Direct from Venezuela
Eleggua
Thursday July 19, 2007
$12 adv. $14 dr. - 8pm
Direct from Venezuela a 10-women percussion and vocal group Eleggua, direct descendants of African slaves who cultivated cocoa and coffee in Venezuela’s Barlovento, on the central coast. These women are dedicated to researching and rescuing the purest African roots in their music. Eleggua Group fuses African polyrhythmic percussion and all-Spanish vocals.
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ELEGGUA is a 10-woman percussion and vocal group that are direct descendants of African slaves that cultivated cocoa and coffee in the Barlovento region on the central coast of Venezuela. These talented women are dedicated to researching and preserving the purest African roots in their music. The ELEGGUA Group fuses their traditional African polyrhythmic percussion with all-Spanish vocals.
The performers include: Belen Maria Palacios, a 72-year-old mother and grandmother, plays the quitipilas, a musical instrument that she preserves in her town. She was declared Cultural Alive Patrimony by Miranda State in May 2004.
Nelsy Rivero teaches reading and writing in "Misión Robinson" and has performed with the group since 1995, as a dancer and singer. She serves as the coordinator and administrator of the group and plays the maracas, the chequere, among other instruments of percussion.
Karelys Colmenares joined the group because as a child she was inspired by her Aunt Belen, who taught her the secrets of playing the quitipilas. She recently graduated from high school and would like to continue studying outside of Barlovento.
Calixta Palacios inherited the gift of playing the quitipilas from her mother Belen. As a performer in Eleggua, she studied percussion where she plays various instruments. Like her mother, Calixta sows and harvests cacao in the fields.
Glendys Verde is a singer and a brilliant percussionist playing many different percussive instruments.
Heeidy Rondon began singing with Eleggua in 1995 and in 1997 competed in the National "INCE" Voice Festival, where the group was the unquestionable winner. Heeidy takes voice classes with the recognized Professor Yanni William, at the Biggot Foundation.
Kalenka Velazquez has a college degree in marketing and became part of the Eleggua group in 2006 as a singer and percussionist. She is a born American, but her parents are Venezuelan. Since 2000, she studied Venezuelan Cultural Manifestations at the Biggot Foundation, where she has specialized in singing and percussion studies.
Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez will present opening remarks at the July 9th at 7:00 pm. (Monday) free concert. A reception will follow immediately after the performance at the Guadalupe Theater.
