Soy Andina: The Blog

Andean Music/Dance in NYC, April 16 & 19

Mosaicos Del Peru Andean Folklore Foundation Inc presents:

The Virgin of Candelaria from the Andes, to New York --
Folkloric Music and Dance from the Andes
(Part of New York City's Immigrant Heritage week)

Wed, April 16, 7-9:00 pm
CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue at 34th street
------------------------------------------------------
Sat April 19, 5:00-6:30
Queens Museum of Art, Flushing Meadows

More info here

Andean music star Victoria de Ayacucho Saywa: performing in NJ this Sunday!

Our friend and ace photographer David Camacho (of the famous Camacho clan, "godfathers" of Peruvian culture in NY/NJ) breaks the news:

Un saludo a todos los amigos y amantes de la música andina… El próximo Domingo 23 de Julio a las 2pm contaremos con la presencia de Victoria de Ayacucho Saywa cantando sus éxitos y nuevas canciones como parte de su gira por los Estados Unidos. En esta ocasión podrá disfrutar de un gran almuerzo en el restaurante Delicias Peruanas 403 43rd Street, Union City, NJ, ubicado a 5 minutos de Lincoln Túnel y a una cuadra de la avenida Bergenline.

To all lovers of Andean Music: Victoria de Victoria de Ayacucho Saywa will be singing for us on Sunday, July 23rd at 2pm at Delicias Peruanas 403 43rd Street, Union City, NJ, five minutes from the Lincoln Tunnel.

For tickets, directions, more info:
Call: 201 330-9010 / 201 697-6536
Email: dmcw@rcn.com

Soy Andina inspires Nashville bluegrass singer/composer

Lovely email from acclaimed singer/composer Judith Edelman:

Hi Mitch,

I don't know whether you'll remember me, but we met at Sanctuary for Yoga a while ago in Nashville. You told me about your film Soy Andina and I told you a little about my music.

I just wanted you to know that Soy Andina looks so beautiful, I can't wait to see it! Really moving and lovely and exciting. And that's just the trailer! I hope it's progressing very, very well.

I've been busy with various projects, documentary music and other things. I'm working on a travel show about two women who hit a crossroads and hit the (global) road...we hope it will be real, funny and moving. You can imagine how Soy Andina rung my bell!

Again, good luck on the film - I really did love what I saw.

Teresa of Avila

My actress/writer friend Begonya Plaza has a one-woman play she performs at universities and theaters around the country:

TERESA OF AVILA
An inspirational story about Spain's legendary 16th century female writer Teresa of Avila - a mystic saint, feminist and reformer who achieved spiritual greatness against the odds.

More about Begonya and the play here.

Eva Ayllòn, the Queen of Afro-Peruvian Song, at Town Hall in NYC April 8

Concert Information here

Reading with Peruvian Poet Miguel Angel Zapata

I'd never heard of the Peruvian poet Miguel Angel Zapata until Bud Parr sent me a link about an upcoming reading at the McNally Robinson bookstore in lower Manhattan.

Bud - whose name has been lauded here before as the Soy Andina website architect - also runs a literary blog called Chekhov's Mistress, and you might want to check that out too. Latest entry has a rundown of New York City independent bookstores, including McNally Robinson.

All-Star Lineup of Peruvian Dance and Music this Saturday!

This is a really special event. Yeah, yeah, I always say that. But it's true. Why? Because this show:

1. Supports free Peruvian arts workshops for NYC kids
2. Assembles an All-Star lineup of Peruvian performers
3. Presents first-ever public appearance of Neli and Cynthia dancing together! Historical.

Join us if you can. And don't use the excuse it's in Queens. Queens is cool. And It's an easy subway ride on the 7 train.

Center for Traditional Music & Dance and the Pachamama Organizing Committee present:

Benefit Concert for Children's Arts Program
Saturday, Jan 7, 2006 at 7:30
PS 212, Jackson Heights, Queens

Starring:

Ballet Folklorico Peru, Luz Pereira, Pianist Carlos Bernales, Peru Andina, Peru Inca, Alcatrez, Inka Kusi Sonqo, Escuela de Marinera

$20 adults, $15 kids/seniors
subway 7 train to 82nd Street (3 blocks)
More info: (212) 571-1555 or gmhamilton@ctmd.org

Happy New year, Andean style

(Click on the image to enlarge)

Got this today from our friend Betty Seminario, an amazing painter from Peru now based in the New York region. She sells her work and you can samples on her website.

Song for Llamellin

We've written before about our amigos Bruce Markow and Bev Grant, yet overlooked one of their major contributions — the song about Llamellin they wrote and performed IN Llamellin five years ago. An instant classic, but never recorded. We hope that will change. In the meantime, here are the lyrics in Spanish and and English (the original hand-written sheet is framed and hung in Nelida's family's kitchen in Llamellin):

"Rich, Soothing and Sultry" - the Voice of Peruvian Singer Olga Milla

Several years ago I met Olga Milla through Nelida, guitar maestro Carlos Hayre and other mainstays of the Peruvian/New Jersey network. She's a great singer and performed at our fundraiser at the Ethical Culture Society back in 2002 (ouch, has it been that long?)

Her album Caricia was a memorable debut album. Read about it (in English) here, and you can buy it from Amazon, itunes, and other music sites.

Olga recently wrote me that she's about to release her long-awaited new album, Repercusion: Baladas afroperuanas y otras agitaciones. In the meantime, she invites you to read this interview and listen to the free mp3 at at deperu.com. You can write to her at olgamilla3@hotmail.com.