Cantares del Pacifico – Aguajes de Mar y Manglar (2023)
Aguajes de Mar y Manglar (Sea and Mangrove Tides) presents Cantares del Pacifico, an ensemble that unites the artistry of six generations of Afro-Pacific musicians hailing from the vibrant heart of Buenaventura, Colombia. This album is a masterful preservation of ancestral sounds, reverberating with the resonances of the hydrographic basins of Buenaventura. Notably, it presents an exquisite tapestry of diverse subgenres, including the jugas, currulaos, amadores, canto de boga, chigualo, letania, and alivio. Some of these subgenres emanate from the sacred soil of Afro-Pacific funeral rites.
Produced by Manuel García-Orozco and Carlos Bonilla, and mastered by Allan Silverman, the album was a challenging endeavor due to recording performers from different age groups.
Cantares del Pacifico has been actively promoting the region’s cultural heritage globally since 2005, led by the talented Eryen Korath, known as “the queen of chonta marimba.” The album features performances from various age groups, from 94-year-old Juliana Valencia to younger musicians in their 20s and 30s. This convergence of seasoned wisdom and youthful vigor infuses the music with an ineffable depth and richness, a potent elixir transcending time.
The project also includes a documentary film directed by Jose Varón. Through this album, the artists aim to safeguard their cultural expressions and continue the legacy of their ancestors for future generations. Aguajes de Mar y Manglar is available on digital platforms.
Author: Douglas Sanders
