Bolivian band Charango played at the Sonidos de Acá concert series on June 11 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. (Federico Morón for Infosurhoy.com)

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia – Bolivian urban music is starting to taking off thanks to projects and initiatives promoting its diverse array of rhythms and genres.

The Sonidos de acá (Sounds from here) project is one of them.

Sonidos de acá, which is sponsored by the Centro Cultural Simón I. Patiño of Santa Cruz, the Bolivian magazine Vamos, and the entertainment website Shows.com.bo, stages a concert every quarter, bringing together different music styles that are produced nationally and have international appeal.

“When it’s over, we will have a record of the best parts of all the festivals that will be used for international promotional purposes,” said Roxana Moyano, organizer and director of Centro Cultural Simon I. Patiño. The record will consist of video and audio content from the best concerts of the whole season, which ends in October.

Pop, rock, trova, reggae, candombe and electronic music, among others, have been showcased in the series by bands from across Bolivia.

“What’s interesting about this project is that each concert presents a fusion of rhythms,” said Gabriel Kavlin, a music producer for the event. “We have had pop and reggae, candombe and rave, and I think that is one of the strongest features of the project.”

The goal of Sonidos de acá is to expand to Latin America and promote Bolivia’s musical culture through concerts in neighboring countries Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

The next concert, scheduled for Sept. 3 at the Centro Cultural Simon I. Patiño, will feature La Paz’s alternative rock band Krauss.

José Andrés Sánchez, one of the event’s organizers and director of Vamos, said the project has brought together bands from Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and La Paz.

“We want to show the world that we make good music here and that we are proud of it,” he said.