With families across South Florida preparing to celebrate Black History Month 2011, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, now celebrating its Fifth Anniversary Season, is honoring the African Diaspora in Latin America with FESTEJO: PERU NEGRO & EVA AYLLON on February 4 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. Another highly-anticipated installment in the Adrienne Arsht Center’s 2010-2011 World Music Series, this special evening will celebrate 40 years of PERU NEGRO’s sensational Afro-Peruvian performances with special guest EVA AYLLON, the undisputed voice of Afro-Peruvian music for more than 40 years!
The Lima-based, legendary ensemble PERU NEGRO honors the musical legacy of the African Diaspora combined with the heritage of Peru, with celebratory dances and vibrant live music that turn every stage into a festejo (party). The group’s music combines African, Spanish and Andean harmonies and rhythms in a genre known as musica criolla. Performances feature extraordinary dancers, throbbing percussion, melodic guitar and passionate singing – a combination that is the heart of Afro-Peruvian music. This high-energy performance will feature traditional Peruvian instruments such as the cajón, a wooden box-like drum instrument; the batá, a double-headed Afro-Cuban drum; and the unmistakable quijada de burro, the dried jawbone of a donkey (teeth included), which can be used as a scraper, a rattle, or a percussive instrument when struck with the palm.
Affectionately known as the Peruvian Tina Turner, Grammy-nominated EVA AYLLON has a husky, elegant voice that embodies the very soul of Afro-Peruvian music. Her 30-year career has spanned the globe, establishing AYLLON as the ultimate interpreter of the lando, a passionate musical expression of Afro-Peruvian pride. With more than 20 albums to her credit and countless accolades, AYLLON is one of the great figures of today’s Latin music.
“Pair Peru Negro’s talents with the incomparable Eva Ayllon and you’re in for quite the party. Festejo is a phenomenal showcase of the music and dance that has come to represent the rich cultural heritage of Peru,” said M. John Richard, President and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center. “The Adrienne Arsht Center is thrilled to be able to give our culturally diverse community an opportunity to experience this level of artistry on a single stage.”
Tickets range from $30 to $65 and are on sale now through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office, by calling (305) 949-6722 or visiting www.arshtcenter.org.
CALENDAR LISTING
The Adrienne Arsht Center presents
FESTEJO: PERU NEGRO & EVA AYLLON
“a nonstop carnival of rhythm!” –LA Times
Eva Ayllon, “The Tina Turner of Afro-Peruvian music (LA Times),” joins Peru Negro’s high-energy show—a spectacular mash-up of celebratory dances and vibrant live music celebrating the 40th anniversary of Peru’s official “Ambassadors of Culture.”
February 4, 2011 at 8 pm
Knight Concert Hall
Adrienne Arsht Center
1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33132
Tickets: $30 – $65
For reservations, visit www.arshtcenter.org or call the box office at (305) 949-6722.