Latin beat to be part of culture event

Culture Days in the city will be highlighted Saturday, Oct. 1.

The days are marked as way to raise awareness of music, theatre and film will be held at the Yorkton Regional High School.  

Locally, events are hosted by the Yorkton Arts Council, the Yorkton Film Festival and Free My Muse Theatre Company.

On Oct. 1, activities will include a photography workshop, monologue performances, Mini Cinema, acting, drumming workshops and a concert by Andino Suns.

Andino Suns are from Regina. They are the 2015 Western Canadian Music Award nominees for World Recording of the Year, with the genre Latin/world.

The recording; ‘Madera’ is the band’s third.

“It’s a collaborative, homegrown record in which they’ve incorporated some of the most talented, hardworking musicians Saskatchewan has to offer. The Dead South, Megan Nash, Keiffer McLean, Scott Richmond and members of the Regina Symphony Orchestra all make appearances on it,” details the bands website at www.andinosuns.com

The band also incorporated some international flair by bringing in world renowned percussionist based out of Montréal, Daniel Emden, as a co-producer. Emden, who has performed with the prestigious Berklee World String Orchestra out of Boston, sharpened his skills working with some of the best artists South America has to offer.

“Madera combines the sizzling sounds of South American sun with the earthiness of prairie solitude. It’s laced with elements of traditional Andean music; (those with a keen ear for sound will notice charango, quena and Toyos) yet it also contains the charm and sensibilities of art, which, although far from its origins, feels more than comfortable in its surroundings.”

Andino Suns was formed in 2007, said Andres Davalos, who explained initially it was just an effort to gather together Chilean musicians in Regina to play music together.

Davalos said his own interest in music has been diverse over the years, but about the time he began bringing Chilean musicians together he was trying to become more “connected to my roots.”

With like-minded musicians gathered together, initially playing for fun playing in “living rooms”, they began performing “at little shows in the Chilean community,” said Davalos.

While initially focused on traditional Chilean music, Davalos said they have broadened their style with other world influences in particular Latin American, but also American folk.

The changes to style have worked, as the recent WCMA nomination attests.

Davalos said the nomination is a big step, and a win would be even bigger, adding the sound of the latest CD is certainly the bands most “refined” with a definite professional quality.

But in the end the music of Andino Suns has a simple goal.

“What we’re trying to do is make people feel good about music,” said Davalos.

The Yorkton Culture Day show will be at 2 p.m. at the Anne Portnuff Theatre.