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Perú Negro's acclaimed sound is timeless
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Sun-Sentinel (Miami, FL), Perú Negro's acclaimed sound is timeless >>
by David Cazares
February 13, 2004
Often when people think of Latin America's Pan-African music, they consider the traditions of Cuba and Brazil. Those two countries blended African, European and indigenous influences into rich art forms.
But other Latin American countries also have vibrant Afro-Latin heritages. Among them is Peru, where black musicians are celebrating a revival. One of the nation's most heralded groups is Perú Negro, a venerable ensemble that is winning widespread acclaim with international tours.
Perú Negro, which performs Saturday in Miami, is the only Afro-Peruvian performance troupe to last 35 years. Its music is based on a centuries-old tradition started by slaves. They were banned from using drums and made music with boxes that eventually became known as cajón.
The group was formed by Ronaldo Campos, who in 1969 was playing cajón in a Lima restaurant that catered to tourists. His repertoire celebrated black Peruvian culture. He incorporated Cuban conga and bongo, genres he learned from Cuban drummer Jesus "El Niño" Cumanana.
Perú Negro is on a 13-city North American tour promoting its latest release, Joglorio (loosely translated as "a state of celebratory frenzy"), on Times Square Records.
Its members are finding new audiences. This is especially true in Peru, where Afro-Peruvian music was once frowned on as low class.
"There have been a lot of changes in Peru," said Rony Campos, who took over the band when his father died in 2001. "Black music today is all the rage in Peru. It's everywhere. People dance to it a lot in restaurants."
The band now features a flute, Cuban drums and a wooden batajón. That's a cross between a cajón and a batá (double-headed Cuban drum). Its rhythms are similar to those of other Afro-Latin bands but with a distinct Peruvian flavor, Campos said.
That's something of which Ronaldo Campos would approve, his son said.
"For my father, Perú Negro was his life," Campos said. "He was with the group until his death and wanted it to continue. He would be very proud that we continue what he created."
Perú Negro appears at 8 p.m. Saturday at Joseph Caleb Auditorium, 5400 NW 22nd Ave., Miami. Tickets are $20-$30 and available through Ticketmaster (305-358-5885, 954-523-3309, 561-966-3309). 02/13/04
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