By Ann Treacy
Thursday night KFAI and the James J Hill Library unveiled The World Live, new music series featuring live performances at the library that are later played on KFAI. Alma Andina played the first show; they are a Minnesota-based band with South American roots. For those of you who might hear the show on KFAI, I’m going to tell you a secret you’d never guess. There were only four people on stage. Four people who play a lot of traditional South American instruments, four people who aren’t afraid to amplify and enhance through electronics. It’s not that they’re loud but unique in a good way.Band members include Vladimir Garrido (Vocals, Quenas, Zampoñas, Guitar, Charango, Electronic Beats and sounds, Congas), Nicolas Muñoz (Zampoñas, Charango, Timbales, Percussion, Electronic Sounds, Backup vocals), Lew Hill (Keyboard, Electronic sounds, Backup vocals), and Matias Levin (Electric Bass, Guitar, Vocals).
The night started with a traditional pan flute (Zampoña) but the sound expanded with the electronics, which adds a low tone balance to the trills of the flutes – more so the solitary flute (Quena) than the pan flute but a grounding balance in either case.
Part of the fun of a show like The World Live is the introduction to new sounds and instruments – such as the Quena, Zampoña and Charango, which is a stringed instrument like a mandolin. We heard several Cumbia songs, which was described as a historical way in Columbia for slaves to express themselves through music and dance. It includes a piercing flute and infectious drum beat.
The band made the music and the history more accessible. Alma Andina played or at least incorporated two songs that would be well known to a Midwest American audience – El Condor Pasa – If I Could (Simon and Garfield) and Down Under (Men at Work). I’m sure that El Condor Pasa was the first time I heard Andean instruments (Quena and Charango). For the band to sample (to use a term loosely) from something I know and extend it to what I’m sure is closer to the original is a great way to draw in an audience – lead us from the known to the unknown to build cultural bridges in an accessible and enjoyable way. For a younger crowd, Down Under probably plays the same role.
On top of all of that learning the band is fun to see, even more fun to dance to – now I know the cumbia is the reason!
http://kfai.org/news/2015/10/51305
http://jjhill.org/
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