Sueño is a dynamic group of Mexican-American musicians who play traditional conjunto music, the energetic accordion-dominated sound so important to the Tejano and Chicano communities throughout the United States. Sueño was born out of the desire of Cruz Rangel, the lead accordion and bajo sexto player, to pass his knowledge of the conjunto tradition on […]
Categories:
Nisha Joshi is a vocalist and sitar player who was born and raised in Rajasthan, India. Today, she performs both classical and folk repertoire at community concerts and festivals and in private homes during traditional Indian holiday celebrations in the Portland area. Many of the folk songs Joshi performs were learned in grammar school or […]
Categories:
Violinist Trinidad Marquez was born before the Mexican Revolution in the State of Michoacan, Mexico. He learned to play violin from his father starting at age four, and later played to accompany silent movies with his father’s orchestra. After moving to the United States, Marquez formed orchestras in both the Rio Grande Valley of Texas […]
Categories:
Manuel Cavazos, leader of Los Paisanos, has been playing to audiences in Southern Idaho for over ten years. With Los Paisanos, he focuses on corridos (ballads), rancheras, and boleros that bring instant recognition to anyone with roots in Mexican culture. The group typically plays for community and church-related events from weddings to company picnics. They […]
Categories:
Before settling in Portland, Oregon, Neftali Rivera was a professional musician in his native Puerto Rico. For several years there, he and his groups played popular dance music such as the meringue from the Dominican Republic. Later, he decided to return to his first love, the traditional music of Puerto Rico. In Portland, Rivera has […]
Categories:
Candelario Zamudio is a Mexican singer and requinto (five-string guitar) player who is originally from Gudalajara, Jalisco. Zamudio, who now lives in Portland, is a master guitarist with a florid, highly expressive style. Zamudio’s repertoire of over 300 compositions covers a vast range of traditional songs (rancheras, corridos, huapangoes, sones) as well as more contemporary […]
Categories:
Frank Ulwenya was born into the Luya ethnic group in the Maragoli area of Western Kenya, an area known for producing many of Kenya’s top musicians. Frank started to play guitar at age 10 and at 18 began to play in a group called the Sky Raiders, based in Nairobi, Kenya. From 1979 to 1985 […]
Categories:
Born in Pakro, in the eastern region of Ghana, Kofi Anang exhibited talent as both a dancer and musician from his youth. After graduating from the University of Ghana’s Institute of African Studies with honors, Kofi spent seven years with the Ghana National Dance Ensemble and performed throughout Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Having traveled […]
Categories:
Lora Chiorah-Dye was raised first in a traditional home and then at a mission in Zimbabwe. She first came to the United States in the 1970’s to join her then husband, Dumisani Maraire. Teaching her three children the marimba and mbira music of Zimbabwe, Lora began to create the nucleus of a musical ensemble. In […]
Categories:
Wawali Bonane was born in Banningville (now Bandundu), in the Democratic Republic of Congo (ex-Zaire). He was weaned on the sounds and rhythms of the Bandundu region. In 1966, Wawali dropped out of school with friend and partner Pepe Kalle, now one of Congo’s top stars, to form their first band, Les Monkoy. In 1974, […]
Categories:
Interested in working with Jack Straw as a resident artist, volunteer, teaching artist, or staff member?
|
Here you’ll find past podcasts from our Soundpages, Artist of the Week and Writers Programs. |
