written by
We end this week's look at the songs of the high Andes of Peru by going to the work of Luzmila Carpio, a Bolivian-born woman who sings her own native language of Aymara as well as Quechua, the indigenous language of Perú. Making a point to sing in native languages...
Some of the most popular exponents of the Peruvian vocal sound have been odd ones, indeed, and Yma Sumac (1922-2008) certainly fits that bill! The running joke is that she was secretly a Jewish woman (spell her name backwards), but she did have an exotic, uncanny tone...
Continuing our focus on Afro-Peruvian culture, for my third blog, we turn to the work of folklorist, poet, and musician Nicomedes Santa Cruz (1925-1992). In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the life of this amazing and multi-faceted advocate...
For my second featured blog, I'd like to continue the thread of female Peruvian composer-singers (begun with Chabuca Granda yesterday) and go to Eva Ayllón, another proponent of Afro-Peruvian culture. This video excerpt from one of Eva's more glamorous and...
It is a real pleasure to be working with the marvelous musicians and staff of the New York Festival of Song! I’m happy to be a guest blogger this week, sharing my love of music and the human voice with readers, and will start off with a gentle yet quietly powerful...