy and David Codling, Regional Director of Arts for the Americas British Council in the official launch. Singer-songwriter Cholo Valderrama, will then share his story of a life dedicated to the music of the Eastern plains, Los Llanos.

The keynote speech is in the hands of the Belfast journalist and cultural manager, Stuart Bailie. Bailie’s talk “Music as a vehicle for reconciliation” is timely, as this month, the Colombian government signs the definitive peace accord with the country’s largest rebel organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Recording artists who will be attending the fifth edition include Aerophon, Carlos Elliot Jr., Carmelo Torres and his Cumbia Sabanera, Zero 39, Kinteto Pacific, The Rolling Ruanas, Monica Giraldo and Systema Solar.  Among the most prominent buyers from the UK are Rebecca Ayres of the Liverpool Sound City Festival, Amanda Jones of Real World label, Malcolm Haynes of the Glastonbury Festival and Paula Henderson of Womad Festival. There will also be plenty of live music at the BOmm Bar.

BOmm will also focus on how to keep expanding Bogotá’s role as a City of Music. Canadian Mike Tanner, who influenced the development of Toronto as a leading city of music, will give a talk about the importance of “Music Cities” in the world and why it is not just about recognizing music as an art, but as a business.

The Bogotá Music Market is the most important music networking event of the year and will showcase not only the best of our music, but also a city ready for greater experimentation, investment and innovation in the creative industries.

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