Name: Tanya Torres
Roots: Puerto Rican Where do you live? El Barrio, NYC
Occupation: Artist, and college instructor
What are some of the causes you support? I am not really a part of any organized group, but as an artist, I try to support good causes in general - the cures for cancer and aids, and peace, are of particular importance to me. As a survivor of cancer and a stem cell transplant, what is your opinion on stem cell research? I believe in science. Years ago, I would have died. But science has advanced enough to offer me the opportunity to be here and do the things I need to do, like care for my son and share with people my experience as a cancer survivor. Stem cells have the potential to save lives. I believe stem cell research is extremely important and should be allowed and funded.
Why is art important to you? I have been an artist since I was four years old, but art became really important when I became sick. At that time, art was the only resource I had for facing cancer. Through art I was able to overcome it. In moments of intense fear and anxiety, I painted and made books, or illustrated books, or wrote poems. Without these tools, I don’t think I could have been calm enough to survive.
What is your favorite method of expressing yourself? I love painting. I always knew I wanted to paint, but I did not have good teachers and so, I thought I couldn’t do it. One day, about a year before I found out I had cancer, I started and finished an oil painting. I gave up on listening to people’s opinions about my artwork and really allowed myself to play. But then I stopped again. After I found out I had cancer and had gone through the first treatment, I had other health problems caused by the chemotherapy depressing my immune system. Out of frustration and sadness, I started painting again. This time, I started feeling how the colors filled the emptiness and pain with joy, and I kept on doing more paintings. A few months later, I found out the cancer had returned, and I started a new painting called, The Four Daughters of Eve, which tells about the origins of humanity. I left it unfinished when I left to the hospital for the transplant. I didn’t know if I would finish it, but I did. It reminds me of survival -- mine, and that of humans. Being able to finish that painting gave me great strength and joy, and I think my body responded to that desire to live and feel that way.
Which artists/writers have been an inspiration to you? Women artists in general, but Frida Kahlo was my real teacher. I studied her paintings and her life, and her style as a self-taught artist was an inspiration to abandon my doubts about painting. Also, as a child, I used to read and reread a poem by Julia de Burgos that my mother had put on the wall of the dining room. I am also inspired every day by the poetry and work of friends like Yarisa Colón, Raquel Z. Rivera, Verónica de Nadie, Prisionera, Sheila Candelario, and others without whom I could not have developed as an artist and writer. Tell us about the Children Without a Nationality project: The idea came about when I told a friend that I was going to exhibit the Battle Body pieces in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She told me that she had recently found out that children born of Haitian parents in the Dominican Republic do not have the right to Dominican citizenship and live in the worst conditions. She had gone there to bring help and gifts to the children. Because my project deals with my experience with cancer, and I teach voluntary workshops as part of that project, I thought I would teach one for the children in Batey Palmarejo. My friend put me in touch with the women of Batey, and a lot of people sent money or volunteered to make it possible to bring the children art supplies and snacks. On August 12, a group of volunteers and I went to Batey to have a big, beautiful, and fun workshop. We gave watercolors to more than 250 children of different ages and they all painted. Many painted their flag -the Dominican flag.
What do you love about NYC? New York is the only place in the world where I feel free. I don’t need a car, I can dress any way I like, and have culture all over. I love that about New York.
What you hate? Cold! Plans for the future: I would like to travel with my artwork and teach people about how creativity can improve their lives. It is important for me to tell my story, because I will always be grateful to the people who offered theirs when I faced fear and death. I know how important it is to know people do survive and that you too can survive. Above all, I want to see my son grow, continue to create art, and always remember the lessons learned by sharing and practicing them. To see some of Tanya’s work go to her website: http://www.tanyatorres.com/
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Saturday, February 25, 2006
The Passion of Antonio El Pipa
There is something mystical about flamenco. Federico García Lorca described it well by calling it, "…purely Andalusian singing, which already existed in germ in our region before the Gypsies arrived to it. It comes from Gypsy races, crossing through the cemetery of years and the depths of withered winds. It comes from the first cry and the first kiss…it is the soul of our soul."
The 6th Annual New York Flamenco Festival brought this marvel from southern Spain to New York, with various events throughout the city from January 19th through February 19th. I had the honor to attend a talk with dance legend, Antonio El Pipa, and then see his company perform at New York City Center.
During the talk, I had the fortune of sitting right across from "El Pipa" (who got his name from his grandfather who was perpetually smoking a pipe). He is a very charming man with a peaceful aura, but with a contradictory passion radiating from his light blue eyes. It’s like being in the calm before the storm – you are almost waiting for him to break out and dance at any minute.
Dressed in a black velour sweat suit and Puma sneakers, and sporting neatly groomed sideburns, he sat cross-legged and relaxed in his chair while he talked in Spanish about his life as a Gypsy in Jerez de la Frontera (located between Cadíz and Sevilla) in Andalusia.
"Jerez es una de las ciudades más importantes de flamenco," he began. "Es diferente de otras ciudades."
He explained that where he is from, dancing and singing are as normal as playing fútbol for a kid anywhere else. Gypsy families, as well as non-Gypsy families in Andalusia, use flamenco to celebrate at any gathering.
"En mi familia, todos hemos bailado…Yo no decidí ser artista. Cuando me di cuenta, ya era artista. Ya no puedo vivir sin mi trabajo…Bailaría mas si ganaría la loteria porque compraría un teatro," he said.
When someone asked him about an unforgettable experience he’d had on the stage, he talked about how his aunt, renowned deep-throated Juana la del Pipa, sang with such gusto and fervor that it actually paralyzed him – so much that he brought her to the middle of the stage and left the dancing to her.
The performance by Compañia Antonio El Pipa on the 19th was just as captivating as the dancer himself. Antonio choreographed and directed the production, which was entitled, "De Tablao," and it portrayed just that. Tablao flamenco is the traditional singing and dancing in cafés that has been popular in Andalusia for centuries.
Antonio’s set was simple – a few tables and chairs for the guitarists and dancers, and a backdrop of thin wooden curtains with sketches of palmas, dancers, roses…the standard elements of flamenco. Simplicity is key for tablao -- it is the dance that takes center stage.
The dances consisted of jaleos, bulerías, tarantos, romeras, and soleás, and were performed by a superb cast. Guest dancer Concha Vargas danced elegantly in her beautifully ruffled and colorful dresses, alongside Antonio El Pipa, while Juana la del Pipa’s hoarse and chilling voice emanated throughout the entire space, just as her nephew had described it.
Respected Mariana Cornejo also made a guest appearance, and sang a lively and extremely brisk-paced piece that made the audience laugh, even though the lyrics could were not easily decipherable. Guitar players Pascual de Lorca and Juan Moneo were essential to the performance, and Joaquín Flores’s palmas (clapping) continually gave life to the show.
The costumes were beautiful and well thought out. The older women usually wore more simple clothes, resembling real life in Jerez, while the younger ones were in a variety of form-fitting ruffled dresses. The men were all in black pants and vests with white shirts, except for Antonio, who stood out in fancier black and even purple suits.
Antonio was right when he told us that flamenco was not always a sad form of expression. While dancing, he looked like he could not have his smile wiped away. In his fitted suit and slightly high-heeled boots, he danced as passionately as he spoke about his love – flamenco. Actually, his passion seemed to overflow at the end, because he didn’t want to leave the stage. He came back for not two, not three, but four rounds of applause. The fourth time he ran and jumped onto the stage, making exaggerated hand gestures and facial expressions as he bowed. I think he overdid the passion just a little.
Antonio had said that a real artist is one who makes the public forget their problems. I can say that I did - I even got a laugh in at the end.
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Sunday, January 1, 2006
Doña Rosita Returns to El Repertorio
From now until January 21, 2006, Federico García Lorca’s play, Doña Rosita la soltera, is being reincarnated after 23 years of absence from El Repertorio Español. Directed by esteemed René Buch and starring Miss Universe 2001, Denise Quiñones, as Rosita, Doña Rosita la soltera makes a stunning comeback.
Federico García Lorca, one of Spain’s most revered poets and dramatists, was born in 1898, a few miles from Granada. In 1936, at the young age of 38, he died a violent death also near Granada, as a victim of the fascist movement of the Spanish Civil War. He was highly recognized for intertwining his theatrical works with poetry, and he himself once explained, "El teatro es la poesía que se levanta del libro y se hace humana. Y al hacerse, habla y grita, llora y se desespera. El teatro necesita que los personajes que aparecen en escena lleven un traje de poesía y al mismo tiempo que se la vean los huesos, la sangre…"
One of his last plays before his death, Doña Rosita la soltera, is a precise example of how he combines theatre with poetry. It is a heart-wrenching tale mixed with surprising bits of comedy. The play starts out in Granada during the 1890’s, where a young and beautiful Doña Rosita falls in love with her cousin. Unexpectedly, his family calls for him to return to South America, but he swears to Rosita that he will return for her. She waits patiently for the rest of her life, even after she learns that he has married somebody else.
Lorca does an ingenious job at juxtaposing Doña Rosita’s life with the different historical periods (1980 – 1910) as well as comparing her with a flower – hence her name. As Lorca himself once said, seeing this play performed is like poetry brought to life.
The first scene at El Repertorio opened up with pure whiteness - the women were in white frilly dresses and flouncy white hats, the uncle was in a white suit, even the furniture was white. This is 1890, the period when Rosita is young, innocent and in love. She looked like a white rose in perfect bloom.
Rosita’s boyfriend, played by Freddy Rivera, made an appearance in the first act also dressed in white, and received loud sighs from the women in the audience because of his striking looks. He did not have a substantial part in the play, but it’s no wonder it took Rosita a lifetime to get over him!
In a period of social and gender status stratification, it is ironic that the maid possesses such a crucial role in the play. Alejandra Orozco did a remarkable portrayal of this fundamental character, and received many laughs from the audience. The maid butted her way into every conversation and made herself heard despite her position in society. "I love Rosita more than anybody," she would argue with Rosita’s aunt to explain why she listened in on all of their conversations.
The play portrays a period where a woman meant less in society if she wasn’t married. Rosita resists this societal norm by remaining single for the rest of her life. She proves that love conquers all, even if it is no longer reciprocated. She remains faithful to her heart and not to society. Rosita and the maid are the forces that rebel against society, the maid doing so more aggressively by making herself heard at all times, and Rosita, passively in her room.
By the third act, it is 1910: Rosita’s uncle dies, and everyone is now wearing black. Rosita has aged and looks wilted, she has found out and finally accepts the fact that her love is never coming back, and the play concludes with this heart breaking speech to her aunt:
"Me ha acostumbrado a vivir muchos años fuera de mi, pensando en cosas que estaban muy lejos, y ahora que estas cosas ya no existen sigo dando vueltas y mas vueltas por un sitio frio, buscando una salida que no he de encontrar nunca." Watching Denise Quiñones act out these words causing a tremble throughout her slim frame and tears streaming down her delicate face, sent a chill down my spine. Her anguish was so believable that my heart ached for her. She is a very sincere actress who truly felt the character she is playing. She would have made Federico García Lorca very proud for having revived his poetry so well.
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Federico García Lorca, one of Spain’s most revered poets and dramatists, was born in 1898, a few miles from Granada. In 1936, at the young age of 38, he died a violent death also near Granada, as a victim of the fascist movement of the Spanish Civil War. He was highly recognized for intertwining his theatrical works with poetry, and he himself once explained, "El teatro es la poesía que se levanta del libro y se hace humana. Y al hacerse, habla y grita, llora y se desespera. El teatro necesita que los personajes que aparecen en escena lleven un traje de poesía y al mismo tiempo que se la vean los huesos, la sangre…"
One of his last plays before his death, Doña Rosita la soltera, is a precise example of how he combines theatre with poetry. It is a heart-wrenching tale mixed with surprising bits of comedy. The play starts out in Granada during the 1890’s, where a young and beautiful Doña Rosita falls in love with her cousin. Unexpectedly, his family calls for him to return to South America, but he swears to Rosita that he will return for her. She waits patiently for the rest of her life, even after she learns that he has married somebody else.
Lorca does an ingenious job at juxtaposing Doña Rosita’s life with the different historical periods (1980 – 1910) as well as comparing her with a flower – hence her name. As Lorca himself once said, seeing this play performed is like poetry brought to life.
The first scene at El Repertorio opened up with pure whiteness - the women were in white frilly dresses and flouncy white hats, the uncle was in a white suit, even the furniture was white. This is 1890, the period when Rosita is young, innocent and in love. She looked like a white rose in perfect bloom.
Rosita’s boyfriend, played by Freddy Rivera, made an appearance in the first act also dressed in white, and received loud sighs from the women in the audience because of his striking looks. He did not have a substantial part in the play, but it’s no wonder it took Rosita a lifetime to get over him!
In a period of social and gender status stratification, it is ironic that the maid possesses such a crucial role in the play. Alejandra Orozco did a remarkable portrayal of this fundamental character, and received many laughs from the audience. The maid butted her way into every conversation and made herself heard despite her position in society. "I love Rosita more than anybody," she would argue with Rosita’s aunt to explain why she listened in on all of their conversations.
The play portrays a period where a woman meant less in society if she wasn’t married. Rosita resists this societal norm by remaining single for the rest of her life. She proves that love conquers all, even if it is no longer reciprocated. She remains faithful to her heart and not to society. Rosita and the maid are the forces that rebel against society, the maid doing so more aggressively by making herself heard at all times, and Rosita, passively in her room.
By the third act, it is 1910: Rosita’s uncle dies, and everyone is now wearing black. Rosita has aged and looks wilted, she has found out and finally accepts the fact that her love is never coming back, and the play concludes with this heart breaking speech to her aunt:
"Me ha acostumbrado a vivir muchos años fuera de mi, pensando en cosas que estaban muy lejos, y ahora que estas cosas ya no existen sigo dando vueltas y mas vueltas por un sitio frio, buscando una salida que no he de encontrar nunca." Watching Denise Quiñones act out these words causing a tremble throughout her slim frame and tears streaming down her delicate face, sent a chill down my spine. Her anguish was so believable that my heart ached for her. She is a very sincere actress who truly felt the character she is playing. She would have made Federico García Lorca very proud for having revived his poetry so well.
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Pilar Rioja: Queen of Flamenco
Elegant, charming and like good wine, aged to perfection – this Rioja not only leaves you wanting more, she simultaneously ignites your soul. Flamenco dancer Pilar Rioja, is now in her 70’s, and is still as young-looking, fit, and mesmerizing as ever. She was currently performing her 32nd season at El Repertorio Español until September 11th, and this was also the beginning of her first farewell tour to New York.
From Torreón, Mexico, and born to parents from Spain, Pilar started to dance soon after she learned how to walk. It was in Spain where she combined modern, ballet, and classical dance with traditional Spanish dance, such as flamenco. One can see these amalgamations and feel the strength of her diversity while experiencing one of her performances.
On Saturday, August 27th she gave a stellar performance. Her first dance was a guajira of Cuban origin, interpreted in a flamenco style, by using melodic movements of a fan (abaniqueo). This act was the first glance she gave the audience of her charm as her smile peeked through from behind the big alabaster fan.
She looked angelic in her white ruffled dress, but her erect torso and intricate footwork leaves you wondering what she’s up to next. All of her dances were accompanied by her three guitarists, José Luis Negrete, Antonio Muñoz, and Arturo Martínez, and two singers, Alfonso Cid and David Castellano, who added the heart-wrenching flamenco cry (jaleo) to the performance.
The farruca was her next dance. This time, Pilar came out in an outfit of black fitted matador pants and a button down white shirt, as this type of dance is originally supposed to be for men. The dance contained a lot of strong footwork (zapateado) and she also added some contrasting feminine arm movements which was evidence of her creativity she adds to Spanish dance.
The dance of Doña Rosita la Soltera, based on a story by Federico García Lorca of a woman who has been left a spinster because she has become too old to marry, was mood altering. Somehow she mixed the emotions of happiness, fear, sadness and anger with the use of a white veil, precise facial expressions and a slow haunting rhythm aided by the sound of a tapping cane (palo seco). Her finale was just as fiery and spectacular as her red ruffled-train dress which accentuated her still youthful figure. It was here that she combined bulerías (jovial), and soleares (sad) as well as other bits of improvisation. During this dance, her personality exploded. She was elegant yet sensuous, reserved yet uninhibited and undeniably festive. Her stirring hip movements towards the end both surprised and awed the audience.
Seeing her at El Repertorio Español was worth every penny, because the intimate theater allows you to feel the vigor emanating from her, and almost feel what she is feeling. The audience could not help but applaud spontaneously and cheer loudly at her powerful movements throughout the show. Pilar has performed all over Latin America, and Europe, and is respected all over the world as one of the greatest teachers of Spanish dance. She currently teaches at her own academy in Mexico City.
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
From Torreón, Mexico, and born to parents from Spain, Pilar started to dance soon after she learned how to walk. It was in Spain where she combined modern, ballet, and classical dance with traditional Spanish dance, such as flamenco. One can see these amalgamations and feel the strength of her diversity while experiencing one of her performances.
On Saturday, August 27th she gave a stellar performance. Her first dance was a guajira of Cuban origin, interpreted in a flamenco style, by using melodic movements of a fan (abaniqueo). This act was the first glance she gave the audience of her charm as her smile peeked through from behind the big alabaster fan.
She looked angelic in her white ruffled dress, but her erect torso and intricate footwork leaves you wondering what she’s up to next. All of her dances were accompanied by her three guitarists, José Luis Negrete, Antonio Muñoz, and Arturo Martínez, and two singers, Alfonso Cid and David Castellano, who added the heart-wrenching flamenco cry (jaleo) to the performance.
The farruca was her next dance. This time, Pilar came out in an outfit of black fitted matador pants and a button down white shirt, as this type of dance is originally supposed to be for men. The dance contained a lot of strong footwork (zapateado) and she also added some contrasting feminine arm movements which was evidence of her creativity she adds to Spanish dance.
The dance of Doña Rosita la Soltera, based on a story by Federico García Lorca of a woman who has been left a spinster because she has become too old to marry, was mood altering. Somehow she mixed the emotions of happiness, fear, sadness and anger with the use of a white veil, precise facial expressions and a slow haunting rhythm aided by the sound of a tapping cane (palo seco). Her finale was just as fiery and spectacular as her red ruffled-train dress which accentuated her still youthful figure. It was here that she combined bulerías (jovial), and soleares (sad) as well as other bits of improvisation. During this dance, her personality exploded. She was elegant yet sensuous, reserved yet uninhibited and undeniably festive. Her stirring hip movements towards the end both surprised and awed the audience.
Seeing her at El Repertorio Español was worth every penny, because the intimate theater allows you to feel the vigor emanating from her, and almost feel what she is feeling. The audience could not help but applaud spontaneously and cheer loudly at her powerful movements throughout the show. Pilar has performed all over Latin America, and Europe, and is respected all over the world as one of the greatest teachers of Spanish dance. She currently teaches at her own academy in Mexico City.
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Eva Ayllón: Diva del Landó
To experience Eva Ayllón, is to experience Peru. Eva is to Peru what Celia Crúz is to Cuba - a woman with a tremendous singing voice, who’s full of adoration and passion for her country— feelings that inevitably envelope the listener as well.
For 35 years, Eva has been entertaining her people, as well as massive audiences all over the world with her beloved Afro-Peruvian music, known in Peru as música criolla.
On Sunday July 17th, in celebration of Peru’s upcoming Independence Day, Eva Ayllón gave her first Queens performance at La Oveja Negra. Hundreds of Peruvian fans of all ages – from twenty to seventy-somethings--gave her a warm greeting chanting, "Eva! Evaaa!"
Eva opened the show with the late Chabuca Granda’s famous vals, "Fina Estampa." The crowd became spellbound and began taking out their camera phones to capture the special moment digitally. Next came "Negra Presuntuosa," from her latest album, Eva! Leyenda Peruana (2004); the audience quickly started swaying their hips to the captivating rhythm. It’s not everyday they get to see Eva Ayllón sing the treasured songs they grew up hearing at family reunions and civic gatherings.
Eva is known for singing traditional genres, such as the landó, the festejo, and the vals: all mestizo blends of coastal Peru’s Andean, African, and Spanish heritage.
Landós originated from an Angolan fertility dance called "londu" brought to Brazil by the slaves. The Peruvian landó is a blend of Spanish and African rhythms. "El landó llego en Peru en el año 1520, cuando los negros llegaron a Peru," Eva explained. "Ha sido el ritmo que he ayudado el esclavo a recordar su tierra. El landó es la lloranza del negro esclavo – como decir ‘te extraño’ a la tierra."
The landó is a bit slower than the festejo, although both contain a prominent beat from the cajón. Festejos, her most festive songs of all, were meant for celebrations. They trigger quick dance movements by the body, like a sensual communication between the dancers. "Ingá," and "Le dije a Papá" are some famous festejos.
For the performance, Eva’s voice was backed-up by a cajón, congos, bongo, piano, electronic bass, and a guitar. She was also accompanied by two back up singers: her sister Rosa Ayllón and Brazilian Sofia Buitrón. Buitrón and Eva danced a fiery festejo during the show – the two of them imitating each others’ rapid undulating torso and leg movements.
In addition to landós and festejos, Eva also sings the much slower and romantic vals. "Cuando llora mi Guitarra" and "Que Somos Amantes" are examples of this genre derived from the Viennese waltz but with Spanish guitar riffs, and boleros. Eva further demonstrated her romantic side during the show by throwing rose stems to the audience.
All her songs are unique for her, she says, "Todas tienen un gran significado. Son como mis hijas." Eva conveys the love she has for her songs during her performances. She is a passionate woman who feels what she sings, as if the lyrics were flowing out of her heart.
Eva was born María Angélica Ayllón Urbina in 1956. She started her singing career at the early age of three under her grandmother’s tutelage. Ayllón adopted "Eva" from her grandmother. She didn’t come from a musical family, "Siento que [mi talento] fue reincarnada de alguien o de muchas personas. Yo creo mucho en la reincarnación," she says.
Ayllón started out singing at school competitions. Soon after, she worked her way up to television and radio. By the 1970’s, she was appearing in the local peñas criollas (a gathering of musicians, typical in South America). From 1973 to 1975, she was the lead singer in the trio Los Kipus, and in 1978, she debuted as a soloist with the release of Esta Noche. By 1979, she began touring internationally, all over Europe, the United States, Canada, and Japan. And in 1989, she sang in Los Hijos del Sol, a group comprised of all-star Peruvian musicians including master drummer Alex Acuña. By 2002, with over 20 albums in her discography, she received her eighth award for achieving double platinum status for the album, 30 Años en Vivo (2000).
Ayllón left her beloved Peru and moved to New Jersey six months ago to be with her family. "Todo es alla para mi, dentro de mi pais, pero el amor te arranca a cualquier tierra," says Eva.
Judging from her adoring fans, Eva has been most-heartily welcomed to the U.S. Her message to all of them: "Que se sienten feliz, y que yo traigo un poco de Peru…que se recuerden sus calles, sus casas, sus camas…"
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
For 35 years, Eva has been entertaining her people, as well as massive audiences all over the world with her beloved Afro-Peruvian music, known in Peru as música criolla.
On Sunday July 17th, in celebration of Peru’s upcoming Independence Day, Eva Ayllón gave her first Queens performance at La Oveja Negra. Hundreds of Peruvian fans of all ages – from twenty to seventy-somethings--gave her a warm greeting chanting, "Eva! Evaaa!"
Eva opened the show with the late Chabuca Granda’s famous vals, "Fina Estampa." The crowd became spellbound and began taking out their camera phones to capture the special moment digitally. Next came "Negra Presuntuosa," from her latest album, Eva! Leyenda Peruana (2004); the audience quickly started swaying their hips to the captivating rhythm. It’s not everyday they get to see Eva Ayllón sing the treasured songs they grew up hearing at family reunions and civic gatherings.
Eva is known for singing traditional genres, such as the landó, the festejo, and the vals: all mestizo blends of coastal Peru’s Andean, African, and Spanish heritage.
Landós originated from an Angolan fertility dance called "londu" brought to Brazil by the slaves. The Peruvian landó is a blend of Spanish and African rhythms. "El landó llego en Peru en el año 1520, cuando los negros llegaron a Peru," Eva explained. "Ha sido el ritmo que he ayudado el esclavo a recordar su tierra. El landó es la lloranza del negro esclavo – como decir ‘te extraño’ a la tierra."
The landó is a bit slower than the festejo, although both contain a prominent beat from the cajón. Festejos, her most festive songs of all, were meant for celebrations. They trigger quick dance movements by the body, like a sensual communication between the dancers. "Ingá," and "Le dije a Papá" are some famous festejos.
For the performance, Eva’s voice was backed-up by a cajón, congos, bongo, piano, electronic bass, and a guitar. She was also accompanied by two back up singers: her sister Rosa Ayllón and Brazilian Sofia Buitrón. Buitrón and Eva danced a fiery festejo during the show – the two of them imitating each others’ rapid undulating torso and leg movements.
In addition to landós and festejos, Eva also sings the much slower and romantic vals. "Cuando llora mi Guitarra" and "Que Somos Amantes" are examples of this genre derived from the Viennese waltz but with Spanish guitar riffs, and boleros. Eva further demonstrated her romantic side during the show by throwing rose stems to the audience.
All her songs are unique for her, she says, "Todas tienen un gran significado. Son como mis hijas." Eva conveys the love she has for her songs during her performances. She is a passionate woman who feels what she sings, as if the lyrics were flowing out of her heart.
Eva was born María Angélica Ayllón Urbina in 1956. She started her singing career at the early age of three under her grandmother’s tutelage. Ayllón adopted "Eva" from her grandmother. She didn’t come from a musical family, "Siento que [mi talento] fue reincarnada de alguien o de muchas personas. Yo creo mucho en la reincarnación," she says.
Ayllón started out singing at school competitions. Soon after, she worked her way up to television and radio. By the 1970’s, she was appearing in the local peñas criollas (a gathering of musicians, typical in South America). From 1973 to 1975, she was the lead singer in the trio Los Kipus, and in 1978, she debuted as a soloist with the release of Esta Noche. By 1979, she began touring internationally, all over Europe, the United States, Canada, and Japan. And in 1989, she sang in Los Hijos del Sol, a group comprised of all-star Peruvian musicians including master drummer Alex Acuña. By 2002, with over 20 albums in her discography, she received her eighth award for achieving double platinum status for the album, 30 Años en Vivo (2000).
Ayllón left her beloved Peru and moved to New Jersey six months ago to be with her family. "Todo es alla para mi, dentro de mi pais, pero el amor te arranca a cualquier tierra," says Eva.
Judging from her adoring fans, Eva has been most-heartily welcomed to the U.S. Her message to all of them: "Que se sienten feliz, y que yo traigo un poco de Peru…que se recuerden sus calles, sus casas, sus camas…"
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Elvis a lo Mexicano
When people think of Elvis, they remember the hip shaking, charismatic singer in a sparkly jumpsuit with slicked black hair and side burns who passed away on August 16, 1977. There have been many impersonators since his death, but there is one who outshines all the rest, and who adds spicy jalapeño flavor to the name Elvis. His name is El Vez. Elvis’s Mexican counterpart has been touring the U.S. on a Cinco de Mayo tour, coincidentally landing in New York during the same week as CBS’s four-hour miniseries "Elvis by the Presleys."
Born in Chilavista, CA, East L.A., Robert Lopez, a.k.a. El Vez, has been doing his act since 1988. It all started after taking part in an Elvis impersonator contest while working as a curator at an art gallery, La Luz De Jesús, on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. He was such a success that he went on to Elvis Tribute Week in Memphis, where he competed in another Elvis impersonator contest.
"The next day, it was in the L.A. Times that a Mexican Elvis made it to the finals," says El Vez.
Ever since then, people have been asking for more. How could they resist a guy who is a cross between Zorro and Elvis singing songs with titles like, "Viva la Raza" (instead of "Viva Las Vegas") and "En el Barrio" (replacing "In the Ghetto")?
On Saturday, May 14th, El Vez performed with his band "The Memphis Mariachis" and "The Elvettes" (two back-up singers, Lisa Maria and Priscillita) at the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan, after playing at Brooklyn’s Southpaw on Wednesday night.
Mercury Lounge was packed. I was hot and claustrophobic waiting for the show to start, apparently on Latino time, but my exasperation was quickly forgotten once El Vez danced onto the stage.
He joked, "People say that I’m nostalgic, because Cinco de Mayo was last week, but my goal is to make it last ten days."
The last time he came to New York was in November during his "El Vez for Prez" tour, when he performed at The Knitting Factory and Southpaw. He made reference to that trip, saying that he was going to run for president again during the next election against Hillary Clinton and give the U.S. back to Aztlán, the portion of Mexico that was taken over by the United States after the Mexican-American War of 1846.
Not only are his lyrics very creative, but he sounds just like Elvis with your eyes closed, he does splits on stage, and his outfits seem to get louder with every passing song. Starting out with a Mexican charro outfit in patriotic red, white and green, he then moved on to a black one with white stitching, and then to a white wife beater with black and white shimmery stretch pants, and then a feathery Aztec costume.
The climax of the show, I would have to say, was when he came out in a tiger print jumpsuit made out of stretch polyester, a big black leather belt with leather studs and chains, and black cowboy boots, declaring, "I’m your Tigre del Norte." He then started singing the song "Suspicious Minds," but with the lyrics, "I’m caught in a trap/I can’t walk out/Because my foot is stuck in this border affair/We can’t go together/It’s immigration time/The Promised Land waits on the other side/Why can’t you see?/ Liberty…"
With over 17 years of touring all over the U.S., Europe, and Australia, and 13 albums under his huge gaudy belt, I asked El Vez if he felt a resemblance to the King of Rock n’ Roll. He said, "Well, the idea of entertaining, but I think I like to make my shows more political than Elvis ever did. However, we both have sideburns and influence lots of people with music."
I admit that prior to the show, I was afraid that El Vez was going to be some cheesy, Las Vegas-like act, but he definitely impressed me, and I now understand why people wait for him every year and follow him all over the world.
Peter Caravella, a fan of seven years from New York, said to me on the way out, "I am going to be a fan for the rest of my life. Wherever he goes, I go."
All I can say is, "Watch out Hillary, here comes El Vez!"To keep track of where El Vez is headed next, and for some interesting merchandise, check out http://www.elvez.net/.
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Born in Chilavista, CA, East L.A., Robert Lopez, a.k.a. El Vez, has been doing his act since 1988. It all started after taking part in an Elvis impersonator contest while working as a curator at an art gallery, La Luz De Jesús, on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. He was such a success that he went on to Elvis Tribute Week in Memphis, where he competed in another Elvis impersonator contest.
"The next day, it was in the L.A. Times that a Mexican Elvis made it to the finals," says El Vez.
Ever since then, people have been asking for more. How could they resist a guy who is a cross between Zorro and Elvis singing songs with titles like, "Viva la Raza" (instead of "Viva Las Vegas") and "En el Barrio" (replacing "In the Ghetto")?
On Saturday, May 14th, El Vez performed with his band "The Memphis Mariachis" and "The Elvettes" (two back-up singers, Lisa Maria and Priscillita) at the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan, after playing at Brooklyn’s Southpaw on Wednesday night.
Mercury Lounge was packed. I was hot and claustrophobic waiting for the show to start, apparently on Latino time, but my exasperation was quickly forgotten once El Vez danced onto the stage.
He joked, "People say that I’m nostalgic, because Cinco de Mayo was last week, but my goal is to make it last ten days."
The last time he came to New York was in November during his "El Vez for Prez" tour, when he performed at The Knitting Factory and Southpaw. He made reference to that trip, saying that he was going to run for president again during the next election against Hillary Clinton and give the U.S. back to Aztlán, the portion of Mexico that was taken over by the United States after the Mexican-American War of 1846.
Not only are his lyrics very creative, but he sounds just like Elvis with your eyes closed, he does splits on stage, and his outfits seem to get louder with every passing song. Starting out with a Mexican charro outfit in patriotic red, white and green, he then moved on to a black one with white stitching, and then to a white wife beater with black and white shimmery stretch pants, and then a feathery Aztec costume.
The climax of the show, I would have to say, was when he came out in a tiger print jumpsuit made out of stretch polyester, a big black leather belt with leather studs and chains, and black cowboy boots, declaring, "I’m your Tigre del Norte." He then started singing the song "Suspicious Minds," but with the lyrics, "I’m caught in a trap/I can’t walk out/Because my foot is stuck in this border affair/We can’t go together/It’s immigration time/The Promised Land waits on the other side/Why can’t you see?/ Liberty…"
With over 17 years of touring all over the U.S., Europe, and Australia, and 13 albums under his huge gaudy belt, I asked El Vez if he felt a resemblance to the King of Rock n’ Roll. He said, "Well, the idea of entertaining, but I think I like to make my shows more political than Elvis ever did. However, we both have sideburns and influence lots of people with music."
I admit that prior to the show, I was afraid that El Vez was going to be some cheesy, Las Vegas-like act, but he definitely impressed me, and I now understand why people wait for him every year and follow him all over the world.
Peter Caravella, a fan of seven years from New York, said to me on the way out, "I am going to be a fan for the rest of my life. Wherever he goes, I go."
All I can say is, "Watch out Hillary, here comes El Vez!"To keep track of where El Vez is headed next, and for some interesting merchandise, check out http://www.elvez.net/.
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
A New Generation of Mariachis Thrives in El Barrio
Some say the term "mariachi" was derived from the French word for marriage, while others claim it comes from the indigenous name for the wood used to make guitars. There are many theories as to how the term "mariachi" came about, but one thing that is for sure is that mariachis, in their wide-brimmed hats and festive charro outfits, have added plenty of alegria to weddings, restaurant outings, birthdays, and even funerals and masses. Their music captures the heart and soul of Mexican culture and tradition, as well as that of the listener.
Mariachi music has prospered greatly ever since its origin in Jalisco, Mexico in the early 19th century. Originally, the mariachi ensemble was made up of violins, a harp and guitars. With time, it evolved to include the vihuela, two violins, and the guitarron (which replaced the harp), and then eventually trumpets were added. During the Mexican Revolution, the mariachis would wander from town to town, singing songs of revolutionary heroes and bringing news of the war everywhere they went.
The musical style has been carried on as a Mexican tradition for decades, due to the undying support of the people in their communities. The popularity of the genre expanded even more with the arrival of radio and television, and now mariachi music can be heard all over the world.
With the Mexican population growing at such a rapid rate in New York, the desire for Mexican culture and tradition has increased as well. The idea for a local mariachi school for children came from the renowned father and son mariachi team, Ramon Ponce Sr. and Jr. Their Queens-based group, Mariachi Real de Mexico, has been playing public and private events for years, and has even appeared on such Spanish-language television programs as Sabado Gigante.
When I asked what the main reason was for starting the Academy, Ramon Ponce Jr. said, "Porque ninos nos preguntaban, "’Donde podemos aprender?"’ ("Because kids [wherever we would perform] would ask us, "’Where can we learn?"’)
About two years after the initial seed was planted in their heads, in July of 2002, the Ponces opened the doors of the Mariachi Academy of New York - the first mariachi school on the east coast. The school was made possible with outreach support from The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York and the Consulate General of Mexico, the sponsorship of the Mariachi Association of New York, and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The cohesiveness of the Mexican community in El Barrio is evident at the Mariachi Academy of New York, which is open to Mexican and non-Mexican students alike, ages 9-17. The teachers often volunteer their time if funds are low, and the parents get involved by encouraging their children and bringing homemade food to events. It is indeed a community project.
"I believe the Academy... has shown that immigrants, especially among the Mexican community, understand [that] their children are becoming more assimilated as Americans, and thus appreciate and take advantage of opportunities to teach the younger generations about Mexican music and culture," says President of the Board of Directors, Adlar Garcia.
There are six teachers who conduct two classes a week (Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons) in voice, violin, trumpet, guitar, vihuela, and guitarron at the Union Settlement Association. This center in East Harlem generously donates classroom space for the program - now consisting of 70 students, only five to ten of whom are not fully Mexican. Some were born here, and some were born in Mexico.
"If kids don’t apply in the summer, they have to wait a whole other year, because the program begins in the fall. Auditions take place only in the summer," says program coordinator Itandehui Chavez-Geller.
The mariachi kids are becoming well known throughout the city. They have done community performances in schools, museums, and at various cultural/community associations. "It’s quite a success. Everyday we have a growing waiting list," says Chavez-Geller. "The most important thing we look for during the auditions is the child’s interest. Most don’t know an instrument before they start," she adds.
The next big show is on May 8th, for Mother’s Day, from 1-5 p.m at the Union Settlement Association Center on 104th Street, between 3rd and 2nd Avenues. This will be a fundraiser performance with authentic Mexican food available.
"Mi vision y sueno es que los estudiantes de la Academia de Mariachi lleguen a ser grandes personalidades y me encantaria que varios de ellos sean mariachis profesionales. Si no son mariachis, por lo menos sentirse orgullosos de su musica y su cultura," says Ramon Ponce Jr. ("My vision and dream is that the students of the Mariachi Academy grow up to be great personalities, and I’d love to see some of them become professional mariachis. If they aren’t mariachis, (I hope they will) at least feel proud of their music and their culture."]
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
Mariachi music has prospered greatly ever since its origin in Jalisco, Mexico in the early 19th century. Originally, the mariachi ensemble was made up of violins, a harp and guitars. With time, it evolved to include the vihuela, two violins, and the guitarron (which replaced the harp), and then eventually trumpets were added. During the Mexican Revolution, the mariachis would wander from town to town, singing songs of revolutionary heroes and bringing news of the war everywhere they went.
The musical style has been carried on as a Mexican tradition for decades, due to the undying support of the people in their communities. The popularity of the genre expanded even more with the arrival of radio and television, and now mariachi music can be heard all over the world.
With the Mexican population growing at such a rapid rate in New York, the desire for Mexican culture and tradition has increased as well. The idea for a local mariachi school for children came from the renowned father and son mariachi team, Ramon Ponce Sr. and Jr. Their Queens-based group, Mariachi Real de Mexico, has been playing public and private events for years, and has even appeared on such Spanish-language television programs as Sabado Gigante.
When I asked what the main reason was for starting the Academy, Ramon Ponce Jr. said, "Porque ninos nos preguntaban, "’Donde podemos aprender?"’ ("Because kids [wherever we would perform] would ask us, "’Where can we learn?"’)
About two years after the initial seed was planted in their heads, in July of 2002, the Ponces opened the doors of the Mariachi Academy of New York - the first mariachi school on the east coast. The school was made possible with outreach support from The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York and the Consulate General of Mexico, the sponsorship of the Mariachi Association of New York, and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The cohesiveness of the Mexican community in El Barrio is evident at the Mariachi Academy of New York, which is open to Mexican and non-Mexican students alike, ages 9-17. The teachers often volunteer their time if funds are low, and the parents get involved by encouraging their children and bringing homemade food to events. It is indeed a community project.
"I believe the Academy... has shown that immigrants, especially among the Mexican community, understand [that] their children are becoming more assimilated as Americans, and thus appreciate and take advantage of opportunities to teach the younger generations about Mexican music and culture," says President of the Board of Directors, Adlar Garcia.
There are six teachers who conduct two classes a week (Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons) in voice, violin, trumpet, guitar, vihuela, and guitarron at the Union Settlement Association. This center in East Harlem generously donates classroom space for the program - now consisting of 70 students, only five to ten of whom are not fully Mexican. Some were born here, and some were born in Mexico.
"If kids don’t apply in the summer, they have to wait a whole other year, because the program begins in the fall. Auditions take place only in the summer," says program coordinator Itandehui Chavez-Geller.
The mariachi kids are becoming well known throughout the city. They have done community performances in schools, museums, and at various cultural/community associations. "It’s quite a success. Everyday we have a growing waiting list," says Chavez-Geller. "The most important thing we look for during the auditions is the child’s interest. Most don’t know an instrument before they start," she adds.
The next big show is on May 8th, for Mother’s Day, from 1-5 p.m at the Union Settlement Association Center on 104th Street, between 3rd and 2nd Avenues. This will be a fundraiser performance with authentic Mexican food available.
"Mi vision y sueno es que los estudiantes de la Academia de Mariachi lleguen a ser grandes personalidades y me encantaria que varios de ellos sean mariachis profesionales. Si no son mariachis, por lo menos sentirse orgullosos de su musica y su cultura," says Ramon Ponce Jr. ("My vision and dream is that the students of the Mariachi Academy grow up to be great personalities, and I’d love to see some of them become professional mariachis. If they aren’t mariachis, (I hope they will) at least feel proud of their music and their culture."]
(Published in NYRemezcla.com)
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