Guitarreros

Folclore salteño is the regional folk music of Salta Province, in Argentina’s Northwest, where Andean and criollo traditions meet. It blends local poetic forms (coplas, vidalas, bagualas) and dance rhythms (zamba, chacarera, bailecito, cueca norteña, carnavalito, huayno) with guitar-centered accompaniment, bombo legüero and caja coplera drums, and Andean aerophones such as quena and siku. Salteño ensembles are renowned for rich vocal harmony (often three–four male voices), refined guitar work, and lyrical imagery of valleys, mountains, rivers, and carnival rituals. While its roots are rural and predate recording, the style coalesced publicly in the mid‑20th century through polished vocal groups and composer–poet collaborations from Salta that defined the "estilo salteño" heard across Argentina.