Lets get the controversy started: Onda Nueva

Onda Nueva is a musical style developed in the 70s by Venezuelan composer Aldemaro Romero by blending traditional Venezuelan Joropo (a genre that features some of the earliest improvistion techniques known) with Jazz sensibilities... usually performed by a trio (piano, bass and drums), sometimes with the addition of a cuatro (typical Venezuelan instrument with four strings), harp, flute or with an orchestra (getting close to Third Stream at times). After Romero lots of ensembles, groups and artists have emerged defining themselves inside the "Onda Nueva" style (specially in Venezuela).

Some examples:

 

This thread is for discussing about Onda Nueva, it isn't necessarily a proposal of including a new sub-genre.... (I think we should... IMO it is as unique as Bossa Nova)

*Generally written in 5/8 or 6/8 time signatures

*Jazz-Bossa harmonies

*Venezuelan Waltz cadence and modulation

*Joropo syncopation

I don't think there are Venezuelan musicians out there that don't owe something to Aldemaro Romero (specially in the jazz scene - one of the biggest in south-america)

First of all, as I said before, Aldemaro Romero: but be careful, you may stumble upon some 100% Venezuelan folk (some of it may not be your kind of thing).

For jazzier things:

*Gonzalo Teppa (a truly gifted bass player... I've seen him live about 4 times and he still impresses me)

*Huascar Barradas (the archetypal Venezuelan flutist)

*Cesar Orozco (quite a new name in the scene but really talented pianist + he surrounds himself with great musicians)

If you like fusion, I'd recommend (this is more of a hybrid):

*Vytas Brenner (Jayeche)

*Frank Quintero y los Balzeaguaos (Frank Quintero actually started his career as backing vocalist for Aldemaro Romero... he plays drums in this one)