La Saramuya is a Picó Sound System born from an immersion in Colombia’s Caribbean culture. Inspired by Barranquilla’s carnival and the legendary Picó street parties known as “Verbenas”, La Saramuya is a fully Barranquilla-built picó now based in Athens, and moving across Europe. This Picó was built with the guidance and specifications of local experts, and embodies the craftsmanship and sound that define this culture, including the artwork by Maestro William Gutiérrez. A smaller sister picó remains in Barranquilla, maintaining the connection between both systems and fostering cultural exchange. Blending new and old sounds, La Saramuya carries a clear cultural mission to transport the dance floor into a musical Odyssey, remaining faithful to her roots with every performance, to make this culture grow and evolve, always with the utmost respect to the Cultura Picotera.

Behind the project is Stefanos Donikian (Stivako), a Greek-Armenian DJ and vinyl selector raised in Ethiopia. His sets blend traditional and more contemporary Picó sounds — African, Afro-Latin, Brazilian and Caribbean rhythms from the 60s, 70s and 80s — recreating the raw energy and experience of the legendary Verbenas.

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