Andean songs
Takillacta: Music of the People
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1. Pampa Lirima (R. Marquez) ……………………………………….
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4:53
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2. Laya(x) (Takillacta)………………………………………….. ……..
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0:55
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3. Huajra (A. Yupanqui)………………………………………………..
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3:34
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4. Tierra (O. Britos) ……………………………………………………
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4:17
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5. Balseros del Titicaca(+) (Traditional)……………………………...
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3:59
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6. Alma Andina(*) (Takillacta)……………...…………………………
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6:56
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7. Papel de Plata(+) (Traditional)…………………………………….
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4:06
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8. Preludio Andino (M. Najt)………………..…………………….…...
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3:12
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9. Camino de Llamas (U. Ramos)……….…………………………...
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4:20
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10. Guambrita Dulce(ø) (A. Flores)…………………………………..
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5:32
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11. Valz del sur del Bronx (R. Silva)……………..…………………..
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4:52
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12. Angel Jaco’s Song (H. Taninaka)…………..……………………
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8:13
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Total playing time: 52:09
All songs interpreted and arranged by Takillacta.
In the Quechua language, Takillacta means "song of the
people."
(x) "Laya" means, in
Argentine Gaucho slang, a colorful or distinct characteristic of a person or
thing. This style of music is usually played by the Gauchos on the guitar.
(+) These are traditional songs
from the Andes. The type of rhythm is called "Huayno."
(*) This song is from an anonymous
Andes melody called "Auqui Auqui." The flute and bombo rhythm at the
beginning of the song is a Baguala, traditional in the north region of
Argentina.
(ø) This song uses a rhythm and
melody from Ecuador called "San Juanito."
BAND MEMBERS
Arturo Flores (Perú): flutes, quenas, sikus, sampoñas.
Francisco Rodriguez (Chile): guitar, vocals.
Leider Dorado (Colombia): charango.
Lionel Sanders (Argentina): percussion, drums.
Hideji Taninaka (Japan): acoustic bass.
Maurizio Najt (Argentina): piano.
Zaida Aguilar (Perú): guest vocalist on Papel de Plata.
Produced by Lionel Sanders
Engineered by Perkin Barnes and Ken Shillington on ProTools
Mastered by Ronnie Thomas at MasterMix
Original drawing by Francisco ("Pancho") Rodriguez
Cover photo and insert pictures by Julio Sanders
Polaroid photos by Lionel Sanders
Recorded at 6/8 Studios in NYC, May 2002
INSTRUMENTS
Pre-Columbian flutes were originally made out of clay, bones
or silver. In modern times they are made of bamboo cane. Two types are used on
this album:
Sikus (also known as pan flutes) are bamboo pipes of
different lengths lashed together with leather or string. Each pipe sounds a
single tone when blown. Because of tuning limitations, it is traditional for a
single melody to be executed by two or more players trading notes from sikus in
different keys. Modern sikus are built on a chromatic scale so that one player
can play all the tones on a single instrument. Each size of sikus has a
different name. The ones used most frequently on this album are sampoñas.
Quena. This is a single piece of bamboo. It is played
vertically, with the fingers covering (or uncovering) nine holes. Instead of blowing
into a mouthpiece, the player blows through a notch in the top of the flute.
Charango is a stringed instrument created to resemble the
Spanish guitar. It is similar to a mandolin. Traditionally the body was made
from an Armadillo shell attached to a wooden neck, with five unison pairs of
nylon or metal strings.
Bombo is a low, deep percussion instrument from Argentina.
It is carved from a tree trunk and covered with goat or cow skin. A wooden rim
holds it together with leather strings that can be tightened to change the
tuning.
Spanish guitar, piano, acoustic bass and drum set are the
modern instruments used on this album. Their juxtaposition with the traditional
Andean instruments is the flavor and color on which Takillacta builds its
sound.
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Papel de Plata
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Spanish:
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English:
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Papel de plata
quisierá,
Plumita de oro
tuvierá,
Para escribir
una carta
A mi negra mas
queridá.
Hay palomita
hay corazoncito
Hasta cuando
estare yo sufriendo?
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Paper of silver I wish I had
A feather of gold I wish I had,
To write a letter
To my woman most beloved.
Ay, tender dove, ay, little
heart
Until when will I stay
suffering?
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Tierra (poem) by
Francisco Rodriguez
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Spanish:
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English:
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Camino tu
cuerpo tierra
Me mojo en tu
azul
Me como tu
verde
Deshago mis
dias en tu Amarillo
Paso a paso
con pies y guitarra
Con vos y
quenacho
Tomo cada
sueño que me das
Y lo hago flor
Piedrecita de
rio o canción.
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I walk your body, earth
I soak in your blue
I taste your green
Undo my days in your yellow
Step by step with feet and
guitar
With voice and flute
I grab each dream you give me
And I make it a flower,
A little pebble or a song.
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History of the group and the music
It dates back to the mid-eighties, when I was a newcomer to
New York City. One day I was walking down through Soho and heard music that was
familiar, but with a distinctive flavor in the sound. It turned out to be some
of my future bandmates playing on the street. What I was hearing was a new way
of expressing the folklore of our latitudes: Andean highlands and valleys;
Patagonia; South American pampas; and the Tateyama Mountains of Japan.
We, the members of Takillacta, come from different countries
and musical backgrounds: Perú, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Japan.
Beneath the sound of our music are the life stories and
traditions brought by each of us from those distinct places. This project is a
reflection of those backgrounds and the folklore carried in each of us, the
memories of which have nurtured us through our years of living in New York, the
city where you can’t escape blending with so many people and cultures. This
album is dedicated to the native people of the Americas, and to artists and
poets of all backgrounds who embrace tradition while letting it grow into new
forms.
Lionel Sanders
New York, NY
June 2002
