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	NOVALIMA Production & Musicians: Ramón Pérez Prieto - Keys, Sequences, DJ Rafael Morales - Guitar Carlos Li Carrillo - Bass Grimaldo del Solar - Sequences, DJ feat. Milagros Guerrero - Vocals Juan Medrano -Cotito - Percussions, Vocals Mangue Vásquez - Percussions Constantino Álvarez - Percussions Andres Dulude - PA, Sound NOVALIMA is a production collective created in 2001 by four Peruvian musicians based in different places of the world, Ramón Pérez Prieto (Lima), Grimaldo Del Solar a (Barcelona), Rafael Morales (Londres), and Carlos Li Carrillo (Hong Kong). Its music is heavily driven by afro-peruvian and Latin percussions, blended with downtempo, dub, broken and house beats. In 2003, the collective produced its debut album called "novalima", mixed at The Premises Studios in London, mastered at Sterling Sound - NY, and independently released in March of that same year. The album was recorded and produced in different cities and features artists from across the world; Lima, Rio de Janeiro, London, Hong Kong, Valencia, Barcelona and Hong Kong. Musically it covers a wide spectrum of Latin styles (son, cumbia, samba, bossa) on top of electronic beats and live afro-peruvian percussions. After meeting in Lima for live performances during January 2004, NOVALIMA regrouped in London in mid 2004 to finish the production of its 2nd album "AFRO", a selection of versions and adaptations of traditional afro Peruvian songs, some of which are more than 100 years old, blended with electronic beats, dub, and NOVALIMA's own compositions. "AFRO", recorded mostly in Lima, features participations from afro-peruvian legends such as Nicomedes Santa Cruz, Lucila Campos, and Zambo Cavero; in addition to reknowned afroperuvian musicians such as Juan Medrano Cotito, Mangué Váquez, Milagros Guerrero, Oscar Aviles Jr. , Pedro Urrutia and Carlos Uribe. The album was mixed and co produced by Toni Economides (Nitin Sawhney, Da Lata, 4Hero, Bugz in the Attic, Robert Miles ) at Much More Music in London (Robert Miles studio) and was later mastered in Sterling Sound NY by Tom Coyne. In mid 2004 the collective signed with Outcaste Records UK (an EMI-Music subsidiary) for the release of their first 12" single with the track "Ritmos Negros", a vanguard dub marinera featuring coplas (poems) by the great Nicomedes Santa Cruz, and was also included in the compilation "Essential Latin Flavas Dos" by DJ Martin Morales. After the Peruvian release of "AFRO" in May 2005, NOVALIMA signed with the UK label Mr. Bongo for the worldwide release which took place in Nov 2005. The album has gotten great response and reviews being considered as one of the top World Music releases of the year. For this 2006, NOVALIMA is planning a European tour which should take place during April-May 2006. DISCOGRAPHY Novalima (novalimamusic / Perú, 2003) Ritmos Negros 12" (Outcaste Records, 2004) Ritmos Negros (Essential Latin Flavas Dos compilation, Outcaste Records/UK, 2004) AFRO - (novalimamusic / Perú, 2005) AFRO - Sampler 12" (Mr. Bongo Records/UK, Sept. 2005) AFRO - Album CD y 12" (Mr. Bongo Records/UK, Nov. 2005) REVIEWS The story behind AFRO This recording's beginnings can be traced back several hundred years to the time when Africans were taken from a variety of West African countries to European colonies in The Americas. The deep pain of these African slaves and those who survived years of torment has been inherited by generation after generation and has been documented throughout the years by folkloric and soulful music. In the USA they have the blues, in Peru we simply call it Musica Afro-Peruana or 'Afro'. This is our black music. This is the music the black people in Peru wrote to describe their fears, their sufferings, their culture, their anguish. They used this music in celebrations, at special events, in social gatherings, and they portrayed the reality of their lives for future generations. They disguised it in happiness and fun, in sexual rituals and dramatic rhythms but if you listen closely you will hear the soul of these people and the soul within you. As 'Afro' hits you right in the heart with its mournful and emotive power. Thanks to great pioneering poets, musicians and artists, from Pancho Fierro to Nicomedes Santa Cruz, from Arturo Zambo Cavero to Peru Negro and most recently Susana Baca, Peruvians and audiences worldwide have discovered this Afro-Peruvian music. In 1965 the great black Peruvian poet, musician and intellectual Nicomedes Santa Cruz released his momentous work 'Cumanana - Antologia Afroperuana', a respectful and well-researched interpretation of Afro-Peruvian music, poetry and history. He was in effect compelled to produce this work before its extinction through what he called the 'Hollywoodification' of the music since the early 20th century. He was not ready to see his heritage crumble at the hands of culture manipulators who transformed everything into exoticism. Neither have Novalima. This recording is a tribute to these artistic pioneers and soldiers of culture who have communicated those original stories from so many years ago, with respect to their makers and for us to enjoy and digest. Novalima are continuing in this tradition. Four mestizos from Lima who now live in four separate parts of the world: Grimaldo Del Solar in Barcelona, Carlos Li-Carillo in Hong Kong, Rafael Morales in London and Ramon Perez-Prieto in Lima. They wish not escape from their cultural obligation of reinterpreting the stories of their people to others in this generation. They carry black music in their hearts and like many nova-limenos have real respect for black Peruvians, their culture and their ancestors; something which today sadly, is still a rare thing in Peru as although black music is consumed like Pisco-sour at any drunken occasion, black people are still heavily discriminated against. In this recording Novalima have gone back to the roots of Afro-Peruvian music, they have managed to capture the real soul of Afro-Peru. You can hear it in Cotito's thumping cajon playing, in Milagros Guerreros' emotive voice, in Oscar Aviles Jr's sweet guitar playing. But you can also hear it in the samples of Peruvian legends such as Lucila Campos, Arturo Zambo Cavero and the great Nicomedes himself which add a haunting nature to the overall sound in AFRO. This is a modern work with today's arrangements but the spirits of yesterday. As musicians, producers and artists they have brought relevance to this poignant and rich cultural heritage. AFRO kick starts a new chapter in the story of his amazing music...it begins here and now... DJ Martín Morales [ go Back ] [ go Home ] [ go Top] [ login media ]