Land Of Incas

Description

EDITORIAL REVIEWS Inkuyo, a group of accomplished musicians, brings the ancient instruments and songs of the majestic Andean highlands and of their Incan heritage, firmly into the 20th century. They take their name and inspiration from a remote mountain village high in the heart of the Andes where the people live as their ancestors have lived for centuries, and where music is an integral part of daily life. Performing on the quena (a resonant cane flute), an assortment of pan-pipes, Andean drums and other percussion instruments, as well as specially constructed versions of the guitar, violin, harp, and tiple (introduced by the Spanish), the members of Inkuyo conjure a heady atmosphere of scintillating melodies and spicy, South American rhythms. The nineteen selections featured cover a vast musical territory inspired by Incan legends and the music of various tribes that pre-dated, or descended from, this great culture. Included on this recording are festive dances from Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, pre-Colombian melodies, Andean love songs, and the music of the Callawaya, an isolated society of medicine men and magicians who retain to this day the ancient mystical knowledge and musical forms of the Incas. The recording also provides an example of tradition in transition, offering modern compositions inspired by the Chilean New Song movement, and folk-inspired originals from the members of Inkuyo. ABOUT THE ARTIST An internationally recognized virtuoso of pan-pipes and South American flutes, Inkuyo founder Gonzalo Vargas, inherited his traditional musical knowledge growing up in the remote Andean village of Tapajkari, Bolivia. His desire to perform, study, and teach his ancestral music led him to work with numerous ensembles in his native land. He then played a key role in introducing Andean music to the United States and Canada as one of the founders of Sukay. In creating Inkuyo, Vargas brought together the talents of musicians who are well versed in the Andean musical heritage. Pamela Darington, a fifth generation Californian, studied South American cultures and languages in college. In 1983, as part of the group Takisun, she began performing with Vargas at festivals and concerts in the Bay area. Jorge Tapia and Omar Sepulveda are both Chilean refugees. For Tapia, music is a way of remaining close to his Chilean roots. A founder of Kamanchaka, he has helped cultivate awareness of the plight of the Chilean people. Sepulveda performed with Venceremos, Kamanchaka, and Sukay before joining Inkuyo in 1988. Inkuyo's reordings for Celestial Harmonies/Fortuna Records are Land of the Incas (17064-2), Temple of the Sun (17080-2), The Double-Headed Serpent (13070-2), Art from Sacred Landscapes (13088-2), Ancient Sun (13093-2), Window to the Andes (13173-2) and Pachakuti: The Overturning of Space-Time (13276-2).