PEROU
NEGRA
LUCY ACEVEDO
As
far back as she can remember, music has been a vital part of Lucy Acevedo's
world. Even as a small child, she would listen carefully to every sound
that came her way. At school, unknown to her teachers, she would sit in
class with a notebook on her knee, learning the words of her favourite
songs. As a little girl of seven, she watched with admiration as the young
contestants to part in a talent competition held in her home town of Callao,
Peru's principal seaport (west of Lima) and the birthplace of the canción
criolla (Creole song). The winner had practically been chosen when a guitarist
friend of the family lifted her onto the stage and asked her to sing ‘Con
tanto a Dios’, a ballad by a famous group of that time, Los Angeles
Negros. Her success was immediate! She carried off the prize (a small
sum of money), which she proudly took to show to her mother.
After a chance début, Lucy Acevedo thus embarked on a long musical
career, devoted to Peruvian song. For some years her repertoire consisted
mainly of boleros, baladas and vals, genres that were then more popular
with audiences than the music of Peru's Black population. Yet Lucy Acevedo
was truly in her element with música negra, and with this genre
she took her talents as a singer to their height.
With a voice that is not only strong and vigorous, but also sensuous and
moving, Lucy Acevedo was soon regarded in Peru as the worthy descendant
of great stars such as Lucha Reyes, Eva Ayllón and Chabuca Granda
(she worked for some time with the latter). Between Callao and Lima she
learned to master the art of música costeña, or ‘coastal
music’ (as opposed to the ‘highland music’ of the Andes).
She demonstrated her creativity and energy all over Peru, then in Brazil,
Chile, Mexico, the United States (New York, Los Angeles, San Diego), and
finally Europe (Germany, Italy, Switzerland). Fifteen years or so after
her first visit to Europe, she continues to accomplish what she calls
her ‘mission’, presenting, revitalising and promoting Afro-Peruvian
music. And she is accompanied by a group of most talented musicians…
ARTISTES : Lucy Acevedo, chant - Paco Chambi, guitare - Hugo Zegarra, percussions - Orlando Rodriguez, contrebasse, seconde guitare - Mery Sarapura, choeurs - Jaime Ramirez, choeurs, castagnettes - Aurélien Gattegno, flûte traversière.
Other Artists : Ensemble Kaboul, Soungalo Coulibaly, Ensemble Aznach , Xhemali Berisha, Junko Ueda, Nelson Rojas, José de la Negreta, Parvathy Baul, Marina Pittau. NEWS : Prem Kishor, Maciré Sylla
Other Discs : Nastaran, Dengo, Zoura, Hapi Syté, Satsuma-Biwa, Bulenga, Sueno Gitano, Radha Bhava, Raighinas
New release : Varanasie Ras, Sarefi