Folklore de Bolivia [Bonus Tracks]

Performers include: N. Soruco, M. Gutierrez, R.S. Moreno.
Personnel: Basilio Huaracho, Omar Hoyos (vocals, guitar, charango, percussion); Mario Gutierrez (vocals, guitar, pan flute, drums); Hery Cortez (vocals, guitar, drums); Ricardo Mendoza (vocals, panpipes, percussion); Jean Milan (percussion).
Audio Mixer: Ingo Schütte.
Liner Note Author: Diz Heller.
Recording information: Lamplight Studio, Hamburg, Germany.
Translators: Diz Heller; Jeannine Blanpain.
Andean music has a clear and stereotypical sound, built upon the ubiquitous pan pipes, bomba drum, and the ironically-not-traditional charango lute. Los Rupay, a band out of Bolivia, produce outstanding music well within the core sound on this album. They move from fully traditional tracks (with the European-introduced strings) to more Spanish-influenced dances; they wail, they croon, they jitter throughout the scales. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but that isn't the point of a traditional folkloric album. The key is to maintain the mood of past cultures and performances, and to perform well enough to do justice to the traditions. Los Rupay does both in spades. While they occasionally veer into newer territory with harmonized choruses and Mexican-themed vocal serenades, they stick close to the traditions for the most part. Perhaps more importantly, though, the performances by the small ensemble are stunning. There's nary a note missed or an accompaniment left alone. Each performer knows their part perfectly, but more spectacularly play in formation with the others--this is fine music, and a decent starting point for a basic Andean introduction.