As a young man in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Gaby Kerpel studied classical music, including piano and harmony, as well as improvisation, before realizing that traditional composition was not the road he wished to follow.
In 1985, he was introduced to La Organizacion Negra, an ensemble that was creating an original type of theater that required singular music, which Kerpel created by learning to use technology as a creative tool. He composed for and performed with Negra for the next seven years while also collaborating on other dance, film, and video projects.
In 1993, Negra was dissolved and two of its members formed a new group, De La Guarda, which Kerpel was asked to join. His brother, Anibal Kerpel (a well known pioneer of Argentine progressive rock), and Gustavo Santaolalla produced the group’s 1995 CD.
Gaby Kerpel created the music for the long-running aerial performance-art/interactive theater shows of the De La Guarda troupe. He made his solo debut on a Nonesuch CD entitled Carnabailito, which came out on August 26, 2003.
Like De La Guarda’s shows, the songs on Carnabailito are driven by South American percussion sounds and inspired by the instruments and folk melodies of northeastern Argentina.
Kerpel describes his electronic approach to folkloric sound as “finding a way to express my experiences by passing a vision of Argentine music through the filter of my taste.”
Kerpel uses technology as a musical instrument, recording live performances on his computer and extracting the parts that he likes. Once they are digitized, he edits and transposes the samples, often manipulating them with special effects. Additionally, his music uses many types of South American traditional instruments, such as small, guitar-like cavaquinho (an instrument found in Brazil, Portugal and other lusophone countries) and Argentinean charango, as well as kalimbas and Argentine flutes. He also incorporates children’s’ instruments, such as an accordion he played in “Herias sin Herir.”
While touring with De La Guarda, he discovered instruments from other cultures, which he also used on Carnabailito, such as the erhu (Chinese violin) that is featured in “Se que no vas a volver.” Kerpel often records other musicians’ performances as well, creating samples such as the drums in “Xplicamelo,” which were taken from a recording he made of Enzo Cuenca playing different patterns with a stereo microphone (also used in “Cada vez que la visita” and “Sintenerte”).
Some of the sounds heard on Carnabailito were recorded in impromptu settings, such as hotel rooms. As Kerpel says, “I like to have a portable studio system so I can keep making new music while I travel. I think sometimes it is just a matter of capturing the moment.”
In the late 2000s, Kerpel’s project was King Coya.
Discography
* Carnabailito (Nonesuch, 2003)
* Fuerza Bruta (Warner, 2007)
* Cumbias de Villa Donde
Web site
http://www.gabykerpel.com
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.
