Chilean vocalist Claudia Acuña is a pioneer in the movement of South American musicians embracing jazz.
Courtesy of the artist
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Courtesy of the artist
Ever since I heard the Argentine saxophonist Gato Barbieri back in the Seventies, I’ve been fascinated by musicians from South America who found their way to jazz.
Lately there seems to be a strong showing of contemporary musicians from various Latin American countries who not only play jazz but also mix certain Latin American folk traditions into their sound.
So, this week I spoke with six of them: vocalist Claudia Acuña from Chile, Argentine vocalists Sofia Rei and Roxana Amed, Mexican vocalist Magos Herrera, guitarist/vocalist Camila Meza and tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana.
Each has a story about identity, living the jazz dream and how they came to jazz.
Hopefully you’ll use this roadmap to start your own journey into jazz, if you haven’t already.
– Felix
Music heard in this episode:
Claudia Acuña – “Prelude To A Kiss”
Sofia Rei – “El Gavilán”
Gato Barieri – “To Be Continued”
Roxana Amed – “Corazón delator”
Mangos Herrera – “Luz de Luna”
Camila Meza – “Utopia”
Melissa Aldana – “A Purpose”