Building a bridge between Colombia and New York this year’s festival spans across two of New York City’s boroughs in a two-day, two-part festival, highlighting Colombia’s musical treasures and contemporary expressions with the world’s finest Colombian musicians living in New York City.
Festival Producers Pablo and Anna Mayor’s quest to educate the international community on the traditions of Colombia is exemplified in the programming of a new festival segment: Encuentro Familiar/Family day, to be held at the historic cultural center Flushing Town Hall in Queens, in collaboration with the Center for Traditional Music and Dance.
Encuentro Family Day 1 of the festival will feature Rebolú and Grupo Chonta, two groups joyfully presenting the traditions of Colombia’s two African-influenced coasts, most recently featured at Lincoln Center Out of Doors along with workshops for children, dance activities, opportunities to learn about the musical instruments from Colombia up-close, Q & A with the artists and Colombian food and crafts.
Encuentro Gala Showcase Day 2 of the festival, convenes this year at Le Poisson Rouge, in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village with six hours of back-to-back performances featuring the rhythms of cumbia, currulao, joropo, and bambuco, among a myriad other styles, both as they have developed in New York and in their traditional root forms.
Day 1 – Encuentro Family Activities
Performances by:
Rebolú, led by vocalist and percussionist Ronald Polo and master drummer Moris Cañate, from Barranquilla, Colombia, presenting traditional music from Colombia’s Caribbean coast, and Grupo Chonta, led by master marimba player/multi-instrumentalist Diego “Yiyo” Obregon, from Guapi, Colombia, presenting the strongly African-influenced music of the lesser known Pacific coast of Colombia,
*a native flute “gaita” workshop by Martin Vejarano, leader of La Cumbiamba eNeYe,
* a Música Llanera workshop with Johanna Castañeda (voice and cuatro) y su Grupo Llanero (with harp and capachos) presenting music from the Plains region of Colombia,
*a Música Andina workshop (music from the Andes mountain region of Colombia) with a trio of traditional guitars led by virtuoso Alejandro Flórez playing a rhythm called “torbellino” to which children will do a type of “May Pole” dance with ribbons.
DAY 2 – Encuentro Gala Showcase in Manhattan
*world-renowned Edmar Castañeda on Colombian harp (known for his work with Paquito d’Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, John Scofield, John Patitucci, Chico O’Farill’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band, among others) with vocalist and poet Andrea Tierra-her contralto voice singing poetry pertaining to “love, life, and the land” expressed in rhythms of joropo, bambuco, cumbia.
*virtuoso conga-player Samuel Torres with his new Colombian-rooted project (known for his work with a list of stars including: Richard Bona, Arturo Sandoval, Tito Puente, Paquito d’Rivera, Shakira, Mark Anthony, the list goes on)
*soulful Lucía Pulido, one of the richest voices on the international Latin American musical scene today: “Ms Pulido holds on to the rawness of the original melodies while giving them a sophisticated new context”. New York Times
*virtuoso conga-player Samuel Torres with his new Colombian-rooted project (known for his work with a list of stars including: Richard Bona, Arturo Sandoval, Tito Puente, Paquito d’Rivera, Shakira, Mark Anthony, the list goes on)
*composer/pianist and producer Pablo Mayor’s renowned dance band Folklore Urbano Orchestra charged with new music
*a full 16-piece big band under rising star Gregorio Uribe’s direction,
*earthy, urban, funky, and brilliant Sebastián Cruz and his Cheap Landscape Trio (known for his work with Lucía Pulido),
*Alejandro Flórez carrying the roots of the Colombian Andes into new dimensions with his intelligent, sophisticated compositions written for his group Tibaguí and
*drummer Martin Vejarano of La Cumbiamba eNeYe presenting his new funky sextet blending jazz and chirimia reminiscent of a New Orleans jazz band a la Colombiana with his group Chia’s Dance Party.
*Nilko Andreas Guarin, classical guitarist extraordinaire who’s appeared with orchestras worldwide and known for his work with La Cumbiamba eNEYE will present a special Colombian presentation
The festival culminates with an all-star jam uniting Day 1 and Day 2 of the festival with maestro marimba player Yiyo Obregon from Grupo Chonta and Ronald Polo and Moris Cañate, singer and percussionists from Rebolú, along with the evening’s performers and invited guests.
Special guests to include Colombian dancer Daniel Fetecua-Soto (of Limon Dance Company) and his Colombian dance company Pajarillo Pinta’o, Daniel Rojas (traditional harpist and cuatro player), Jonathan Gómez y su Papayera la Original (a traditional Colombian street band)
Adding to the Colombian flavor of the evening will be Le Poisson Rouge’s special Colombian menu to round out the night.
TICKET INFORMATION
Day 1 – Encuentro Family Day – October 22, 2011 – Flushing Town Hall 1- 5pm
tickets $10 adults, $5 kids, available ahead at: http://www.flushingtownhall.org
137-35 Northern Boulevard NY 11354-4120 (718) 463-7700
Day 2 – Encuentro Gala Showcase – October 23, 2011 – 5pm-1am – Le Poisson Rouge
tickets Adv $25, Door $30, Minors $15 at door available at: http://www.lepoissonrouge.com
158 Bleecker Street Manhattan, NY 10012 212.353.3474
For more info: www.EncuentroNYC.com
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
