Afro-America Project - Venezuela comes to London

UPDATE: Tonight 10 May at 7:30 p.m. - Free Concert by Wilmer Sifontes & his Afro-American Project at the Venezuelan Cultural Centre in Bolivar Hall - 54-56 Grafton Way London, W1T 5DL

There was a time in the UK when it was impossible to find Venezuelan folk music, either live or on CD, and you had to rely on friends to burn off some tracks for you or travel to Venezuela to hear it for yourself somewhere warm and exotic like Choroni.

Thankfully, those days are over with the arrival on the scene of an exciting new band led by the Venezuelan master percussionist Wilmer Sifontes.

Called the "Afro-American Project", the group is made up of professional musicians and talented newcomers who are determined to bring the full-on experience of a Venezuelan folk fiesta to the people of the UK.

The clip shows Wilmer and his group playing a medley of Afro-Venezuelan songs, including calypsos from the southern gold-mining town of El Callao, and the kind of tambores from the coast that you can hear in Choroni on a typical Friday night.

If you want to know how true tambores is danced in these small fishing villages watch the girl with the curls swinging her hips at the end of the video.

Wilmer is already well-known on the Latin-London music scene as the percussionist for Conjunto Sabroso and the The Charlys Orchestra.

But now he is determined to spread the news about Venezuelan music to a wider audience and sees the Afro-American Project as a way to get more musicians interested in learning and performing Venezuela's rich legacy of African and Afro-Caribbean roots music.

For more information about the band or to book them for a Venezuelan, South American, or Caribbean themed event contact Wilmer Sifontes

Dudamel and SBSO play Mahler at 2011 Proms

Such is the fame of the Venezuelan classical music conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra that when tickets went on sale in May for their 5 August appearance at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall they sold out in three hours.
After setting the Proms alight four years ago with an impassioned performance of Venezuela's unofficial anthem Alma Llanera the orchestra showed a subtler side to their talents this time by taking on Mahler's Second Symphony, "Resurrection".
But the audience reaction to the orchestra's Mahler was equally ecstatic with a 15-minute standing ovation for the Venezuelan musicians.
"The capacity crowd, I should say, cheered and cheered and didn’t want the Venezuelans to leave.  Who knows, maybe they’re still there, dancing the mambo; I had to retreat to write this review," noted Geoff Brown of the Arts Desk, an online reviews website. 
Peter Reed of the Classical Music website was equally rapturous in his review: "With an orchestra of 170 (plus the 12-strong off-stage band), the quality of the playing – its freshness, maturity, clarity, attack and responsiveness – was thrilling, with any number of solos to make you go weak at the knees in admiration for the way these musicians were so inside Mahler’s soundworld, with playing so soft as to become almost a figment of aural imagination, and with the sell-out audience so quiet that a pin, let alone a mobile phone chirrup (save in the second movement), would have sounded like an explosion."
Writing in the Guardian newspaper, music critic Guy Dammann highlighted Dudamel's continuing influence on the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra and the special relationship between the two:
"At the centre of this whirlwind, of course, was Dudamel, whose talents grew with this orchestra, were honed by the Gothenburg Symphony, and are being tested by the LA Phil. But his relationship with the Bolivars is special. Conducting from memory and less concerned with pushing boundaries in interpretation than with simply getting the best out of his players, he inhabits both score and orchestra, offering a seamless conduit between the two."

Venezuela Viva! dance extravaganza comes to UK

UPDATE: Tickets now on sale half price if you book direct from the Red Cross on 020 7877 7115

Incorporating a vibrant fusion of folk music, dance and history, "Venezuela Viva" is one of the most ambitious musical extravaganzas ever produced in Venezuela.

Luckily for us, it will be coming to the London Palladium on October 10th 2011 for a one-off charity event on behalf of the International Fundraising Committee of the British Red Cross.

Created by Carolina Lizarraga and featuring master harpist Carlos Orozco, the show electrified audiences in Edinburgh in 2005 when it played at the Scottish capital's famous annual arts festival.

"The show masquerades as a history lesson, tracing the birth of a nation from Spanish conquest to independence and beyond... but don’t be fooled; it’s one big party!", wrote an excited reviewer in the Guardian.

Anna Millar of The Scotsman newspaper was also bowled over by the show... "this large-scale spectacular celebrates Venezuelan life with gorgeous dancing girls, sensational Caribbean salsa and South American rhythms as 12 dancers and 12 musicians create a dazzling fantasy of flamenco passion and tropical energy."

Hugely ambitious in scope, "Venezuela Viva!" traces the evolution of Venezuelan folk music from its roots in four continents: the Arab culture of the Moors, who ruled most of Spain for nearly 800 years; the rhythms and vocal stylings of the fandanguillo de Malaga, flamenco and cante jondo brought to Venezuela by the Spanish conquistadors; the indigenous music of the native inhabitants of the New World played on flutes and maracas in sacred ceremonies overseen by shamans; and the hip-shaking drum dances of Africa, kept alive on sugar and cocoa plantations by the descendants of slaves.

Now bigger and even more spectacular than the Edinburgh shows, it features 25 dancers from Carolina Lizarraga's dance troupe supported by 10 musicians on stage playing everything from flamenco to modern salsa.

"From 1492 to the present day, the pictures, with voiceover, spin through 19 short scenes, journeying across continents and centuries, charting a history of wars, conquests and discoveries," wrote Lynne Walker in the Independent. "Each stage is portrayed in vivid choreography, danced with equal measures of grace and exuberance... As the show ends, you just want to jump on the next plane to Venezuela."

A UK tour organized by Theatre Productions Limited will follow the London Palladium show, although the dates and venues have yet to be released.

Tickets are on sale from £27.50 for Upper Circle seats, £65 for the Royal Circle and Stalls and £105 for the top priced Royal Circle and Stalls seats.

VIP tickets are also on sale from the Red Cross at £250, including top-price seats, an interval reception and post-show party in the presence of the artists

UPDATE: Tickets now on sale half price if you book direct from the Red Cross on 020 7877 7115

Venue: London Palladium
Date: 10 October 2011
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: www.seetickets.com or call the British Red Cross 0207-877-7115

Palmeras Kanibales - Venezuelan ska in London

Palmeras Kanibales are a Venezuelan group that fuses reggae, ska and rocksteady with Caribbean rhythms. Catch them on the London leg of their 6th European tour where they will present their new album and play three special gigs: an acoustic session and live Q&A at Bolivar Hall on the 12 August, plus two gigs with all the trimmings at the Hootananny in Brixton on 13 August and the underground warehouse venue Passing Clouds in Dalston, Hackney, on 14 August.

In the meantime, here's a video of the group playing "La Culebra".

Video: Desorden Publico - Monkey Ska

Video: Desorden Publico - New album

Atkinson - Asi es Como Te Amo

Venezuelan rock group Atkinson have a go at Mariachi chic on "Asi es Como Te Amo", the first single from their debut album "La Banda".

Shot in a hairdressing salon in Caracas, the video was directed by Peter Ponk (Pedro Gonzalez) and features cameos by Julio "Chulius" Briceño, lead singer of Los Amigos Invisibles, Danel Sarmiento, the drummer of Desorden Publico, singer Nana Cadavieco and scenester Ingrid Dreissig, among others.

Los Amigos Invisibles in London - 9 July

London is bracing for a Venezuelan invasion as Los Amigos Invisibles prepare to rock the UK capital to its ultra-funk foundations with a single live show on 9 July at the Clapham Grand (21-25 St John's Hill, Clapham Junction, SW11 1TT). Tickets are on sale through Ticketweb.com at £20.

To get a taste of the full Amigos experience, here's a video of the track 'En Cuatro' taken at a recent LAI concert in Argentina, where the boys blew the place apart with a trawl through their back catalogue.

After 19 years of creating infectious dance music the Invisible Friends show no signs of slowing down. Their latest CD 'Comercial' won them a Latin Grammy.

Video: Los Amigos Invisibles - Mentiras

Video: Los Amigos Invisibles cover of Los Fabulosos Cadillac's "Mal Bicho"

Video: Los Amigos Invisibles - Diablo

Video: Los Amigos Invisibles - Cuchi Cuchi

Video: Los Amigos Invisibles - Playa Azul

Video: Max and Jason have lunch with Los Amigos Invisibles

To buy the new CD 'Commercial' click here:
MP3 tracks from Los Amigos Invisibles:

Venezuelan fiesta in London- 13/03/2010

Vamos a rumbear! The Venezuelan community in England will be congregating at London's Abacus Bar on Saturday, 13 March, for the second big, sweaty fiesta of the year.

With DJ Hernan Atencio spinning the hottest tropical tunes, Ron Santa Teresa providing the rum cocktails and Arepa & Co serving up typical snacks like arepitas and tequeños, Venezuelan partygoers can look forward to a big night out.

The party is being organized by Venenin (Venezolanos en Inglaterra), a social group that caters for Venezuelan expatriates in the UK, and a big crowd is expected.

Doors open at 9 p.m. and hardcore revellers can dance their way thru to 4 a.m. Admission is £7 before 11 p.m. and £10 after.

Abacus Bar is located in the City of London at 24 Cornhill (EC3V 3ND), a short stroll from Bank tube station.

For more information go to http://www.venenin.co.uk or check out the Venenin page on Facebook.

Venezuelan fiesta in London- 30/01/2010

Vamos a rumbear! The Venezuelan community in England will be fleeing from the chilly weather and heading off to London's Abbey Bar on Saturday, 30 January, for the first big, sweaty fiesta of the year.

With DJ Hernan Atencio spinning the hottest tropical tunes, Ron Santa Teresa providing the rum cocktails and Arepa & Co serving up typical snacks like arepitas and tequeños, Venezuelan partygoers can look forward to a big night out.

The party is being organized by Venenin (Venezolanos en Inglaterra), a social group that caters for Venezuelan expatriates in the UK, and a big crowd is expected.

Doors open at 9 p.m. and hardcore revellers can dance their way thru to 4 a.m. Admission is £7 before 11 p.m. and £10 after.

Abbey Bar is located in the City of London at 30-33 Minories, a short stroll from Tower Hill or Aldgate tube stations.

For more information go to http://www.venenin.co.uk or check out the Venenin page on Facebook.

Nana Cadavieco - No Hay

"No Hay" is the first single from Venezuelan singer-songwriter Nana Cadavieco's debut solo album "Expose".

A small singer with a big voice, Nana has performed in the past with Gaelica and Masseratti 2lts, but her solo effort stands on its own, thanks to Nana's smart, sassy, indie-chick attitude and some great songs.

The album, produced by Erik Aldrey and mastered in London by Richard "Dick" Beetham, also features some tracks in English as the singer felt the musicality of the English words better suited the sentiments she wanted to express.

The video, directed by Hector Orbegoso, shows Nana swinging around Caracas and takes her from a wind-driven Alejandro Otero sculpture to a spinning car wash.

Cadavieco has already presented the album in a series of shows in Spain and plans to come back to Europe in the new year after a tour of major Venezuelan cities. She may even come to London in 2010 if we're lucky.

To purchase a copy of the Nana Cadavieco's CD "Expose" click here:



Track Listing:
1. Rincon
2. No Hay
3. Cancion de Cuna
4. Voy Por Ti
5. Let Me Go
6. Shanti
7. Drive Alone (Part I)
8. Drive Alone (Part II)
9. Posicion Fetal
10. Aqui & Ahora

Desorden Publico: Monkey Ska

Venezuela's favourite ska band Desorden Publico came to London to play a show in 2005 and decided to make this video of a Derek Harriot number. For some reason they also decided to feature the distinctive double-decker buses of the capital.

Sadly, it was 7th of July and the London tube and buses were hit by suicide bombings that very same day.

The band finished the video but the gig was cancelled and their tour over. This excellent cover of a ska classic appears on their 2007 album: "Estrellas del Caos".

The video was filmed and edited by Ignacio Crespo.

Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra - Albert Hall 2007

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra had the usually sedate audience at the Royal Albert Hall in London stomping their feet for more when they played the Proms on 19 August.

The programme included works by Shostakovich, Leonard Bernstein and some Latin American classics.

For the climactic finale the orchestra added a bright splash of colour by changing into their Venezuelan-flag jackets and gave London a true taste of the mambo.

Unbelievable. The press reaction after the concert was ecstatic. Wish I’d been there.... I had to settle for BBC4.

Video: Gustavo Dudamel interviewed at the Proms in 2007

CD review: "Fiesta" Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela

To download tracks from the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra's latest album "Fiesta" click here: