Monday, April 27, 2009

convert-builders



Mexican Institute of Sound is all the rage for a number of reasons. 1) It is the creative product of Camilo Lara, the VP of Marketing from EMI Mexico, a guy who probably knows how to generate interest in Mexican music, 2) their live shows are convert-builders, given what I've heard after their JazzFest performance this past weekend, and 3) try to not love this music. (listen)



It made me think of when Amores Perros was in the theaters and everyone that saw it was an immediate, if temporary, convert to Mexican hip-hop. (listen) Particularly, this song right here.



A link through guitarist Gustavo Santaolalla who provides the instrumental score for Amores perros brought me to this fiery record by soprano Dawn Upshaw, tearing through two song cycles, the first by Osvaldo Golijov, and the second one by Luciano Berio. (listen) Much as I am a fan of the virtuoso pyrotechnics Berio brings out in an artist, it pales in comparison to her reading of Golijov in these two contrasting, consecutive pieces: "Una Madre Comió Asado" (A Mother Roasted her Child)



and "Tancas Serradas a Muru" (Walls are Encircling the Land)

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