On Saturday, a trio of Latin American women singers - Mariana Montalvo of Chile, Totó La Momposina of Colombia, and Belô Velloso of Brazil - will grace the stage at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Like many musicians from Chile, Montalvo was forced into exile when Augusto Pinochet took power in a military coup in 1974. She now lives in Paris.

"I had been away for 25 years," Montalvo said in a telephone interview."Then I returned in 1999. Since that time, I go once or twice a year. I love my country. Even though I live in Paris, I'm Chilean, of course."

Montalvo, 51, specializes in the nueva canción tradition - a South American musical movement that emerged in the 1960s and '70s.

"The words are very important," she said. "Musically, it's 'new traditional,' or 'new folklore.' If I'm in this tradition, I want to say beautiful things with my songs. Love, social problems, women's stories, legends."

Instruments typically used in nueva canción are the charango, a small guitar often made from an armadillo's shell; the quena, a notched, end-blown flute; and the zampoña, or panpipes.

"I take music from all over Latin America," she said. "If I find it goes good with a Venezuelan instrument, I'll do it."

Montalvo's latest release is "Piel de Aceituna" ("Olive- Skinned"), available in this country on the World Village label.

A legend in her home country, Colombia's Totó La Momposina will make a rare Southern California appearance at the Irvine Barclay.

Momposina's sound is cumbia with a traditional big band. She also taps into Colombian roots music, with several instruments and vocals from the nation's indigenous and African past.

"We're proud of our Colombian roots," she said. "In this job, we try to project the traditional music, with all the instruments."

In 2002, Momposina released the eclectic and rich "Pacantó" on World Village. Her latest is "Carmelina" ("Yard High"), a rhythmic exploration of Colombia's dense musical history.

"In 2050, all of America and all of the world will speak Spanish," said the feisty, 64-year-old singer.

Belô Velloso is the niece of two of Brazil's most popular musicians, Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia. Velloso grew up in Bahia, the region with the strongest African influence. She also cut her teeth on MPB (popular Brazilian music), samba and bossa nova. She's on her first U.S.tour, and will make her West Coast debut Saturday.