Noche de Muertos

NOCHE DE MUERTOS
Press Kit Contents
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Table of Contents Sheet
Noche de Muertos One-Sheet
Sol y Canto One-Sheet
Melodic Vision One-Sheet
People en Español Magazine feature on Amadors
Press Release in English
Press Release in Spanish
Program Book
Selected Lyrics
Sol y Canto Critics Quotes
Sol y Canto Performance Highlights
Sol y Canto Artist Biographies
Melodic Vision Artist Biographies
Sol y Canto Discography
Noche de Muertos Stage Plot
Noche de Muertos Technical Rider
Now Booking for October and November
Photo: Rick Grossman
Photo: Susan Wilson
NOCHE DE M UERTOS: WE LCO MING O UR ANCESTORS HOME
Boston Music Award-winning Sol y Canto joins Melodic Vision for Noche de Muertos, an
extravagant multi-media production combining dynamic live music with stunning giant projected
photographic images of Michoacán’s profound and yet irreverent Día de los Muertos
celebrations. The result is a heartfelt homage to ancestors and a lighthearted excuse for family
gatherings, creative crafts, food, floral arrangements, dance, pageantry, and poking fun at the
grim reaper!
The production features Sol y Canto’s live interpretations of beloved Mexican classics, including
the haunting “La Llorona,” as well as evocative new compositions by award-winning Musical
Director/Guitarist Brian Amador (New Mexico), described by the press as a “Spanish modernist
poet in the guise of a musician.” Featured vocalist Rosi Amador (Puerto Rico/Argentina) moves
listeners to tears with her soul-baring renditions of songs both aching and exuberant. The couple
is joined by their Pan-Latin group of seasoned virtuoso musical partners on bass, piano,
saxophones, flute and the Peruvian cajón (percussion box). Melodic Vision Music Director
Rebecca Strauss’s soaring viola and violin complete the musical mosaic. Melded with the
compelling storytelling and vivid imagery of Melodic Vision Artistic Director Susan Wilson, the
Days and Nights of the Dead come alive, bringing the spirits home with melody, photography,
and soul.
Presenters are encouraged to enlist community artists to construct community altars decorated
with flowers, photos, fruits and “papel picado” (colored, cut paper designs); and/or to serve hot
chocolate, tamales and traditional “pan de muertos” (Day of the Dead bread) in the lobby or other
theater area to recreate a Mexican Day and Night of the Dead atmosphere in their venue.
For adult audiences: 45-90 minutes; for high school/middle school audiences 45-60 minutes
Tech requirements: LCD Projector and AV Person; White screen/projection surface; Minimum 15'x15' for large auditoriums
recommended- Minimum 8'x8' for small venues; lighting and sound.
THIS SHOW IS RECOMMENDED FOR ADULT AUDIENCES & CHILDREN 11 & UP.
WWW.SiegelArtist.com
TESTIMONIALS
"Many thanks for a wonderful concert…an exceptional night of music, culture and history!"
-Mervon Mehta, VP Programming and Education, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia
“Through storytelling, music and images that transported you to a live festival and put in touch with real
people, colors and sounds of Mexico. Brian’s compositions were beautiful and the themes resonated with
many in the audience. Rosi‘s sweet and crystal clear voice brings the songs to life. I would love to bring
you back.”
- Brigitte Blachere, Program Manager, The Smithsonian Associates
“Noche de Muertos is a treasure for the senses -- an artful presentation that consummately weaves poetry,
voice, music and visuals to animate history, culture and community spirit.
It made my heart sing as I was enveloped in the ritual, the rhythms,
the color, -- not only learning about the traditions, but feeling part of
it! A dynamic and entertaining experience for all ages with lots of rich
layers for learning.” –Libbie Shufro, Boston Center for the Arts
"Bridging cultures through a wonder-filled program."
- Earl Lawrence Tucker, Director, Trinity Concerts, NYC
Photos:
Susan Wilson
Photos: Susan Wilson
Visual
Visual Artist César Viveros-Herrero
Smithsonian, Washington, D.C. – 10/ 24/08
César Viveros-Herrera, Philadelphia-based Mexican artist,
creates an altar, lobby of Philadelphia venue 10/28/07
"I have to tell you it was incredible! Your voice and the
photographs really transported me back to my childhood, when I
used to help my grandmother prepare everything for Día de los
Muertos, and await that day with grand expectation as if it was
Christmas. Please congratulate your husband and your very
talented musicians...With your voice and your husband's lyrics,
Sol y Canto were magnificent!" -Mónica Orozco, Director,
Mexican Cultural Center Philadelphia, PA
“Sublime ambassadors
of Pan-Latin music”
-The Boston Globe
”Rousing guitar!”
-Washington Post
“Rosi Amador has a smile that
melts glaciers
and a voice to match”
-Daily Hampshire Gazette
“Stars of 2007” in
People en Español Magazine
Winner of three
Boston Music Awards for
“Outstanding Latin Act”
“Best of Boston” winner
-Boston Magazine
Symphonic Suite
commissioned by
Bank of America Celebrity Series
Parents’ Choice Award-winning
bilingual family album
on Rounder Records
“Standout vocals and top-notch
playing…”
–World Roots
Now Touring Noche de Muertos
and Cada Día un Regalo
Artist Phone: 617-492-1515
Artist Email: [email protected]
Artist Website: www.solycanto.com
Artist EPK: www.sonicbids.com/solycanto
Represented by Siegel Artist Management
www.siegelartist.com
When Rosi and Brian Amador met and fell in love in 1984,
they didn’t know their relationship would blossom into the
musical project of their dreams…
Puerto Rican/Argentine singer and bongo player Rosi Amador and New Mexican guitarist and
composer Brian Amador have been lucky enough to spend more than two decades
composing, arranging and performing music that moves people inside and out; songs that
combine poetic lyrics, commitment to social change, and sabor, the "tastiness" of music that
draws you into its story or makes you want to get up and dance. Singing of a longing for
peace or of taking care of our planet, telling the story of a solitary kiss or the sadness of
losing a loved one, celebrating the Mexican "Night of the Dead" - has put them in touch with
people who share their concerns and joy in celebrating Latin culture and what they offer: a
personal, idiosyncratic language of music and lyrics revealing a common, human language.
Sol y Canto is their three-time Boston Music Award
winning Latin roots ensemble and the culmination of
their musical vision. Featuring Rosi's crystalline voice,
Brian's lush Spanish guitar, and accompanied by
virtuoso musicians from Uruguay, Perú, Panamá and
Argentina on piano, winds, bass, and percussion, the
sextet has established a reputation for its quirky
original compositions. Since 1994, Sol y Canto has
brought audiences to their feet from the Kennedy
Center, the White House, and Boston's Symphony Hall
to the California World Music Festival, Puerto Rico's
Museo de Arte and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
Cada Día un Regalo:
Latin roots show from duo to sextet
paying homage to love, life, death, and
living fully in the present.
Noche de Muertos:
Welcoming Our Ancestors Home
Multimedia concert combining live
performance with projected images of
Mexico’s Days/Nights of the Dead
Sabor y Memoria:
Sol y Canto is known for making their music accessible
to Spanish- and non-Spanish speaking audiences of all
ages. Brian Amador was the first Latino ever to be
commissioned by Boston's preeminent Celebrity Series
to compose a Latin orchestral suite, Prisma de amores,
which tours nation-wide with classical ensembles from
symphony orchestras to string quartets. In December
2007, in People en Español Magazine selected Rosi and
Brian for Hyundai’s “Descúbrelo tú mismo” program,
featured in its 2007 “Stars of the Year” issue,
highlighting four inspiring Hispanics who have used
their passion, conviction, creativity and self discovery to
achieve success.
A Musical Feast in Seven Courses Brian
Amador’s newest program with Sol y
Canto and string quartet is about a
favorite topic: Latin food!
Bilingual Children’s Shows:
Award-winning music for young
audiences and families
Workshops/Master Classes
Artist Residencies
New England Funding
www.nefa.org/grant/prog/nest
Cada Día un Regalo (Each Day a Gift), Sol y Canto’s latest work, combines original
compositions with several hand-selected classics from Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba.
Released by MusicAmador Productions, it represents a musical breakthrough for the ensemble,
featuring eight original compositions by Brian Amador, and the tightest ensemble they have
ever put together. Sol y Canto is now represented by Siegel Artist Management.
Melodic Vision
Weaving music, photography, and history into a seamless artistic event, Melodic
Vision creates enlightening, heartfelt journeys that are both educationally engaging
and spiritually transforming. Whether you are a corporation, school, museum,
library, historic site, or social, cultural, or environmental organization, Melodic Vision
productions can educate and entertain your targeted audience with performances
that are unforgettable.
Melodic Vision’s artistic team tackles subjects ranging from powerful and difficult
contemporary social issues to explorations of peoples, places, and cultures. Their
highly acclaimed works include Soul Survivor (a story of healing from childhood
sexual abuse), Sacred Grounds, Sacred Sounds (honoring the musical residents of
Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris), and Noche de Muertos (chronicling the traditional
Mexican celebration). They have performed their evocative multimedia shows—
featuring both live and recorded music—in venues large and small.
Melodic Vision’s Susan Wilson
& Rebecca Strauss
Image From Noche De Muertos
Show
Chosen by People magazine
People en Español selected Brian and Rosi Amador for Hyundai’s “Descúbrelo tú mismo”
program, featured in its 2007 “Stars of the Year” issue
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“The rich and natural harmonies of Brian and Rosi
Amador, founders of the
group Sol y Canto, reach audiences worldwide. Singing their
dreams for a better world, they
found their own style in the
interpretation of Latin music.
You too can find yours…”
PeopleEnEspanol.com/hyundai
Hyundai’s “Descúbrelo tú mismo” highlights four inspiring Hispanics who have used their passion, conviction, creativity and self discovery
to achieve career success.
–PRESS RELEASE- rock paper scissors, inc.
PO Box 1788, suite 137, bloomington, in 47402-1788 USA
[t] +1.812.339.1195 • www. rockpaperscissors.biz
A Matter of Life and Death:
Sol y Canto and Melodic Vision Make Every Moment Worth Living in
NOCHE DE MUERTOS: WELCOMING OUR ANCESTORS HOME
Multi-Media Celebration of Mexican Day of the Dead Marks Release of New Sol y
Canto CD, CADA DÍA UN REGALO (EACH DAY A GIFT)
These days everyone seems to be obsessed with time; stopping time, to be more precise. Nobody
wants to get old and everyone is running out of time. But the pan-Latin band Sol y Canto and their
artistic collaborators Melodic Vision may hold the key to a musical fountain of youth: death! Or at least
respect for it.
A multi-sensory celebration of the Mexican Day and Night of the Dead, Noche De Muertos: Welcoming
Our Ancestors Home combines the musical talents of Sol y Canto and Melodic Vision violist/violinist
Rebecca Strauss with giant projected photographs created by photographer Susan Wilson
documenting the celebration of the holiday in the rural Mexican state of Michoacán. Images of
traditional dancing skeletons, marigold bouquets, bustling market places, and the faces of celebrants
in the town of Pátzcuaro, epicenter of Day of the Dead festivities, are accompanied by live
interpretations of beloved Mexican classics and original songs composed for this show in a haunting
and lively combination of Mexican and pan-Latin rhythms. This show is recommended for adult
audiences and children no younger than 11 years of age.
The performance embodies an emerging ethos that questions living life on overload, always feeling
behind, and not appreciating the moment, drawing on Mexican and Pan-Latin philosophies that
maintain that by celebrating death people can appreciate life and stay connected to their past. Or to
put it in the words of the poet Octavio Paz, “To the people of New York, Paris, or London, ‘death’ is a
word that is never pronounced because it burns the lips. The Mexican, however, frequents it, jokes
about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it; it is one of his favorite toys and most steadfast love.”
The same sentiments are echoed in Cada día un regalo (Each Day a Gift), Sol y Canto’s latest album,
whose release coincides with the Noche De Muertos tour.
Noche de Muertos has had as profound an impact on its creators as it has on audiences. Sol y Canto
lead singer Rosi Amador lost both of her parents within two recent years. Last fall, on the exact
anniversary of her father’s death (to the minute), she found herself performing the work two blocks
away from Ground Zero in New York. She was taken by how powerful the holiday was for reconciling
feelings of loss for loved ones. “I wish I had something like this in the middle of my grief,” says Rosi,
who moved to the mainland U.S. from Puerto Rico as a teenager. “It would have been a wonderful gift
for me to do something like this. It really struck me what a beautiful tradition it was.” Brian, who was
born and raised in New Mexico, recalls an interview with a Buddhist monk who claimed that the secret
to happiness was to spend five minutes a day thinking about death. “What I took away from that is
the idea that death is not something we have to avoid speaking of or being aware of. It’s a part of life,
you need to accept it. Be aware of the temporariness of your life. That is the only way you can live it
fully.”
About the Noche De Muertos Artists
Melodic Vision weaves music, photography, and history into a seamless artistic event, creating
enlightening and heartfelt journeys that are both educationally engaging and spiritually transforming.
Artistic director Susan Wilson is a highly respected photographer, writer, educator, and lecturer who
has exhibited her artwork in dozens of shows, and gained national recognition for her images of
performing and literary artists. Music director and violist Rebecca Strauss is known as a fine
performer, professional businesswoman, and beloved educator in the Boston arts scene. An alumna of
Oberlin Conservatory of Music, she has played with ensembles such as the Boston Pops Esplanade
Orchestra, the Boston Ballet Orchestra, Opera Boston, Boston Lyric Opera, and the Boston Modern
Orchestra Project, and performed with popular artists ranging from Marc O'Connor and Andrea Bocelli
to Led Zeppelin and K.D. Lang. Melodic Vision website: http://www.melodicvision.com
Sol y Canto is descended from an exceptional musical lineage – lead singer Rosi Amador is the
daughter of influential Puerto Rican vocalist and Broadway actress Josephine Del Mar, whose band
gave “The Mambo King” Tito Puente his start. Award-winning New Mexican guitarist/musical director
Brian Amador, whose fresh compositions and arrangements anchor the sextet’s unique sound, is a
past winner of the Mass Cultural Council “Excellence in Composition” grant. Accompanied by an
ensemble of seasoned Latin musicians from Perú, Panamá, Uruguay and Argentina, Sol y Canto’s
soaring angelic vocals, sumptuous Spanish guitar, bass, flutes, and percussion promise a Latin musical
feast. Invited to perform in venues as diverse as the White House, the Kennedy Center, Symphony
Hall in Boston and Springfield, MA, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Getty Center and the Museo de
Arte in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sol y Canto has established a national reputation for its unique
interpretations of Latin music. This fall, Rosi & Brian celebrate their 23rd year as “Boston’s sublime
ambassadors of the pan-Latin musical tradition” – Boston Globe. They’ve won "Best Latin Act" from
the Boston Music Awards and “Best of Boston” from Boston Magazine.
Musicians
Rosi Amador - lead vocal, bongos
Brian Amador - guitar, composer
Jorge Roeder - bass
Nando Michelin - piano
Renato Thoms - percussion
Bernardo Monk - sax, flute
Rebecca Strauss – violist/violinist
Nueva Canción Connects in the U.S.:
Latin Ensemble Sol y Canto Sings of Hope from Here to the Moon
New Sol y Canto CD, Cada día un regalo (Each Day a Gift) Released in Conjunction
with Noche de Muertos Tour
The origins of Latin roots music ensemble Sol y Canto are in musical hope-making. Founders Brian
and Rosi Amador’s musical collaboration began when they joined a peace expedition to Nicaragua;
U.S. artists going to perform and to witness what was really happening there in the 1980s. “We were
struck by so many people living in extreme poverty, in dangerous and horrible conditions,” says
composer and guitarist Brian, “and still they were able to smile and laugh and dance and sing.” The
couple fell in love on that trip and committed themselves not only to coming home and telling fellow
Americans what was happening in Nicaragua, but in carrying on the message of hope in adversity.
That spirit lives on with their latest recording, Cada Día un Regalo (Each Day a Gift). The album
combines original compositions about social justice and love—including a precious lullaby written for
the Amadors’ twin daughters—with a couple of hand-selected classics from Latin America and Cuba.
The overall effect is inspirational, as if Eckhart Tolle—the Oprah-endorsed self-help philosopher who
advocates living in the moment—joined Nueva Canción, the 1960s and ’70s pan-Latin movement that
united poetry, music-making, and grassroots social consciousness. None of this is new for Sol y Canto.
“We make music that is authentic, that speaks to people and connects us,” says Brian, who was born
and raised in New Mexico. “It’s like when people turned on the radio in Chile and heard songs in
English, and said, ‘That does not reflect our reality.’ It’s about people taking up musical arms to
express their own realities, not the reality being fed to us.”
Upon their return from Nicaragua, the Amadors made a name playing at benefits and demonstrations
for America’s Latin American solidarity movement. Out of that came their life mission of sharing the
cultures of Latin America and bringing together audiences that include a diversity of people of Latino
descent and those of other heritages.
Along the way, Sol y Canto built a dedicated base of fans who tell profound stories of the effect of the
Amadors’ music. One man buys every album they release, remembering that their first cassette in
1986 saved his marriage. “He came up to me at an intermission and held my hands,” remembers
Rosi, the group’s lead singer. “He said ‘I was commuting far away from my wife. I would play your
album, and this is what kept my marriage together. I listened to those lyrics and I knew we would
make it through an incredibly rough spot.’ I was in tears by the end of the conversation.”
Another fan called and said “I want you to know how much your music means to me. My child has a
developmental disability and the only thing she responds to is music, specifically your CD. She is able
to focus and look at me and be happy and listen to what I say. It is so clear that it is your voices, your
rhythms. Everything you put into the CD.”
Sol y Canto walks a fine line between the exotic and the familiar. Is it Latin music or folk music? Is
this a Buddhist message or a universal one? Their concerts draw diverse crowds; Latinos of all
backgrounds, and non-Latinos alike. “Ultimately, I feel the most important thing is the connection,”
says Rosi, who moved to the mainland U.S. from Puerto Rico as a teenager. “The connection between
what we are singing and as often as possible, the universal message. Everyone can relate to these
messages, no matter where they came from.”
“Woody Guthrie famously said that he hates any song that makes you feel like you are nothing,” says
Brian. “Music is something that exists at the core of everybody. That’s where it’s coming from:
something that everybody can share.”
About the Songs on Cada Día un Regalo
Like much of Sol y Canto’s fifteen years of performance, Cada Día un Regalo draws on a variety of
Latin musical traditions. “Como Volar” is an instrumental in a Venezuelan merengue rhythm in five.
“Beso Discreto” is a humorous take on the old 1930s and ’40s favorite by the Cuban singing sensation
Miguel Matamoros in which the band enlists the audience to join the chorus of rhythmic, lip smacking
kisses. Sol y Canto’s version of the widely recognized Mexican song “La Llorona” starts off with an
instrumental version of the popular song “Gracias a la Vida” by Chilean folklorist and singer Violeta
Parra.
Sol y Canto also tackles heavy social and political issues, but in a genuine, hopeful way. Original
composition “La Colmena” (which means The Beehive) is a humorous allegory of democracy in the
U.S. “It seemed like a good idea to get rid of the queen,” Brian explains the lyrics. “Now the ones in
charge are the drones. They don’t produce honey, they don’t fight the wars. They kept the royal jelly.
We see the downfall of the metropolis because they’ve taken all the propolis.” The song “Ojo por Ojo”
(An Eye for an Eye), about the cycle of vengeance and retribution, ends with the refrain from which
the album’s title derives: “Each life a miracle, each day a gift.” “Credo” rails against fundamentalism
of any stripe: “Again they impose their beliefs, again they disguise them as science, again they
reinterpret history, as always, they promise heaven.”
Their songs can also have a more personal side. “‘Hasta La Luna’ is a love song for our daughters,
which I wrote when they were tiny,” Brian explains, “It says, ‘To the moon, the stars, the planets, the
skies; that’s how much I love you today and forever. Look at the moon and you’ll know.’ It was based
on something we always told them at night. I turned it into a song. I love the space imagery to
describe the endlessness of a parents’ love for their kids.”
“When he first played it for me,” says Rosi, “I started weeping in the living room, thinking, ‘How am I
ever going to sing this?’ On the one hand, it is a way to share our love, but ‘even when I am not with
you…’ that sends me to a future when I am not here. And it hurts me to think of them without me. But
they will always have this song.”
All of these messages—from the political to the personal, from the traditional to the original—come
together in “Manifiesto,” a song that was written by the seminal Chilean Nueva Canción figure Victor
Jara. At every concert someone comes up and asks which album this song was on, so Brian and Rosi
knew it was time to include it on the new album. “It’s about your reasons for singing,” says Brian. “‘I
don’t sing just to sing, or because I have a good voice. I sing because the guitar has feeling and
reason.’”
–Comunicado de Prensa- rock paper scissors, inc.
PO Box 1788, suite 137, bloomington, in 47402-1788 USA
[t] +1.812.339.1195 • www. rockpaperscissors.biz
Un Asunto de Vida y Muerte:
Sol y Canto y Melodic Vision Hacen Valer la Pena
Vivir Cada Momento en “NOCHE DE MUERTOS:
Welcoming our Ancestors Home”
La Celebración Multi-Media del Día de los Muertos
Marca el Lanzamiento del Nuevo CD de Sol y Canto,
CADA DÍA UN REGALO (Each Day a Gift)
Hoy en día todo el mundo parece estar obsesionado con el
tiempo, parar el tiempo, para ser más preciso. Nadie quiere
envejecer y todo el mundo se está quedando sin tiempo. Pero
puede ser que la banda panamericana Sol y Canto y sus colaboradores artísticos Melodic
Vision tengan la llave de una fuente de la juventud musical: ¡la muerte! O al menos el
respeto por ella.
Una celebración multisensorial del Día y Noche de Muertos Mexicano, Noche De Muertos:
Dando la Bienvenida a Casa a Nuestros Ancestros combina los talentos musicales de
Sol y Canto y la violista/violinista Rebecca Strauss de Melodic Vision con proyecciones
gigantes de fotografías creadas por la fotógrafa Susan Wilson documentando la celebración
de la fiesta en el estado rural mexicano de Michoacán. Imágenes de tradicionales esqueletos
danzando, ramos de caléndulas, mercados bulliciosos, y los rostros de los celebrantes en la
ciudad de Pátzcuaro, epicentro de las celebraciones del Día y Noche de los Muertos, son
acompañadas por interpretaciones en vivo de clásicos mexicanos y canciones originales
compuestas para este espectáculo en una combinación fascinante y vivaz de ritmos
mexicanos y panamericanos. El espectáculo es recomendado para públicos adultos y niños
no menores de 11 años.
La actuación encarna una ética emergente que cuestiona vivir la vida sobrecargado,
sintiéndose siempre atrasado, y no apreciar el momento, influenciado en filosofías
mejicanas y panamericanas que sostienen que al celebrar la muerte, la gente puede
apreciar la vida y estar conectada con el pasado. O, poniéndolo en las palabras del poeta
Octavio Paz, “Para el habitante de Nueva York, París o Londres, la muerte es la palabra que
jamás se pronuncia porque quema los labios. El mexicano, en cambio, la frecuenta, la burla,
la acaricia, duerme con ella, la festeja, es uno de sus juguetes favoritos y su amor más
permanente.” Los mismos sentimientos se hacen eco en Cada día un regalo (Each Day a
Gift), el último album de Sol y Canto, cuya presentación coincide con la gira de Noche de
Muertos.
Noche de Muertos ha tenido un profundo impacto en sus creadores tanto como lo ha tenido
en las audiencias. La cantante principal de Sol y Canto, Rosi Amador, perdió ambos sus
padres en menos de 2 años recientes. El otoño pasado, exactamente en el aniversario de la
muerte de su padre (en el minuto), ella se encontró a sí misma actuando a dos cuadras de
Ground Zero en Nueva York. Ella fue tomada por cuán poderosa fue la celebración para
reconciliar sentimientos de pérdidas de seres queridos. “Desearía haber tenido algo como
esto en medio de mi pesar”, dice Rosi, quién se mudó a U.S. continental desde Puerto Rico
en su adolescencia. “Hacer algo como esto hubiera sido un regalo maravilloso para mí.
Realmente me impactó lo bella que es la tradición”. Brian, quien nació y se crió en Nuevo
Méjico, recuerda una entrevista con un monje Budista quien indicaba que el secreto de la
felicidad era pasar cinco minutos diarios pensando sobre la muerte. “Lo que tomé de eso es
la idea de que la muerte no es algo de lo que debemos evitar hablar o estar al tanto. Es
parte de la vida, necesitas aceptarla. Tienes que estar al tanto de la temporariedad de tu
vida. Esa es la única manera en que puedes vivirla completamente.”
Sobre los Artistas de Noche De Muertos
Melodic Vision entreteje música, fotografía e historia dentro de un evento sin costuras, creando
viajes ilustrativos y sinceros que son ambos educacionalmente atractivos y espiritualmente
transformantes. La directora Artística Susan Wilson es una fotógrafa altamente respetada, escritora,
educadora, y catedrática que ha exibido sus obras de arte en docenas de demostraciones, y ha
ganado reconocimiento nacional por sus imágenes de artistas y figuras literarias. La directora musical
y violinista Rebecca Strauss es conocida como una fina intérprete, mujer de negocios profesional, y
bien amada educadora en la escena de las artes de Boston. Una ex alumna de Oberlin Conservatory of
Music, ha tocado en conjuntos tales como la Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, la Boston Ballet
Orchestra, Opera Boston, Boston Lyric Opera, y la Boston Modern Orchestra Project, y ha actuado con
artistas populares desde Marc O'Connor y Andrea Bocelli a Led Zeppelin y K.D. Lang. Melodic Vision
website: http://www.melodicvision.com
Sol y Canto desciende de un linaje musical excepcional – la cantante principal Rosi Amador es la hija
de la influencial vocalista y actriz puertorriqueña de Broadway Josephine Del Mar, cuya banda le dió su
comienzo al “Rey del Mambo” Tito Puente. El reconocido guitarrista/director musical de Nuevo Méjico,
Brian Amador, cuyas composiciones y arreglos frescos son ancla del sonido único del sexteto, ha sido
ganador de la subvención del Mass Cultural Council premiada por “Excelencia en Composición.”
Acompañado por un conjunto de músicos latinos experimentados del Perú, Panamá, Uruguay y
Argentina, las voces sublimes de Sol y Canto, la suntuosa guitarra española, bajo, flautas y percusión
prometen un festín musical Latino. Invitados a actuar en sitios tan diversos como la Casa Blanca
(durante el término de Clinton), el Centro Kennedy, el Symphony Hall en Boston y Springfield, MA, el
Museo de Arte de Philadelphia, el Centro Getty y el Museo de Arte en San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sol y
Canto ha establecido una reputación nacional por sus interpretaciones únicas de la música Latina. Este
Otoño, Rosi y Brian celebran su vigésimo cuarto año como “Embajadores sublimes de Boston de la
tradición musical Panamericana” – Boston Globe. Ellos han ganado el “Mejor Acto Latino” de los
Premios Musicales de Boston y “Lo Mejor de Boston” de la revista Boston Magazine.
Nueva Canción Conecta en los Estados Unidos:
El Conjunto Latino Sol y Canto Canta por Esperanza de Aquí Hasta la Luna
EL Nuevo CD de Sol y Canto, Cada día un regalo (Each Day a Gift) Lanzado en
Conjunto con el Tour de Noche de Muertos
Los orígenes del conjunto latino Sol y Canto están en la creación de esperanzas musicales.
La colaboración musical de los fundadores Brian y Rosi Amador comenzó cuando ellos se
unieron a una expedición por la paz en Nicaragua; artistas Americanos yendo a actuar y a
ser testigos de lo que realmente estaba sucediendo allí en los años ochentas. “Fuimos
impactados al ver tanta gente viviendo en extrema pobreza, en condiciones horribles y
peligrosas,” dice el compositor y guitarrista Brian, “y todavía podían sonreir y reirse, bailar y
cantar.” La pareja se enamoró en ese viaje y allí se comprometieron a no solo volver a su
hogar diciéndoles a sus compañeros Americanos lo que estaba pasando en Nicaragua, pero
también en llevar el mensaje de esperanza en la adversidad.
Ese espíritu vive en su última grabación, Cada Día un Regalo. El album combina
composiciones originales sobre jsuticia social y amor – incluyendo una preciosa canción de
cuna escrita para las hijas mellizas de los Amador – con un par de clásicos de Latino
América y Cuba cuidadosamente seleccionados. El efecto total es inspirativo, como si
Eckhart Tolle— filósofo de auto-ayuda respaldado por Oprah quien es partidario de vivir en
el momento – se hubiera unido a la Nueva Canción, el movimiento panamericano de los
sesentas y los setentas que unió a la poesía, la música, y la conciencia social. Nada de esto
es nuevo para Sol y Canto.
“Hacemos una música que es auténtica, que habla a la gente y nos conecta” dice Brian,
quien nació y se crió en Nuevo Méjico. “ Es como cuando la gente encendió la radio en Chile
y escuchó canciones en Inglés, y dijo, ‘Eso no refleja nuestra realidad.’ Es sobre gente
tomando armas musicales para expresar sus propias realidades, no la realidad que nos
imponen.”
Una vez regresados de Nicaragua, los Amador se hicieron un nombre tocando en conciertos
benéficos y manifestaciones para el movimiento de solidaridad con América Latina. De allí
surgió su misión de vida de compartir las culturas de América Latina y reunir audiencias que
incluyen una diversidad de gente de descendencia Latina y aquellos de otras ascendencias.
En su camino, Sol y Canto construyó una dedicada base de fans que cuentan historias
profundas de los efectos de la música de los Amador. Un hombre compra cada uno de los
álbumes que lanzan, recordando que su primer cassette en 1986 salvó su matrimonio. “El
se me acercó en un intervalo y tomó mis manos,” recuerda Rosi, la cantante principal del
grupo. “Me dijo que ‘Estaba viajando mucho, lejos de mi esposa. Escuchaba su album y esto
es lo que mantuvo mi amtrimonio unido. Escuchaba esas letras y supe que pasaríamos este
momento increíblemente difícil.’ Terminé la conversación con lágrimas en los ojos.”
Otro fan nos llamó y nos dijo “Quiero que sepan cuanto significa su música para mí. My hija
tiene un impedimento de desarrollo y la única cosa a la que ella responde es a la música,
específicamente el CD de ustedes. Ella puede concentrarse, y mirarme y ser feliz y
escuchar lo que digo. Es tan claro que son sus voces, sus ritmos. Todo lo que ponen en el
CD.”
Sol y Canto camina la línea divisoria entre lo exótico y lo familiar. ¿Es música latina o
música folclórica? Es un mensaje budista o uno universal? Sus conciertos arrastran
multitudes diversas; latinos de todos los orígenes, tanto como no latinos.
“Fundamentalmente, yo siento que lo más importante es la conexión,” dice Rosi, quién se
mudó a U.S. continental desde Puerto Rico en su adolescencia. “La conexión entre lo que
estamos cantando y en cuanto sea posible, el mensaje universal. Cada uno puede
relacionarse con estos mensajes, no importa de donde venga.”
“Woody Guthrie famosamente dijo que odia cualquier canción que te haga sentir que no
eres nada,” dice Brian. “La música es algo que existe en el centro de cada persona. De allí
es de donde viene: algo que todo el mundo puede compartir.”
Sobre las canciones en Cada Día un Regalo (Each Day a Gift)
Como gran parte de los quince años de actuación de Sol y Canto, Cada Día un Regalo
(Each Day a Gift) es influenciado en una variedad de tradiciones musicales latinas. “Como
volar” es un instrumental en el ritmo de merengue venezolano, en cinco por ocho. “Beso
Discreto” es una toma humorosa de un favorito de los años treintas y cuarentas del
cantante estrella cubano Miguel Matamoros, en el cual la banda anima al público a unirse al
coro de besos rítmicos. La versión de Sol y Canto de la reconocida canción mejicana “La
Llorona” comienza con una versión instrumental de la popular canción “Gracias a la vida” de
la folclorista y cantante chilena Violeta Parra.
Sol y Canto también aborda graves asuntos políticos y sociales, pero de una manera
genuina y esperanzada. La composición original “La colmena” es una alegoría humorosa de
la democracia en los Estados Unidos. “Parecía buena idea deshacerse de la Reina”, Brian
explica la letra. “Ahora los que mandan son los zánganos. No producen miel, no van a la
guerra, la jalea real, se han queda’o con ella. Ya se está cayendo la metrópoli
porque se llevaron todo el própolis.” La canción “Ojo por Ojo” sobre el ciclo de la venganza
y la retribución termina con el refrán del que deriva el título del album: “Cada vida un
milagro, cada día un regalo.” “Credo” va en contra de fundamentalismos de cualquier
franja: “De nuevo imponen sus creencias, de nuevo las disfrazan de ciencia, de nuevo
reinterpretan la historia. Como siempre, prometen la gloria.”
Sus canciones también pueden tener un lado más personal. “’Hasta la Luna es una canción
de amor para nuestras hijas, que escribí cuando eran muy pequeñas,” explica Brian, “Dice,
‘Hasta la luna, el cielo, los planetas, y las estrellas, y mucho más allá, así te quiero, hoy día
y para siempre. Mira la luna, y lo sabrás.” Fue basada en algo que les decía siempre por la
noche. Lo convertí en una canción. Me encanta la imagen del espacio que describe lo
interminable del amor de los padres hacia sus hijos.”
“Cuando la tocó para mí por primera vez’” dice Rosi, comecé a llorar en la sala, pensando,
“Cómo voy a llegar a cantar esto?’ Por un lado, es una forma de compartir nuestro amor,
pero ‘aún cuando no esté contigo...’ eso me transporta hacia un futuro cuando yo no esté
aquí. Y me duele pensar en ellas sin mi. Pero siempre tendrán esta canción.”
Todos estos mensajes – desde lo político a lo personal, desde lo tradicional a lo original- se
unen en “Manifiesto”, una canción escrita por uno de los progenitores de la Nueva Canción
chilena, Victor Jara. En cada concierto alquien aparece y pregunta en qué album se
encuentra esta canción, así que Brian y Rosi supieron que era hora de incluirla en el nuevo
disco. “Se trata de las razones para cantar,” dice Brian. “Yo no canto por cantar, ni por
tener buena voz. Canto porque la guitarra tiene sentido y razón.”
Sol y Canto and Melodic Vision
present
Noche de Muertos:
Welcoming Our Ancestors Home
and
The release of Sol y Canto’s new CD,
Cada Día un Regalo/Each Day a Gift
About the Performance
The first half of tonight’s special show is a celebration and sampler of music
from Sol y Canto’s brand new CD, Cada Dia un Regalo (Each Day a Gift),
and features original compositions by Brian Amador with themes of life, death,
living in the present, social justice, and love.
photo © Brian Amador
The creative team of Melodic Vision joins Boston Music Award-winning
Latin band, Sol y Canto, to illuminate one of Mexico's favorite holidays, Noche
de Muertos. The Days and Nights of the Dead include both a heartfelt homage to
our ancestors and a colorful, community-centered excuse for family gatherings,
music, marigolds, crafts, food, dance, pageantry—and poking fun at the grim
reaper!
During the second half of the performance, house lights will be dimmed
as Sol y Canto’s dynamic ensemble blends with the rich sound of bowed
string instruments, compelling storytelling, and stunning projected imagery by
photographer Susan Wilson of Melodic Vision.
Through this creative collaboration, Noche de Muertos comes alive,
bringing the spirit home with melody, photography, and soul.
photo © Susan Wilson
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Program
Music from Cada Día un Regalo
Selections will be announced from the stage.
– Intermission –
Noche de Muertos: Welcoming our Ancestors Home
El cascabel
Nereidas
Dos arbolitos
Canción para un niño deseado
Tu jardín
Chispita
Alejandro’s Ghost
La llorona
Imagen de ti
Tu jardín (reprise)
Anon., Mexico
Pérez Dimas, Mexico
Chucho Martínez Gil, Mexico
Cacho Tirao, Argentina
Brian Amador, USA
Cacho Tirao
Brian Amador
Anon., Mexico
Brian Amador
Brian Amador
Photo © Rick Grossman
Sol y Canto
Melodic Vision
Brian Amador (New Mexico)
Musical director, compositions, arrangements,
Spanish guitar, vocals
Rosi Amador (Puerto Rico/Argentina)
Company Director, Lead vocals, bongó,
percussion
Bernardo Monk (Argentina)
Saxophones, flute, vocals
Renato Thoms (Panamá)
Congas, percussion, vocals
Nando Michelín (Uruguay)
Piano, vocals
Jorge Roeder (Perú)
Rebecca Strauss
Violist/Violinist, Music Director, Manager
Susan Wilson
Photographer, Artistic Director
Bass
Come join us in the lobby immediately following the performance.
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A Note from the Photographer
A few years ago I had the opportunity to join a
small group of artists who were invited to immerse
themselves in—and to chronicle in photographs,
prose, and poetry—the Mexican Days and Nights
of the Dead. We were based in a converted mission
near the center of Pátzcuaro, from which we made
daily excursions to historic sites,
private homes, small crafts studios, marketplaces,
shops, and, of course, local cemeteries.
Though we were all from the U.S., our bilingual
guides and contacts were local residents, all of whom offered us
understanding, insight, and artistic opportunities that extended far
beyond the tourist experience. Perhaps most compelling was our
housekeeper, Lupe, who invited us to join her family for an afternoon
as they created and prayed at a home altar dedicated to her recently
deceased father-in-law. Lupe and her extended family graciously shared
their food, their love, and their stories, then invited us to accompany
them to their family cemetery for the all-night vigil.
When I returned to the U.S., I immediately assembled a short slide show
with recorded music, which was presented to appreciative audiences at
Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston. Rebecca Strauss helped select, time,
and edit the Mexican music—a collaboration that inspired us to begin
developing other multimedia productions as Melodic Vision.
After working on other Melodic Vision productions and performances,
Rebecca and I had an epiphany: why not resurrect, revamp, and expand
the Day of the Dead slide show, and see if our friends Rosi and Brian
Amador, directors of Sol y Canto, might want to collaborate in a live
performance setting. The rest, as they say, is history.
We hope you enjoy the results of our mutual inspiration and labors!
—Susan Wilson
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A Note from the Composer
I wrote two brand-new songs for this show - Tu
Jardín, in an infectious 6/8 Jarocho-style rhythm,
featuring the Peruvian cajón (box), soprano sax and
violin, as well as a killer piano solo by Nando; and
Imagen de ti, a sentimental huapango tailor-made
for Rosi’s soaring, sustained high notes. Alejandro’s
Ghost, written some years ago (one of my few songs
in English), has returned to the repertoire, and
seems to fit perfectly with the images in Noche de
Muertos. Also featured are some popular Mexican
classics such as La Llorona and Dos arbolitos, as
well as some evocative South American solo guitar and guitar/violin
instrumentals. I think long-time Sol y Canto fans will be in for some
pleasant surprises! We’re thrilled to be including most of these songs on
our newest album, CADA DIA UN REGALO (Each Day a Gift). On our
own MusicAmador label, the new recording features mostly originals
that I’ve been writing over the last few years, along with a few classics
from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Chile and Mexico. Themes of life, death,
and living fully in the present are woven through an eclectic musical
collection that we feel is the finest Sol y Canto recording to date. We’d
love to autograph a copy for you in the lobby following the performance.
Please come and say hello!
–Brian Amador
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Sol y Canto
Sol y Canto’s new CD, Cada Día un
Regalo/Each Day a Gift (MusicAmador
Productions), released October 2008,
combines original compositions by musical director, Brian Amador, on themes
of life, death, living fully in the present,
social justice, and love with a couple
of hand-selected classics from Latin
America and Cuba.
Founded in 1994 by Puerto Rican/Argentine singer/bongo player, Rosi
Amador & New Mexican guitarist/composer Brian Amador, Sol y
Canto® (sun and song) has brought audiences to their feet from the Kennedy Center and White House to Puerto Rico’s Museo de Arte and Los
Angeles’ Getty Center. Sol y Canto features Rosi Amador’s crystalline
voice and Brian Amador’s lush Spanish guitar accompanied by virtuoso
musicians from Uruguay, Perú, Panamá and Argentina on piano, winds,
acoustic and electric bass, and percussion. The sextet has established a
national reputation for its unique interpretations of Latin music, and for
making their music accessible to non-Spanish and native speakers alike.
Sol y Canto features Brian Amador’s quirky and profound original compositions, as well as the breathtaking poetry of other contemporary Latino songwriters. Their lyrics address social and global aspiration as well
as matters of the heart. The Amadors were two of the founding members
of the Billboard-charting Latin Boston-based Nueva Canción (New
Song) band, Flor de Caña (1984-1994) which also toured nationally. The
Boston Globe has called the Amadors “Boston’s sublime ambassadors of
the Pan-Latin tradition.” Music critic Norman Weinstein of the Christian
Science Monitor and the Boston Phoenix wrote: “Always they evoke the
sensual splendor of simply being vitally, vividly alive in a magical and
mysterious universe. Brian Amador is a Spanish modernist poet, in the
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guise of a musician...Together, Rosi and Brian Amador create a musical marriage made in heaven.” Rosi’s singing has been described by
the Boston Globe as “like clean spring water: it’s smooth, it’s clear, and
somehow, you come to believe that it’s necessary for life.”
New Mexican composer/guitarist/musical director Brian Amador
(Rosi’s husband) plays the Spanish guitar and composes and creates fresh
arrangements that forge the sextet’s unique sound. He is a graduate of
New England Conservatory where he studied classical guitar and improvisation after studying flamenco guitar in Madrid. In 1995 he received a
highly competitive artist grant awarded to the state’s “exceptional artists”
by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, for music composition. He was
the first Latino ever to be commissioned by Boston’s Celebrity Series to
compose a Latin orchestral suite, “Prisma de amores,” which premiered
in September, 2001 at the historic Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, MA.
Since then, Sol y Canto has toured the suite nationwide with classical
ensembles from symphony orchestras to string quartets.
Awards and Discography
“Stars of 2007,” People en Español Magazine
“Best of Boston for Latin Rhythms,” Boston Magazine, 1994
“Outstanding Latin Act,” Boston Music Awards, 1995
“One of the ten best recordings of 1994,” Boston Globe: Sancocho
Rounder 1994
“One of the best of the year (1996),” Hispanic Magazine: Sendero del Sol
Rounder 1996
En Todo Momento Red Wing Music 1999
“Parents’ Choice Award”: Twice as Many Friends/El Doble de Amigos
Rounder Kids 2003
Visit Sol y Canto’s website at www.solycanto.com for mailing list,
concert calendars, video, music and updates.
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Melodic Vision
Weaving music, photography, and
history into a seamless artistic event,
the women behind Melodic Vision
create enlightening, heartfelt journeys
that are both educationally engaging and spiritually transforming. In
their live performances, compelling
photographs are projected on a large
elevated screen, while evocative
sounds flow from the instruments of
the musicians playing below.
Melodic Vision’s Artistic Director is Susan Wilson, a highly respected
photographer, writer, educator, and lecturer. Music Director Rebecca
Strauss is a violist and violinist known as a fine performer, professional
businesswoman, and beloved educator in the Boston arts scene. The music group performing with them will vary with the program, but always
features the finest talents in Greater Boston.
Melodic Vision grew out of Susan’s love for photography and history,
Rebecca’s love of music and multiculturalism, and their mutual interest in enlightening and educating through art and storytelling. Their
shared love of travel, nature, and diverse styles of music have led them
to Mexico, South Africa, Europe, and back home to Boston, exploring
subjects ranging from powerful and difficult contemporary social issues
to explorations of peoples and places.
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Since their debit in 2001, Melodic Vision’s productions have garnered
an unusual amount of praise. Monica Higgins, Program Director at the
Boston Athenaeum, called one work “the highlight of our season!” Poet
and musician Charles Coe noted, “With their imaginative and enlightening… collaboration, Susan and Rebecca offer a program that satisfies both the intellect and the emotions…This is an absolute ‘must-see’
event.”
Patricia Van Ness, composer-in-residence at First Church in Cambridge, wrote, “I believe the artists took many risks—which I admire—
in integrating text, photos and live music in this unique multi-media
production. It is an exquisite piece that I believe deserves widespread
viewing.” Sylvia McDowell, president of the Boston Women’s Heritage
Trail, observed, “The … program was the one of the most enjoyable
ones I have experienced in I don’t know how long. Susan Wilson’s
photos were wonderful. I simply loved the program and was almost in
tears at its conclusion. I hate to gush but it was such a lovely and gracious event.”
For more information visit www.melodicvision.com.
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El Cascabel
Traditional, México
Bonito tu cascabel
Vida mía ¿quien te lo dió?
Vida mía ¿quien te lo dió?
Bonito tu cascabel
A mí no me lo dió nadie
a mí no me lo dió nadie
mi dinero me costó
y el que quiera el cascabel
que lo compre como yo
Ay como retumba y suena
Ay como retumba y suena
retumba y va retumbando
retumba y va retumbando
mi cascabel en la arena
Yo tenía mi cascabel
con una cinta morada
con una cinta morada
yo tenía mi cascabel
Y como era de oropel
Y como era de oropel
se lo dí a mi prenda amada
para que juegues con él
allá por la madrugada
Ay como retumba y suena
Ay como retumba y suena
retumba y va retumbando
retumba y va retumbando
o, o, o. . .
The Bell
How beautiful your bell,
who gave it to you, my love?
Nobody gave it to me
it cost me money
and whoever wants a bell
should buy it as I did.
Oh, how it rings and resounds
rings and rings some more
my bell in the sand.
I had my bell,
with a purple ribbon
And since it was just a trinket
I gave it to my beloved
to play with it
at dawn.
Oh, how it rings and resounds
rings and rings some more
my bell in the sand.
Dos arbolitos
Chucho Martínez Gil, México
Han nacido en mi rancho dos arbolitos
dos arbolitos que parecen gemelos
y desde mi casita los veo solitos
bajo el amparo santo y la luz del cielo.
Nunca están separados uno del otro
porque así quiso Dios que los dos nacieran
y con sus mismas ramas se hacen caricias
como si fueran novios que se quisieran.
Arbolito, arbolito bajo tu sombra
voy a esperar que el día cansado muera
y cuando estoy solito, mirando el cielo
pido pa' que me mande una compañera
Arbolito, arbolito me siento solo
quiero que me acompañes, hasta que muera.
Two Little Trees
Two little trees have been born on my ranch
two trees that look like twins
and from my house I seen them alone
beneath the holy shelter and the light of the day.
They are never separated, one from the other
for that is how God wished them to be born
and with their own branches they caress one another
as if they were lovers.
Little tree, little tree, beneath your shade,
I will wait for the tired day to die
and when I am alone looking at the sky
I'll ask it to send me a companion.
Little tree, little tree, I feel lonely
I want you to be with me until I die.
Tu jardín
Brian Folkins-Amador
Quiero arar tu jardín,
sembrar mi semillita
para que lleves de mí siempre
una cosita.
Quiero regar tu jardín
con alegría
que pueda sobrevivir siempre
toda sequía.
El día que tú naciste
el zenzontle te cantó
con sus cuatrocientas voces
tu belleza exaltó.
El día que tú naciste
florecieron tantas flores
se llenó todito el valle
de perfumes y colores.
I want to till your garden, sow my seed
So that you’ll always carry
A little something of me.
I want to water your garden with joy
So it can always survive
Any drought
The day you were born
The mockingbird sang to you,
With its four hundred voices
It proclaimed your beauty.
The day you were born
So many flowers bloomed
The whole valley was filled
With color and perfume.
Alejandro’s Ghost
Brian Folkins-Amador
Alejandro's ghost thought he was dead
but he was only lost and wandering outside his head
didn't think that death amounted to much:
he could still see and hear, he could even laugh,
he just couldn't touch.
Meanwhile, Alex behaved in mysterious ways.
Often he would walk miles at a time,
but not because he had some destination in mind
chanting ancient songs, he’d wander alone
from the filthy streets down where misery lives
past palatial homes.
Still, he saw what he saw, and the years went by. . .
Distant thoughts, a hollow sound,
he hears a voice, looks around.
No one there, just the wind.
How did that dream go?
Alejandro’s ghost found him one day.
Distant thoughts, a hollow sound,
he hears a voice, looks around.
No one there, just the wind.
How did that dream go?
La llorona
Traditional, Mexico
Todos me dicen el negro, llorona,
Negro pero cariñoso
Yo soy como el chile verde, llorona,
Picante pero sabroso
Dicen que no tengo duelo, llorona,
Porque no me ven llorar
Hay muertos que no hacen ruido llorona,
Y es más grande su penar
Ay de mí llorona, llorona,
Llorona de ayer y hoy
Ayer maravilla fui llorona,
Y ahora ni sombra soy
Ay de mí llorona, llorona,
Llorona de azul celeste
Y aunque la vida me cueste llorona,
No dejaré de quererte
Everyone calls me the dark one, llorona
Dark but affectionate
I’m like green chile, llorona,
Spicy but delicious.
They say I’m not in mourning, llorona
Because they don’t see me cry.
There are the dead who make no noise, llorona
And their suffering is greater.
Oh, my, llorona, llorona
Llorona of yesterday and today
Yesterday I was a wonder, llorona
And now I’m less than a shadow.
Oh, my, llorona, llorona,
Llorona of celestial blue
Even if it costs me my life, llorona,
I’ll never stop loving you.
Imagen de ti
Brian Folkins-Amador
Tengo una imagen de ti
que no se borra nunca.
De la distancia tu voz
me llega y me siento menos sola.
Te llevo dentro de mí, siempre latente.
Yo envejezco y tú no,
para mí sigues igual –
tu pasado es mi presente.
¿Será que un día me iré
adónde tú te fuiste?
¿Será que yo alguna vez
cruce ese río y vuelva a verte?
En sueños vienes a mí, indiferente.
Yo amanezco y tú no,
llega el día y ya no estás –
tu pasado es mi presente.
I have an image of you
that is never erased.
From the distance your voice
reaches me and I feel less alone.
I carry you within me, always living.
I grow old and you don’t,
for me you’re always the same –
your past is my present.
Could it be that one day I’ll go
where you went?
Could it be that some day I’ll
cross that river and see you again?
In dreams you come to me, nonchalant.
I awake and you don’t,
day arrives and you’re no longer there –
your past is my present.
Critical Acclaim
“Folk: Soprano Rosi Amador has one of the great voices in folk music. Amador and her Boston-based
Latin group, Sol y Canto, have a pair of performances this weekend at Ruth Eckerd Hall's Murray
Studio Theater, Clearwater. Tonight at 7:30, they play music from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Peru and Chile.
Songs by Brian Amador, Rosi's husband, are also on the agenda.”
PEOPLE EN ESPAÑOL
STARS OF 2007 ISSUE feautured Rosi & Brian Amador
“Hyundai’s “Descúbrelo tú mismo” highlights inspiring Hispanics who have used their passion,
conviction, creativity and self discovery to achieve career success. The rich and natural harmonies of
Brian and Rosi Amador, founders of the group Sol y Canto reach audiences worldwide. Singing their
dreams for a better world they found their own style in the interpretation of Latin music.”
“Sol y Canto hit the stage and immediately activated ... the crowd of nearly 900 to clap their
hands to a bewitchingly merry Puerto Rican plena song.... They encored with [a] rollicking
dance tune in the Cuban son rhythm, an ancestor of salsa music. As the sextet buoyantly
swapped solos - flute to guitar to keyboard to percussion - their exuberance ... brought the
crowd to its feet....”-Scott Alarik
“...Sol y Canto [brings] the warm equatorial flavor of its brand of Cuban-Afro-Latin folk
music...rousing!”
"I say any weekend that includes both Greg Brown and Rosi Amador of Sol y Canto is a
weekend from booking heaven. Rosi Amador has a smile that melts glaciers and a voice to
match …I would hitchhike to Buenos Aires to hear them! -John Stifler
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Somerville Theater, Somerville, MA (2003)
CD release concerts for new Rounder Records release
“El doble de amigos/ Twice as Many Friends”
Presented by World Music
Sanders Theater, Cambridge, MA (November 2001)
Bank of America Celebrity Series Commission Latin Suite
Composed by Brian Amador for Sol y Canto and Orchestra
White House Easter Celebration
Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
WGBH Public TV, Channel 2’s LA Plaza
Broadcast documentary on Sol y Canto
(1999)
Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Springfield, MA (2004)
California World Music Festival, Grass Valley, CA
Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL
Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, FL
Sol y Canto is represented by MusicAmador
617.492.1515 • fax 617.649.0299 • [email protected] • www.solycanto.com
ARTIST BIOS
Brian Amador - Musical director, composer, arranger,
acoustic guitar, voice
A Chicano/Gringo mongrel from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Brian was one of the
founding members of Flor de Caña, arranging much of the band's material and coproducing two recordings. He studied classical guitar, composition, and improvisation at
New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and flamenco guitar in Albuquerque and
Madrid. For five years Brian was principal guitarist of the Ramón de los Reyes Spanish
Dance Theatre. He was awarded an "outstanding artist" grant from the New England
Foundation for the Arts, and was commissioned by the Celebrity Series to compose the
orchestral suite PRISMA DE AMORES, which Sol y Canto debuted with the Boston
Modern Orchestra Project in 2001. Brian's guitar style is as mixed as his heritage,
combining flamenco, classical, Cuban son, Latin American styles, and jazz.
ROSI AMADOR - LEAD VOCALS, BONGO, PERCUSSION, COMPANY
DIRECTOR
Of Argentine and Puerto Rican heritage, Rosi was raised by performer parents, who passed on to her their
love of Latin American rhythms and musical styles. Her mother was a dancer, singer and actress, appearing
in the U.S.on Broadway, in Europe with Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin among others, andin
Mexico with comic actor "Cantinflas" (Mario Moreno). Her father began in radio in Buenos Aires and later
became an actor, touring all over Latin America. With ten years of training as a classical singer, Rosi was
one of award-winning Flor de Caña's founding members and manager for ten years. She has been deeply
influenced by popular Latin music, jazz, North American folk, blues and contemporary African vocal styles.
She is the director of her Latin music agency, MusicAmador. With her husband she joyfully parents identical
twin daughters Sonia and Alisa, born in April 1996.
Renato Thoms - percussion
Born in Colón, Panamá, Renato began his music training at the Conservatory of the
National University of Heredia in Costa Rica. After earning a Bachelor of Music
Performance degree at Berklee College of Music, Renato received his Master of Music
degree in Jazz Studies at The Boston Conservatory in 1998. Renato has performed with
numerous well-regarded musicians and ensembles, including Rubén Blades, Eddie
Palmieri's Latin Jazz & Salsa Orchestra, the Danilo Pérez Quintet, Brian Lynch, Hilton
Ruiz, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jon Lucien, Sol y Canto, Paquito D'Rivera,Victor Mendoza,
Conrad Herwig, Antonio Hart, and the late Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez. Mr. Thoms was a
finalist in the 2000 Thelonious Monk Hand Druming competition, and cast membermusician of the 2005 Broadway production of the Mambo Kings.
Bernardo Monk - Flute, sax
From Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bernardo graduated from the Contemporary Music
School in Buenos Aires and worked as a professional musician in his home country for
ten years. He has performed and recorded with many artists in very different styles, such
as jazz, latin jazz, tango, fusion and musical comedies, as well as soloist projects.
Bernardo recently studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he majored
in Jazz Performance and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2003. His career in Boston
includes performances and recordings with Oscar Stagnaro, Patricia Vlieg, Ryle's Jazz
Orchestra, Fenway BrassArt Ensemble, and the Berklee Rainbow Big Band.
Nando Michelin - Piano, keyboards
After a very successful career in his homeland Uruguay, Nando Michelin came to Boston
to develop his skills as piano player and composer at the Berklee College of Music. Since
his graduation in 1991, he has recorded extensively here and in Uruguay with several
acclaimed artists such as singer Teresa Inez and jazz trumpeter Tony D’Aveni, and his
own band, comprising Jerry Bergonzi, Fernando Huergo, Steve Langone and Sula Da
Silva. Nando also did the musical direction for tango/jazz singer Katie Viqueira's album
"El Otro Lado" (The Other Side), has recorded a series of monthly performances with
singer Giana Viscardi at the Acton Jazz Café, and serves as pianist for the Felipe Salles
group. Other artists he has collaborated with include MPB icons Jair Rodrigues, Flavio
Venturini, and Celso Adolfo. Currently he teaches at Berklee College of Music,
Brookline Music School, and Tufts University.
JORGE ROEDER - Acoustic and Electric Basses
A native from Lima, Peru, Jorge has performed a wide range of styles, including
Peruvian Creole and Folkloric music, Jazz, Central and South American music, Classical
and Rock. He began playing cello and electric bass at age 14, and later he switched to
Double Bass at age 19, performing mostly Classical music and Jazz. He became assistant
principal bassist of the Lima Philarmonic and Opera orchestras on the 2001-2002 season.
After moving to Boston in the fall of 2002, Jorge got a degree in Jazz Performance from
the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Danilo
Perez, Bob Moses, John Lockwood, Oscar Stagnaro and Charlie Banacos. Jorge has
performed and recorded with artists such as Alex Acuna, Herbie Hancock, Victor
Mendoza, Steve Turre, Roy Haynes and Bob Moses among others. Most Recently, Jorge
has been awarded first prize at the 2007 International Society of Bassists Biennal Jazz
Competition.
ARTIST BIOS
SUSAN WILSON – Photographer, Writer, educator,
lecturer
A highly respected artist who has exhibited her artwork in dozens of shows, and
gained national recognition for her images of performing and literary artists. Her
client list over the years has included such well-known names as Rebecca Parris,
Bill Harley, the Borromeo String Quartet, Keith Lockhart, Pete Seeger, Holly
Near, Cris Williamson, Alison Krauss, Patty Larkin, Bill Morrissey, Anita
Diamant, and Stephen McCauley. An alumna of the Museum School of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and both undergraduate and graduate studies in
history at Tufts University, she has served on the faculty of the New England
School of Photography since 1982, and is director of NESOP's Crosscurrents
seminar series. Between 1978 and 1996 Susan regularly wrote and photographed
stories about arts, music, international travel, and Boston history for the Boston
Globe. Her books—which feature her original research, writing, and photos—
include Boston Sites and Insights, The Literary Trail of Greater Boston, and
Garden of Memories. An active board member of the Boston Women's Heritage
Trail, the Old South Association, and the Boston History and Innovation
Collaborative, Susan has won accolades for her animated and informative slide
lectures on cultural and historic topics, which have frequently been featured on the
WGBH Forum Network.
REBECCA STRAUSS - Violist
Known as a fine performer, professional businesswoman, and beloved educator in
the Boston arts scene. An alumna of Oberlin Conservatory of Music, she has
played with ensembles such as the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Boston
Ballet Orchestra, Opera Boston, Boston Lyric Opera, and the Boston Modern
Orchestra Project, and performed with popular artists ranging from Marc
O'Connor and Andrea Bocelli to Led Zeppelin and k.d. lang. As a longtime
member of the New England String Ensemble, she has performed live on WGBH
radio, served as Director of Education, and introduced composers and their music
to New England high schools through the New England Musical Heritage
Initiative. Creator and music director of Riverview Chamber Players, founded in
1993, Rebecca has garnered praise as a versatile performer who plays, books, and
organizes chamber music concerts and private and corporate events. In addition,
she regularly performs in the Chamber Music Foundation of New England concert
series, and has been featured on Chronicle (WCVB-TV) and "The Total Woman"
TV show (WCAT-TV). Rebecca's communication skills with corporate and nonprofit clients, wedding professionals, and fellow musicians have been honed in
graduate studies at Lesley College and through years of teaching violin and viola.
Discography
Cada Día un Regalo
(MusicAmador Productions 2008)
Twice as Many Friends / El Doble de Amigos
(Rounder Records 2003)
Parent’s Choice Silver Honor Award
National Parenting Publications Award (NAPPA)
Early Childhood NEWS Director’s Choice Award
En Todo Momento
(Redwing Music 1999)
A “top ten hit” by People en español
Sendero del Sol
(Rounder Records 1996)
Produced by Panamanian Jazz star Danilo Pérez
One of the ten best albums of 1996 – Hispanic Magazine
Sancocho
(Rounder Records 1994)
One of the ten best recordings of 1994 – The Boston Globe
SOL Y CANTO
Stage Plot
Noche de Muertos – Sextet + Viola/Violin
8
5
xlr
Piano
3
Bs
amp
4
12
I
V
2
M3
V
I
M3
10 11
I
13
I
9
M3
V
V
V
V
14
1
V
V
V
M1
V
6 xlr
7 xlr
V
M2
TRACK LIST:
1. Guitar vocal (Brian)
2. Lead vocal (Rosi)
3. Conga Vocals
4. Piano mic
5. Piano mic
6. Guitar xlr (pickup)
7. Guitar xlr (internal mic)
8. Bass XLR
9. Bongos
10. Congas
11. Congas
12. Flute
13. Sax
14. Violin/Viola
I
I
TECH REQUIREMENTS:
“Noche de Muertos”
LIGHTING/VISUAL
1. LCD PROJECTOR
• LCD projector and projectionist. Projector should be 3000-5000
lumens depending on the size of the venue and screen.
Projectionist will be present for the tech check and entire
performance and be prepared to adjust color, contrast, sizing,
and other issues to optimize visuals. Photographer will plug her
own Apple iBook into it to run the show on iPhoto.
• Elevated table, gallery, or other place for placement of LCD
projector, that will not impede audience viewing and can project
over the heads of the musicians on the stage.
• Electrical extension cord with at least two three-pronged outlets
available at the LCD projector table.
2. SCREEN
• As large a flat white projection screen or surface as possible; an
oversized screen (8x8 feet) is best since it gives the viewers the
sense of “being there.” For larger crowds, a bigger screen is
recommended (if crowd is over 150 screen should be a
minimum of 12x12 feet).
3. LIGHTING
• Standard Stage lighting (wash);
• Capability of darkening entire room so light won’t spill onto the
screen.
STAGE SETUP
1. Raised stage at least 12’ x 24’;
2. 3 comfortable chairs with no arm rests;
3. Podium with microphone; microphone should be removable from
podium, with a cord long enough to allow speaker to move around;
4. 1 table, approx. 18”w x 24”d x 36”h (for placing small percussion
instruments);
5. Electrical outlets for amps and music stand lights;
6. 6 lit music stands
SOUND
1. 4 vocal microphones (SM58 or better);
2. 8 instrument microphones, DI for bass, 2 mic cables for direct xlr
connection to guitar amp;
3. Mixing console(s), at least 16 channels; 3 monitor mixes preferred,
minimum 2;
4. House speakers;
5. 4-6 floor monitors with 12" or 15" speaker + horn and compression
driver;
6. Monitor amplifiers sufficient to provide 250w to each speaker;
7. 12 microphone stands, at least 9 with booms.
BACKLINE (may not apply for driving tours; please discuss with
manager)
1. Grand or baby grand piano, tuned, if available; if piano is not
available, depending on travel requirements, band or venue
provides electric keyboard
a. (if no piano) Keyboard amplifier, Roland Jazz Chorus or
equivalent;
b. (if no piano) Keyboard stand;
2. Bass amplifier, at least 100w with at least a 15” speaker;
3. Pair of conga drums, heads measuring 11 3/4” and 12 1/2” in
diameter, Latin Percussion (LP) or equivalent (other good brands
are Toca and Afro);
4. Pair of bongo drums on sturdy stand, LP or equivalent
TECH CHECK
•
Musicians and photographer are available for a sound/ AV check
90 minutes-2 hours before the performance.
Technical questions?
For the visual part of the show:
please contact Melodic Vision’s Susan Wilson at 617.547.5457 • [email protected]
For Sol y Canto:
Brian Amador at 617.504.0885 (cell)• [email protected]