Putumayo World Music

Putumayo World Music was established in 1993 to introduce people to the music of the world's cultures. The label grew out of Putumayo clothing company, founded by Dan Storper in 1975 and sold in 1997. Co-founder Michael Kraus joined Dan to launch Putumayo World Music and establish a non-traditional sales division.

Putumayo is a river that begins in the South American country of Colombia and flows along the border of Ecuador and Peru until it reaches the Amazon in Brazil. Putumayo's founder, Dan Storper, was traveling through the region in 1974, and was so enamored with its beauty, he decided to name his new handicraft shop after it. The etymological origins of the word Putumayo in Quechua (indigenous Indian language) are as follows: Mayu (or Mayo) means "River" and Putu can mean either a gourd for drinking chicha, which is a homemade corn/maize liquor, or "nace" (birth) or "sale" (leaves). Therefore, the Quechuan origins of the Putumayo word could be understood to mean either a gourd river or "birth of the river." Another literal meaning of the word Putumayo is a heron (type of bird).

Over the years, Putumayo World Music has become known primarily for its upbeat and melodic compilations of great international music characterized by the company's motto: "guaranteed to make you feel good!" Putumayo’s CD covers feature the distinctive art of Nicola Heindl, whose colorful, folkloric style represents one of Putumayo's goals: to connect the traditional to the contemporary.

Putumayo's Feel Good Guarantee:
Putumayo's products are protected by their Feel Good Guarantee. If you are unhappy with any purchase of a Putumayo CD, you may return it to Putumayo for a full refund. Send the CD, along with your receipt of purchase and your address to: Putumayo World Music, Attn: Consumer Returns, 411 Lafayette St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10003 or call +1-212-625-1400 for more information.