Folklore Urbano Orchestra with Pablo Mayor (center, in the white shirt). (Photo via El Diario)
A fresh, original and innovative type of vallenato – unlike Shakira and Carlos Vives’ desperate “La bicicleta” – will be brought by Gregorio Uribe to the 13th Encuentro NYC festival, an annual event where the best Colombian musicians based in our city come together.
Aside from other great musicians like Uribe, Cali native pianist and composer Pablo Mayor and his wife, Anna Povich de Mayor – who both dreamed of promoting social change and progress through world music – are behind this project. With this aim in mind, Mayor arrived in New York 17 years ago, and started working as a teacher at the Boys & Girls Harbor conservatory in El Barrio. Alongside his own band, Folklore Urbano Orchestra, he has appeared on the best stages of the city and nearby areas, offering a fine sample of his country’s musical wealth.
We spoke to Pablo – who has turned into a sort of unofficial ambassador of Colombian music in New York – about this festival, a must-see for lovers of cumbia, vallenato, chirimía and good music.
How did the idea to create the festival come about?
The idea came up 13 years ago when Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, a very important group in Colombian traditional music, came to New York. I could not go to any of the two concerts they were playing, so I found a space, the former Taller Latinoamericano, so that they could perform again. I spoke to other Colombian musicians living in New York, thinking that we could have an exchange of sorts: We would play for the Gaiteros, have them play for us and, if anyone came to see us, we would charge something and give the Gaiteros the earnings; a gathering, if you will.
Was your first attempt successful?
Yes, yes. I organized it in two days, and more than 100 people showed up. It made me think that, indeed, there was interest. At the beginning, more than a festival it was a sort of workshop, a collaboration between musicians sharing rhythms and experiences.
What do you wish to communicate through these “encuentros” (gatherings)?
The philosophy always was and is to present the best Colombian music on New York’s best stages. We want to show our essence to the Colombian and international communities, so they can learn more about a country with a very diverse wealth of music.
What is this year’s main act?
Dance. We want to show the way people dance in each region of Colombia, since there are widely varied styles. For a long time, the mountains kept the different areas of our country isolated, and each region developed their own version of Colombia. This year, we are featuring choreographer Daniel Fetecua and his Pajarillo Pinta’o company, who have designed a tour of the country’s rhythms: how to dance the llanera music from the plains, the chirimía… We encourage people to come dressed in their region’s traditional outfit.
Is that why this year’s slogan is “let’s dance”?
That’s right. We want to do something really fun and show the different ways to enjoy music and folklore.
What is the process like of choosing the groups participating in the festival?
The event has grown quite a bit, and now we have to dedicate more time to each selection. In this case, because we wanted to feature different regions, we first narrowed down the different musical styles that we wanted to see represented, and then looked for the best group performing in that style. For instance, Nicolás Castañeda, a harpist specializing in the traditional joropo of the plains, Gregorio Uribe’s “new vallenato,” my band, Folklore Urbano Orchestra, will offer a touch of salsa, and Grupo Rebolú will close the party with their traditional Afro-Colombian rhythms from the Caribbean coast.
The Colombian musicians’ community in New York has grown a great deal in recent years. Why do you think this is the case?
Musicians need support and a platform to show their work, and that is what we have set out to do at Encuentro. From the start, we encouraged many musicians who had just arrived from Colombia to take part, to come and play, to meet the rest of the community… We also became a place to showcase their work on good stages, with high-quality sound and a very loyal audience.
What would you like the public attending Encuento to leave with?
With the joy that experiencing a Colombian party generates. We are warm and we know how to celebrate. So, don’t forget: Bring your dancing shoes!
Details
What? Encuentro NYC Colombian Music Festival
When? Saturday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 10 p.m.
Where? (Le) Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker St., Manhattan)
Tickets: $25, at www.lepoissonrouge.com