Front Row, Center, Saturday, October 16, 2010

Julio Ledezma is featured playing the charango, a small South American stringed instrument of the lute family, traditionally made with the shell of the back of an armadillo.

Saturday, October 16, 2010
Spaghettini, Seal Beach, CA
Huayucaltia (why-you-cal-tee-ah)

Guitar: Ciro Hurtado (Lima, Peru)
Vocals, quarto, quena: Cindy Harding (Palo Alto, CA)
Bass: Guillermo Guzman (Columbia)
Keyboardist & accordion (Gary Johnson Oklahoma)
Drums: Julio Ledezma (Misiones, Argentina)
Percussion: Hernan Pinilla (Bogota, Columbia)

I arrived in time for sound check and it went something like this~
An eclectic mix of vibrantly-colored blankets draped the four percussion-laden tables that skirted the stage. I was instantly enamored by the Peruvian vibe. Percussionist Hernan Pinilla dabbled in the Chascas (strings of shells) hung on a wrought iron rack behind him.
Anonymous~
“Dos, dos.”
Vocalist/musician Cindy Harding~
“I can’t hear anything out of this monitor. We don’t have a pick-up mic here for the cajon.”
The intimacy of their sound check crowd prompted Cindy’s family like greeting.
Harding~
“How are you guys doin’? Thanks for comin’ down!”
Percussionist Hernan Pinilla opened on the Zampona (flute-like instrument). The vibe of the beat, married worldly culture and was just plain fun.
Cindy~
“Is there a separate mix? He wants to hear everything, including the bass. Ciro wants to hear everything basically! They’d like more guitar in the back monitor.”
Drummer Julio ran over for a quick hug, every band member made certain to say hello or offer a handshake. Julio talked to me about Bombo Leguero (drum) while band members scattered.

Light’s up! Vienna took the stage.
Vienna~
“Hello, hello! Good evening and welcome to Spaghettini! Are you ready? I’m Vienna, also known as jazziegirl from KSBR. We’re celebrating twenty-five years of making music. This group performs Latin, flamenco, rock and classic music with a modern twist to it. They’ve been playing for twenty-five years. Please, put your hands together for, Huayucaltia (why-you-cal-tee-ah).”
Vocalist and musician Cindy Harding~
“Hello and good evening! It’s a pleasure to be here. We all fit like a puzzle on the stage. Four of us have been together for twenty-five years. We’re veterans of jazz fusion. We use authentic instruments and write about hopes, dreams with concern about the world we live in today. We dedicate this to the indigenous. She elaborated about their original tunes and offered the opener Apurimac Sikuri.
Guitarist Ciro Hurtado~
“One, two, uno, dos, tres!”
Exotic jungle noises filled the air. The tune had an eclectic yet edgy tune. Ciro Hurtado’s genius guitar finger work flattered his musicianship. My speechless pen prompted a video.
Ciro~
“Julio is going to be playing the cajon (a sit-on wooden box drum) on this afro-peruvian tune. Q, can you give me a little more monitor on my guitar? Uno, dos, tres!”
Cindy opened by playing a quarto (tiny four-string guitar) while drummer Julio Ledezma offered a La Bamba-rich solo. Ciro played nothing but guitar perfection.
Julio~
“Nice!”
Cindy~
“We are short on microphones tonight. We are Huayucaltia and we’re very happy to be here! We’re here on the border of LA Orange County? We’re gonna do a lot of Latin music. Where ever you’re from, we’re gonna play your music!”
Ciro~
“Uno, dos, tres!”
Cindy’s vocals on Remollnos del Azare were remarkable. The exotic bird-like percussion empowered their vibe leaving bodies swaying long after each tune ended. At song’s conclusion the audience went completely nuts.
Cindy~
“This is a song, Julio, our percussionist (drummer) wrote for his daughter. She’s in law school now! This group has outlasted all of our marriages. Sometimes it feels like it’s a marriage. We’ve been together for a long time. Cindy’s vocals drizzled honey across the stage with her rendition of Para Aymara. Her quena playing was literally out-of-this-world (strummed bamboo instrument with four-six holes in the front and one in the back)!
Cindy~
“Thank you! We hope you’re enjoying this! I’m gonna give it to Ciro!”
Ciro~
“The cajon drum emits an erotic sway dance. So, if you wanna sway your hits have a couple of hits of tequila!”
Julio wrapped his legs around the cajon and reinvented drumming with his thump. The primal rhythm of his solo’s bone-chilling rhythm sent a chill up my spine.
Hurtado~
“High return! High return! We’re Huayucaltia and we’re celebrating the twenty-five years we’ve been together. That’s a long time! This is Suavecito! Cindy and Hernan Pinilla paired their vocals with a percussion volley that stood itself on end.
Cindy~
“This is one of our new pieces. We haven’t even recorded it yet! We have a number of recordings out and his is called Sueno Andino. Cindy’s zampona (authentic wind instrument similar to a pan flute) mysteriously surrounded the venue like a cocoon.
Ciro~
“The next piece we’d like to do for you tonight, well, is anyone from Peru here tonight?” He introduced the band and joked about them all crossing the border illegally. He shared history about an Inca emperor, Atahaulpa. “So, we wrote this song. It’s sad. They killed him.”
Drummer Julio took front stage, center and played one of the most emotional pieces of music I’ve ever experienced. His solo featured the charango, a small South American stringed instrument of the lute family, traditionally made with the shell of the back of an armadillo. His unique groove told the story of his heritage.
Cindy~
“So, we’re gonna do one more piece before we take a break. We’re gonna be selling CD’s and giving away twenty-fifth anniversary posters. This last piece we’re gonna do is the Inca word for messenger.” She talked about resident marathon runner’s travels up and down the mountain. “We’re gonna end this first set with Chaski.”
This cut’s soundtrack groove brought the big screen to us. Ciro’s intensity accented by percussion frenzy split the stage wide open, mimicking a Peruvian Independence Day celebration. Energetic chair dancing clapped to the shimmy of the Chascas (threaded clusters of shells). The earthy beat left me speechless. Ciro reintroduced the band, then made a joke about Gary Johnson living in Oklahoma.
Ciro~
“Thank you!”
During the second set Julio’s solo with the Bombo Leguero was spectacular! (This instrument is an Argentine drum traditionally made of a hollowed tree trunk and covered with cured skins of animals such as goats). Huayacaltia’s finale invited special guest Jojo from Mission Viejo, CA to the stage. The steady beat of his conga, paired with a double-flute finale and accordion of Gary Johnson sprinkled Latin confetti into the party atmosphere. People were and clapping as Cindy Harding vocals, Ciro Hurtado’s seasoned guitar playing and the spicy Hernan percussion flair gifted culture from every corner of the globe. Their entire performance reiterated the translation of their name~unity. These true musicians did justice to El Salvador, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and more by expertly working their craft. Thank you Huayucaltia for sharing the music of the world with us tonight.
© October 2009 Lynn M. Olson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED