Perkutao is an Afro-Peruvian percussion ensemble founded in 2005, directed by Percy Chinchilla, musician, percussionist, zapateador (foot percussion performer) and teacher of young generations of percussionists. “Mis Ancestros” (My ancestors) is their first record, produced by Manongo Mujica, and is the fourth title of the collection “Perspectivas de la Música Afroperuana” (Perspectives on Afro-Peruvian Music).
Chinchilla shares the artistic direction of Perkutao with William Nicasio ‘Makarito’, another outstanding percussionist. Both grew up in Lima’s famous Callejón del Buque, in the district of La Victoria, a spot preferred by bohemians and known by local music partying known as jaranas criollas. Both were also formed in Perú Negro, an iconic Afro-Peruvian ensemble, and both carry in their blood the love for percussion and Afro tradition.
Chinchilla comes from a family of Afro-Peruvian musicians, including Caitro Soto and Ronaldo Campos. Meanwhile, Makarito is the son of Macario Nicasio and grandson of El Niño, legendary Cuban percussionist who introduced congas and bongo to Afro-Peruvian rhythms.
Perkutao arose precisely from the merging of Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Cuban and Caribbean music, and have become one of the most sought-after percussion ensembles due to the intensity of their sound and their powerful performances that include stage movements and surprising acrobatic skills. In addition to Chinchilla and Makarito, the ensemble is completed by Edu Campos, Andree Liendo and Víctor Sánchez Pitín.
Manongo Mujica, producer of the album says about the Perkutao album: “When we started the project of making a collection of Afro-Peruvian music -Perspectivas de la Música Afroperuana (Perspectives on Afro-Peruvian Music), we were looking for an ensemble to dive in the sound of rhythms as the essential basis of this music. One day in my studio in Chorrillos, after finishing Juan Medrano Cotito’s project -Hechicero-, the second album of this collection, I was talking with Percy Chinchilla. I wanted to show him some of my songs and I proposed him to record some ideas for cajón and African balafon.
“I was looking for a way to ritualize the landó, for a way to tell the story of Afro-Peruvian rhythms from an ancestral sound conception. Suddenly I asked him, “Percy, do you know any ensemble that is in the search for the essence or the origin of rhythms?” And Percy answered, “I have that ensemble, it is called Perkutao”. I was speechless with astonishment and said to him, “And why didn’t you ever tell me?”; he replied, “Manongo, you never asked me that before“.
(headline image: Perkutao – Photo by Juan Pablo Aragón)
Discography:
Mis Ancestros (Buh Records, 2021)
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.