La Jardinera (Six Degrees Records, 2012)
La Jardinera (the gardner) is the title of the solo album by Silvana Kane, who is better known as the vocalist of pop ensemble Pacifika. La Jardinera is an intimate effort, where Kane reworks classic songs by well-known Latin American singers, such as Chabuca Granda, Mercedes Sosa and Violeta Parra.
‘Her writing wasn’t flowery, and the way she sang was really unique,’ says Kane about Chabuca Granda. ‘She sang in this throaty, low register. Her writing was pure poetry. I was really happy that she was Peruvian. ‘Cardo o ceniza’ is a beautiful and sensual song that explores the idea of two lovers finally having the chance to be together, wondering what that encounter will be like. It was written by Chabuca Granda about a love affair Violeta Parra told her about.’
For this occasion, Silvana Kane combines her gentle, sensual voice with dreamy minimal arrangements that include cool jazz trumpet, acoustic guitars, banjo and soft percussion. The album includes Adam Popowitz on guitar and banjo, Tony Peter on acoustic and electric bass, and Malcolm Aiken on trumpet.
Born in Lima (Peru), Silvana Kane’s father moved the family to Canada when she was seven. She learned English and picked up on both her parents’ musical training, studying violin and piano with great fervor. Returning to Peru at 9, she later moved to Milwaukee (Wisconsin, USA) at 11 and Vancouver (Canada) at 14.
‘I come from a very musical family,’ she says. ‘My mom has always sung and played guitar, and my dad was very well-versed in classical music. My grandfather was always listening to local music and lots of salsa, while my grandmother loved merengue – she thought it was the best exercise. I grew up listening to a lot of the music from the highlands as well but it didn’t catch me in the same rhythmical sense as Afro-Peruvian music did.’
‘La Jardinera means ‘the gardener’ in feminine,’ she says. ‘It’s a song about a woman who is healing from a love affair by tending to her garden. I find this inspiring because I believe that by caring for the earth we nurture ourselves and our world. The songs all deal with nature and hope; that’s the focus of the entire record.’
‘I really wanted the opportunity to embark on something of my own. I’m at a point in my life in which I feel capable of amassing my ideas. With Pacifika being somewhat percussive and bombastic on stage, I wanted to make a very quiet record. I wanted to leave a sonic memento for my family. It was a very soothing and peaceful record to make.’
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
