Living in Peru : your everyday companion

By Niko Kyriakou

Mammaye - afro-peruvian-jazz

(LIP-nk) - A two monthlong Jazz festival being held in Lima's Barranco district kicked-off last Monday with the rhythmic afro-peruvian-jazz sounds of a group called Mammaye.

Crowding a small stage, Mammaye set fire to the two-story club, La Noche, fusing African rhythms, jazz, and Peruvian roots. Early arrivers snagged tables, but latecomers had to squeeze in along the walls, up the stairs, and around the second-floor balcony to get a glimpse of the 14-member orchestra. Swaying and laughing as they played, the musicians kept the audience riveted with a full horn section and a dozen different instruments, including those of African and Peruvian origin.

September 4 was the launch of Barranco's 5th annual "Jazz festival with a Peruvian flavor", which will feature well-known orchestras at the Centro Cultural La Noche in Barranco every Monday, free of charge. Shows run through September and October and begin at 11 p.m.

Peruvian Jazz has been around for years, but this festival is the first to reel in more popular bands, particularly those like Mammaye, which explore jazz fusion.

Many of Peru's black jazz musicians originate from about two hours south of Lima, near Chincha and Canete, cotton growing areas where African slaves were brought to work by Spanish colonists as early as the 16th century.

Mammaye -- which means "rebirth" or "emerge" in the African Yoruba language -- describes itself as Peru's first, black jazz orchestra. The band got its start in 1983 solely as a percussion, guitar, and bass group. After breaking up 8 years ago, it has been just six months since the band reunited under a new manager, and with fresh blood.

Every Monday: Jazz in Lima at the Centro Cultural La Noche in Barranco

The group's entire four-man wind section, who play slide-trombone, trumpet, saxophone and flute, joined Mammaye from the National Symphony, while some of the drummers previously played percussion with the well-known singer, Lucia de la Cruz. Others come from the group Peru Negro.

Mammaye's leader, Coco Linares, whose two sons play in the band, says his group's biggest following is in La Victoria district, where people can see them play for a small cover charge in music centers like Kimbare and Golden Gate, hear them on the radio, or buy their CD for 10 soles.

The group plays all original compositions created by Peruvians Coco Linares, Freedy Lovaton, and Lourdes Carhuaz.

"The music for me is life," says Linares, his eyes large and earnest. "It's the only moment in which I can lose all the problems that I have; only then do I really know who I am," the guitar player said.

In coming months, the band plans to record its second album with 16 songs -- including the well-liked "Repicador" -- said Luis Rodruigez, the groups founder. The Repica is a small drum like a conga.

The band also incorporates the Peruvian Cajon, a rhythm box, usually hollow with a hole in the back, on which the player sits and drums with their hands. In addition, they use African instruments such as the tambour bata, the illa, the hotele, and the okonkela.

The popular and soulful local singer Lourdes Carhuaz made a guest appearance Wednesday night and practically stole the show. Her hair a Janis Joplin mess, Carhuaz captivated the audience with her guttural voice, tense posture, and wild gesticulations.

Mammaye comes back to Barranco Thursday, October 5, to Pena Rompe y Raja at 10pm. The cover charge has not yet been set.

Other groups set to play at La Noche in this year's September-October festival:

- Ernesto Hermoza y los de Adentro, fusing Peruvian music with flamenco-jazz (Monday, Sept. 11)
- Mariano Liy y Fiesta Negra (Monday, Sept. 18)
- Kenyara y el Nuevo trio Manante (Monday, Sept. 25)
- All Stars Latin Band - Contemporary Latin Jazz (Monday, Oct.  3)
- Pochi Marambio Latin Jazz singer - Tribute to the contrabass (Monday Oct. 10)
- Cesar Peredo y los de Adentro - Latin Jazz / Peruvian and Latin American rhythm fusion (Monday, Oct. 17)
- De Otra Mano - Traditional Latin Jazz - Tribute to Michel Camilo (Monday, Oct. 24)
- All Stars Latin Band - Contemporary Latin Jazz (Monday, Oct. 31)


Club adress:
La Noche de barranco - Av. Bolognesi 307, Barranco - Lima
(Corner of Bolognesi and Blvd. Sánchez Carrión)

Club La Noche de Barranco - link -

September Agenda

tags : Peru music entertainment jazz afro-peruvian Mammaye Barranco Lima festival

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1 Comments

# Wolfy says :
8 September, 2006 [ 03:16 ]

give it up for our new contributor Niko Kyriakou. Job well done, amigo! Looking forward to read more.

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