New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Young Roots Performance Series) Singer-songwriters Raquel Z. Rivera and Catarina dos
Santos will present an evening-length work titled The Mermaid's Feet as part of The Young
Roots Performance Series at Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, May 6 and 7.
The Young Roots Performance Series showcases emerging artists experimenting with the artistic roots of Afro-Latino traditions to create new branches that reach into the future. The series was made possible by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation's highly selective New York City Cultural Innovation Fund 2010-12, which supports creativity and the arts, with an emphasis on innovation.
Presented by the Hostos Center, The Mermaid's Feet is a collaborative effort between East Harlem-based vocalists Catarina dos Santos and Raquel Z. Rivera who draw on roots music of the Afro-Ibero-American world, highlighting women's experiences. The project title makes reference to the female-centeredness of dos Santos' and Rivera's music and to the ocean that touches all the countries whose musical traditions they draw from: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Portugal, Cape Verde and Angola. Rivera is a practitioner of the Caribbean salve, bomba and jibaro traditions; Dos Santos' work blends Portuguese, North East Brazilian, Cape Verdean and Angolan musical languages such as samba de roda, afoxe, batuku, and semba, in a innovative collaboration with Brazilian, Portuguese, and African musicians.
Catarina dos Santos will be accompanied by her band featuring Marcos Vigio (guitar), Ze Rui de Pina (cavaquinho), Leco Reis (bass), Mick Trovoada (percussion), Gil Oliveira (percussion), and of course, Raquel Z. Rivera. Special guests capoeiristas Contramestre Alemao and Graduado Ra.
Raquel Z. Rivera will be accompanied by Ojos de Sofia featuring Bryan Vargas (musical director, guitar and cuatro), Yasser Tejeda (guitar), Donald Nicks (bass), Camilo Molina-Gaetan (percussion), Jonathan Troncoso (percussion), Kaila Paulino (background vocals) and, of course, Catarina dos Santos.
