Music of the Andes

Another Andes band I have known for 20 years is Inca Son ("Sound of the Inca").  I first heard them as musicians for the PBS production of "Columbus and the Age of Discovery" and had to hear more.  They were based out of Cambridge, MA, and played in PA a few times, where I picked up 2 of their CD's.  The first one from 1991, "Ascope, Land of the Dawn" is my favorite, featuring Suenos (Dreams), a Carnival Medley, and ending with El Condor Pasa (Flight of the Condor).  Their 4th CD from 1997, My Change, contains two Simon and Garfunkle songs, Scarborough Fair and Sounds of Silence.  As all are instrumental on this CD, the vocal parts are played on the flutes, a beautiful sound.  I have since heard other Andes bands play these songs, a few Beatles tunes and even the Moody Blues' Nights in White Satin.  Inca Son and most other bands prefer to play traditional music or write their own music with the same traditional sound.  I have not heard of their playing in public since 2011, but all the info including CD's available is on their web site [moderated]

After Simon & Garfunkel's El Condor Pasa, Incan music was in vogue for a while in the US, but it didn't last.

I was a big S&G fan (and still am), and I'll be looking forward to hearing more Andean music while in Ecuador.

I have a very good CD of spiritual music of Ecuador which I purchased online in 2012.  It is by a group called Ecuador Manta, and is some traditional hymns, Ave Maria, How Great Thou Art, plus some more pop-oriented spiritual songs such as  He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.  The last tune is a reggae classic,  Rivers of Babylon, sounding very soothing on the Andes instruments.  On this CD there are no vocals, but it is great background music.  The band started making CD's in 1995, I found them on a book store web site not named Amazon.

Mug,
Too crazy. I have watched that band perform a number of times here in Minnesota & Wisconsin. They play The Minnesota State Fair every year, in an open air band shell. They also perform at a festival we call River Fest.( on the Mississippi River )
What is really crazy is that they call St.Paul their home..... that is where they book out of. I have a couple of CD's of theirs that I have bought at different concerts where they have performed. They have very lovely ladies that distribute the cd's: could be a reason I buy them. < grin > They are actually the wives/ girlfriends of the band. Very family oriented. The children of the band are always in attendance, and it's always a very festive atmosphere that they generate. You are very hard pressed not to move to their music.
Stay Well,
Neil
Ps. 4 days and counting!

ZenSPIKE wrote:

Mug,
4 days and counting!

I'll bet you're getting excited. At that stage in any new venture, I just want to get on with it.

In case I don't get another chance to say it -- good luck!

In order to keep this (sorta) on-topic -- Mug, did you ever hear Linda Ronstadt's version of 'Rivers of Babylon'? A favorite of mine.

Have not heard the Ronstadt version, more familiar with Jimmy Cliff version from "The Harder They Come, The Harder They Fall" days of yesteryear.  Lucky you Neil, gonna avoid the first humid heatwave of the year in the midwest.

I first heard Runa Pacha in 1998 in Bethlehem, PA and they had a pure Andes sound, playing on the street every day at Musikfest.  The band claims their name is Quechua and means Indian World.  Others say it means Inca World or Pure Indians or Human Earth.  At any rate, about 8 years ago they changed their approach and now perform as USA Native Americans, the dances and music not being like Andes music, but the flutes are very similar.  They have been setting up at the end of Main Street during Musikfest for 9 days, right next to the 18th century blacksmith shop.  They are worth hearing once in their present form, but their previous songs about the wind, sun and rain were much better.

I have read that there are bands playing old time rock and roll for Boomer expats in Cuenca, and I have heard about free symphony orchestras.  I am wondering how often and at what kind of venues do bands play the traditional and Spanish-influenced music of the Andes?

Brain Gary is a staple here in Cuenca. He played with some major bands in the states. Seems he plays just about every night, mainly in Gringo restaurants and bars. He primarily plays covers from the 60's/70's & 80's. He also performs with a full band by the name of Rubber Biscuit.
He plays many venues with a no cover, so remember the tip jar.
Stay Well,
Neil

Elton John will be playing at the San Francisco Arena in Cumbaya on 2/15/14.

I was about to chide you for being off-topic, Mug. But then I figured that even Elton John's music (or anybody's) is 'Music of the Andes' when he's playing in Cumbaya.

Are there really enough EJ fans here to fill the house? I guess so, or he wouldn't be coming all this way.

Was hoping to get some on the scene reports, has been 40 years since I saw him on what I thought was his goodbye tour (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, "Goodbye Norma Jean").

I have both those on my mp3, as well as Crocodile Rock, Honky Cat, and a couple others. Good stuff to listen to while running (not that I've gotten to the point of running here yet -- walking is about as vigorous an exercise as I'm capable of at 9300 feet, for now).

mugtech wrote:

Just found out about a new (to me) band from the Andes using Pre-Columbian pan-pipes and wooden flutes plus string and percussion instruments introduced to Latin America by Spanish and African cultures.  ....

Hi there, 
Music bands from the Andes (Peru, Ecuador) play all over North America and Europe and they indeed, provide a welcome diversity.
I wonder how many bands from abroad play in Andean countries. 

John C. wrote:

I wonder how many bands from abroad play in Andean countries. 

John, Elton is the first I have seen booked in Ecuador the last 18 months.  Seems Chile and Argentina get a few more popular concerts, but it remains to be seen home many can afford and will pay to see such entertainment.

mugtech wrote:

John C. wrote:

I wonder how many bands from abroad play in Andean countries. 

John, Elton is the first I have seen booked in Ecuador the last 18 months.  Seems Chile and Argentina get a few more popular concerts, but it remains to be seen home many can afford and will pay to see such entertainment.

Hi Mug, 
Good to know. Every good action must be reciprocated: if Andean musicians go abroad, overseas musicians must also come in.
Remember to tell the music stars when negotiating a contract with them to keep in mind that the buying power of different nations is different and they, the stars, must come up with a price people can afford.
Also, suggest to the stars to offer their CDs at a discounted price at concert time, discount which now be easily done at their web site prior to the concert.  You know why, don't you? 

John C. wrote:

Also, suggest to the stars to offer their CDs at a discounted price at concert time, discount which now be easily done at their web site prior to the concert.  You know why, don't you? 

Cause plastic is cheap, and if one more person buys a nose bleed ticket for $95 plus $18 service charge at Caesar's in Vegas, then it was worth the reduced price.  Don't think any musicians think they owe anybody anything, and they certainly are not tuned in to my marketing advice.

mugtech wrote:

John C. wrote:

Also, suggest to the stars to offer their CDs at a discounted price at concert time, discount which now be easily done at their web site prior to the concert.  You know why, don't you? 

Cause plastic is cheap, and if one more person buys a nose bleed ticket for $95 plus $18 service charge at Caesar's in Vegas, then it was worth the reduced price.  Don't think any musicians think they owe anybody anything, and they certainly are not tuned in to my marketing advice.

Hi Mug, 
1). You are right about the CD price reduction. It's what I meant.

2). Musicians not owing anything to anybody? Hmmm, that's bad. What can we do about it?
Maybe pay them the deposit to come and sing, but then pay them nothing more when the deal is over??? 

John C. wrote:

Musicians not owing anything to anybody? Hmmm, that's bad. What can we do about it?

Why is that bad?  I believe in the free enterprise system.  Would rather hear music as a joyous expression of the self rather than the fulfillment of a liability.  Let them play where they can make money if that is what they desire, which is why the concerts be few and far between in Ecuador.

mugtech wrote:

John C. wrote:

Musicians not owing anything to anybody? Hmmm, that's bad. What can we do about it?

Why is that bad?  I believe in the free enterprise system.  Would rather hear music as a joyous expression of the self rather than the fulfillment of a liability.  Let them play where they can make money if that is what they desire, which is why the concerts be few and far between in Ecuador.

Hi Mug,   
I consider a very bad thing for someone to fleece the public when he can.
Why put profits first? Will the world end tomorrow? Are they unsure of their business longevity?
YES, I do believe in free enterprise and I promote it as much, often and fast as I can, but there is no need to rip people off.  They are the constant source of income for as long as the star shines.
When the light goes out, well, the free enterprise system kicks in again.
My philosophy is never to overcharge people whom I want to come back to me tomorrow. 

Thank you for the dialogue!

There is no fleecing involved, you know the product, you know the price.  Its up to you to decide if you want to spend the asking price for the product involved.  One can live without attending a concert, no matter what day the world ends.  As a result, Ecuador will continue to not get world class music.

... and one more thing.
If Elton John is really smart, instead of charging Ecuadorians a lot, he can easily have an organized tour of Latin America where he can charge a bit less in 10 countries than what he charges traveling to just one country.
In my profession, I think of profits every 5 minutes of the day, but not because of greed.
It's because I do not want to lose money I invested and because I always look to see if there is something new I need to learn from what happens before my eyes.
I know that if I lose that spirit, that will be the end of me, which is similar to what happens to a music star: the end of him/her if he is too greedy or if he loses the talent which brought him to success.

Of course, Elton John and everybody else is free to do as they please, and I am positive that concert pricing ideas are always debated among artists and their managers (that's why they never consult with me ), but I reserve the right to be free my way: if I play a song at home, I can do whatever I want, but if I am on stage, I have more obligations than one.

Other than that, Andean music is nice and proves that music is a universal language. 

mugtech wrote:

There is no fleecing involved, you know the product, you know the price.  Its up to you to decide if you want to spend the asking price for the product involved.  One can live without attending a concert, no matter what day the world ends.  As a result, Ecuador will continue to not get world class music.

You have a point, but the public always has the last say. Thank you for challenging me.
(I used to be a 16-year pro musician, guitarist, singer, band owner, composer AND teacher ... and I had the time of my life ....) 

I suppose it's up to the musicians to decide how best they want to earn a return on their skills, just as it's up to each of us to decide whether what they're asking is reasonable, and whether we want to expend our hard-earned money on their music.

Musicians (and the recording companies) have to make some changes in their marketing no doubt, since the easy availability of pirated music is cutting into one of their income streams.

On a similar note, I was shocked when in the Philippines that a Manila production of Phantom of the Opera was charging near-Broadway prices.

There is Andean music being performed in the street right outside my window at this moment (I am currently listening to a version of 'El Condor Pasa').

BobH wrote:

There is Andean music being performed in the street right outside my window at this moment (I am currently listening to a version of 'El Condor Pasa').

How nice .... Music is one thing which keeps us together in spirit ... 

So did anyone see Elton John on 2/15 at Cumbaya?  Does anybody know anyone who saw the concert?  Did anyone read about it or hear any rumors?

Thank you, mugtech! I downloaded the music by the group you mentioned and uncovered a few more on their associated store website. Very much appreciate your calling this to my attention.

DorothyPeck wrote:

Thank you, mugtech! I downloaded the music by the group you mentioned and uncovered a few more on their associated store website. Very much appreciate your calling this to my attention.

My pleasure, spread the word.
There were no South American bands this year at Musikfest in August
Hopefully I will have more info in 2015