TOTEM was one of the most important mass phenomena in Uruguay’s musical history. Formed in 1970 by the most internationally recognized Uruguayan musician in the latest 30 years, Rubén Rada, Totem meant the beginning and rise of Candombe-beat and one of the most solid pilars of rock in the Rio de La Plata. Candombe is an Afro-Uruguayan ryhtm style, existing only in Uruguay and based in the sound of three drums: chico, repique and piano. The combination of the rhythmic patterns played in each drum creates a polyrythm texture never-heard-of before in the world. The fate of Candombe is tightly fixed to the survival of the black community in Uruguay, and of their culture. In countries like Argentina, both black people and candombe have dissapeared. Rada has been a great preserver of black culture in Uruguay and has managed to integrate the values of that community into the cultural identity of Uruguay, through his music and lyrics. And here, we present you the essential first album that Totem released, with an extra song, Mi Pueblo. ORIGINAL ALBUM’S LINER NOTES: To admit the possibility that Candombe can be cleverly recreated with the contribution of Jazz, Blues and Rock is maybe the only way to comprehend the music of Totem, one of the few Latin American modern music bands that can feel proud of having a really own and unique sound. The great accomplishment of this album lies in that big solution (maybe the only one) of transmitting authenticity by producing music emerged from a real historic circumstance. Osvaldo Daniel Ripoll. The Songs of Totem place themselves in the logic of their decade by joining the mainly English expierence of the 70’s, jazzy patterns, and rythmic elements of an African origin. This last detail deserves to be remarked, because with the apparition of the music of Totem in the international music scene will come the discovery and knowing of Candombe. Make the human and musical contact with Totem. Communication is here, and is here to stay. Carlos Alberto Martins