Tag Archives: M.A.K.U Soundsystem

M.A.K.U. SoundSystem: A NY Immigrant Band’s New CD Release

M.A.K.U. SoundSystemArtist: M.A.K.U. SoundSystem
Title: Mezcla
Label: Glitterbeat Records (Germany)
Genre: Cumbia/Afro Beat/Club

Review by Dawoud Kringle

The self described “immigrant band from New York City” M.A.K.U. SoundSystem has released a new album; Mezcla. The members are Liliana Conde (vocals, percussion), Juan Ospina A.K.A Prodigio Arribetiao (vocals, bass), Camilo Rodriguez (guitar, gaitas), Robert Stringer (trombone), Felipe Quiroz (synthesizers), Moris Cañate (tambor alegre), Andres Jimenez (drums), and Isaiah Richardson Jr. (sax, clarinet). Since their beginning in 2010 M.A.K.U. has released two albums, an EP, and toured the U.S.

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iPhone interview: M.A.K.U. SoundSystem Colombia’s nu voice!

Interview by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

This year, the energy will reach new heights with the newest voice on the world stage, M.A.K.U.SoundSystem (featured at NY’s globalFEST 2011). They are one of my favorite bands of this year. Their driving rhythms are grounded in Afro- Colombian traditions and their gaitas come from Colombia’s indigenous heritage (like their name), as they present their music with the freedom of young Colombians hailing from urban Queens.

I interviewed them backstage for the second time after their show at the Encounter NYC Colombian Music Festival at Le Poisson Rouge, November 10, 2012. (First interview here.)

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Festival review: the 9th Annual Encuentro NYC Colombian Music Festival 2012

Date: November 10, 2012
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge
By Dawoud Kringle

On Saturday, November 10, 2012, Le Poisson Rouge  played host to the 9th Annual Encuentro NYC Colombian Music Festival. The festival, produced by Pablo and Anna Mayor, was brilliantly conceived, and efficiently executed. The musical acts covered an astonishing spectrum of different styles and combinations of genres. It was announced that a percentage of CD sales donated to hurricane relief effort in New York.

In American music history studies, much has been said about the influence Latin music had on jazz. It works both ways. One of the very noticeable things was how the music the groups offered shows clearly how deeply American jazz influenced and changed the music of Latin America.

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Interview: the Colombian flute duo Camilo & Juan from Queens

Date: March 27, 2012
Location: Central Park

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Another Monday in my life… I had nothing to do, although I had something to do. Just got on a bus from the Upper West Side and let the bus take me to Columbus Circle. I looked for a coffee shop but couldn’t find something nice. So I decided to check out the park. From far I heard flute sounds which made me to enter the park. Eventually I found two flute players who were standing on a small hill. I went close and listened to their musi for a while.  After a while I decided to talk to them and took my iPhone out from my pocket and interviewed them. The interview was very easy going. I asked them to talk about themselves and their music.

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