There are several countries in South America that listen to and dance to pasillo music. The people of Panama, Venezuela and Colombia do, but it is Ecuador that is considered the home of pasillo. In fact, it is considered the national genre of music there. It is usually played with a guitar and a rondin, which is a lot like a pan flute. Other stringed instruments, including mandolins, are often a part of this kind of music. The words in pasillo songs are usually poetic and involve emotional topics.
Like many art forms, pasillo started out as one thing and changed over time. This music was brought to South America from Europe in the 1800s. Most historians believe that this kind of music was inspired by the Viennese waltz, which originated in Europe – specifically, Vienna, Austria. The Spanish paso doble also influenced pasillo. As the music was shared, it traveled from village to village and region to region with each place putting its own special spin on it. While it is easy to recognize pasillo’s distinctive sound, it is still very individualized in each town and region.
October 1 is National Pasillo Day in Ecuador. It is in honor of Julio Jaramillo Laurido’s birthday. Laurido was recognized around the world for his pasillo performances. In December, in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, there is a Festival Nacional del Pasillo.
