The Music of Panama in the Modern Times

By the 60s, native doo-wop orchestras were changing into what was called Combos Nacionales, five to ten artists’ orchestras using electric instruments and joining the different sounds of calypso, merengue, jazz, salsa, soul, funk and doo-wop. Popular Combos Nacionales include The Silvertones, The Fabulous Festivals, The Exciters, The Beachers, The Goombays, The Soul Fantastics, Roberto y su Zafra, Los Mozambiques, Los Juveniles, and Bush y sus Magnificos. In 1970s, the dynamic Combos Nacionales sound led Panamanian renowned music only winding down toward the late 70s.

The Reggae en Espanol was coined in Panama known as Spanish Reggae and it is extremely renowned among the youth, and laid the Spanish language dancehall which is known as Reggae en Espansol (Spanish dancehall) pattern known as the forerunner to reggaeton that coined with such musicians like El General, Renato, Nando Boom, Aldo Ranks, Jam & Suppose, Kafu Banton, Chicho Man and Danger man before becoming renowned in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and almost the youth in the United States. Before 2006, Panama has become a main source and contributor to reggaeton and especially as reggaeton from Panama, it rise and continues to lead the charts in the United States and abroad. The initiators of the international reggae en Espanol trend out of Panama were Gary H. Mason also known as Big Daddy G and Luis Wicho Phillips who is also known as The Karma Master. They brought and released the song known as El Meneaito which was performed by Gaby, Soy El Mas Sensual which was performed by Renato, Camion Lleno de Gumm which was performed by Jam & Suppose, El Maricano which was performed by Cocoman, as well as hits by Reggae Sam, Toby King, Aldo Ranks, Reggae Kid and many other popular Panamanian musicians.

Reggae influences in Panama have also laid several renowned reggae origins ensembles, such as Pureza, Natural, Cellula, Inspiracion Mistica, Raices y Cultura, Panta Rey and among others.

A flourishing and extremely renowned Rock en espanol scene has produced such orchestras as Orquesta garish, Los Rabanes, Radicales Libres, Filtro Medusa, Xantos Jorge, Skamilonga, Factor VIII, Cage 9, Os Almirantes, Loss 33, Nervial, Senor Loop, Out-Reazon, Roba Morena, Calibre 57, Lemmiwinks and Skraped Knees and many others.

Some of the comoposers include Samuel Robles (classical), Ruben Blades (salsa), Jose Luis Rodriguez Velez (cumbia, pasillo and bolero), Nicholas Aceves Nunez (cumbia, Folklore, Panama and Pasillo), Nando Boom (reggae), Luis Russell (jazz and swing), El General (reggae), and Danilo Perez (jazz).

Some of the singers include La Factoria (reggaeton), Flex (reggaeton), Kafu Banton (reggaeton and reggae), Joey Montana (reggaeton), El Roockie (reggae and reggaeton), Eddy Lover (reggaeton), Aldo Ranks (reggae and reggaeton), Apache Ness (reggae), Lucho De Sedas, Sandra Sandoval (pindin), Catalina Catita Carrasco (cumbia), Lorna (reggae and reggaeton), Barbara Wilson (jazz), Makano (reggaeton), Latin Fresh (hip hop, reggaeton and reggae) and Lorna (reggaeton and reggae).

Some of the accordion includes Yin Carrizo, Aceves Nunez, Rogelio Gelo Cordoba, Juan De Sedas, Ulpiano Vergara, Dorindo Cardenas, Victorio Vergara, Samy Sandoval, Ceferino Nietp, Osvaldo Ayala, Isaac De Leon, Roberto Fito Espino, Papi Brandao and Alfredo Escudero.