Putumayo World Music

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Album cover for Putumayo's Nuevo Latino disc. The album contains 11 songs.

Putumayo World Music is a New York City based record label, specialised in folk, Latin and Afro-Cuban music, as well as other genres that may be classified as world music. It was established in 1993 to introduce people to the music of the world’s cultures. The label grew out of the Putumayo clothing company, founded by Dan Storper in 1975 and sold in 1997. In the past thirteen years, the record label has become known primarily for its upbeat and melodic compilations of great international music characterized by the company’s motto:“guaranteed to make you feel good!” The name of the company comes from Putumayo, a region in Colombia

The label is currently distributed by Koch Entertainment.

Putumayo’s CD covers feature the distinctive art of Nicola Heindl, whose colorful, folkloric style represents one of the company’s goals: to connect the traditional and the contemporary. By combining appealing music and visuals with creative retail marketing, Putumayo has developed a unique brand identity, a rarity in today’s artist-based music industry.

Putumayo is considered a pioneer and leader in developing the non-traditional market. A large portion of its target audience consists of “Cultural Creatives,” a sociological/lifestyle term for 50 million North Americans and millions more around the world with an interest in culture, travel and the arts. To reach these consumers, Putumayo has built a proprietary network of more than 3500 book, gift, clothing, coffee and other specialty retailers in the US and thousands more internationally that play and sell its CDs, in addition to maintaining a strong presence in record stores. Putumayo has developed Travel the World with Putumayo consumer contests to the Caribbean, Ireland, Morocco, Brazil, Senegal and New Orleans, cultural and performance events and consumer gift-with-purchase promotions utilizing CD samplers and calendars.

Dan Storper’s vision of establishing a global company and lifestyle brand is being furthered by CD distribution in more than 60 countries The opening of Putumayo Europe, in Hilversum, Holland in 2000 enabled the company to connect with the European music and retail scene. The expansion of the label’s international division has also extended Putumayo’s presence in South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania. The company now has offices in 12 countries around the world.

The Putumayo Kids division was created in 2002 to introduce children to other cultures through fun, upbeat world music. Since the release of the best-selling World Playground CD in 1999, Putumayo Kids has established itself as one of the leading children’s record labels in the world, winning critical acclaim and honors from Parents’ Choice Awards, the National Parenting Publications Association and others. With its growing collection of albums and multicultural activity kits, Putumayo Kids provides children with upbeat, melodic and culturally authentic music, enhanced by educational liner notes.

Putumayo also launched the Putumayo World Music Hour in 2000. The first commercially-syndicated world music radio show. Rosalie Howarth hosts the Music Hour. The show is now heard internationally on over 130 commercial and non commercial stations.

Fall 2004 saw the advent of Putumayo’s annual touring concert series. Putumayo Presents: Latinas,Women of Latin America visited arts centers in 30 cities, making it one of the largest organized world music tours in the U.S. Putumayo Presents:Acoustic Africa (2006) will take this concept one step further, with more than 40 concerts in the U.S. and Europe.

In June 2004, Putumayo released its first DVD, Travel the World with Putumayo, which features 12 videos shot in exotic locations and footage from live performances. This foray into other lifestyle products was continued with the release of the Putumayo World Culture Travel Journal and the Caribbean Travel Journal, both released in January 2006.

The company’s commitment to helping communities in the countries where the music originates has led to the label contributing more than half a million dollars to worthwhile non-profit organizations around the world. After Katrina, for example, Putumayo embarked on a campaign to raise funds and awareness for musicians and others affected by the hurricane.

All of Putumayo’s proceeds from the sale of its heralded New Orleans release are being contributed to worthwhile nonprofits and artists in the region. Other charitable recipients include Oxfam, Mercy Corps, Make-A-Wish and more.

As international markets and consumer awareness of world music grow, Putumayo continues to develop creative ways to present exciting music from around the world that is underexposed in the mainstream media. Putumayo’s 2nd decade of business will be marked by its partnership with the newly formed record label Cumbancha, the brainchild of Putumayo A&R head Jacob Edgar. In addition to part ownership, Putumayo will be distributing Cumbancha through its outlets in most of the world.