Search - Tahuantinsuyo :: Music of the Andes (Instrumental)

Authentic Mestizo-style Andean music

Llaqtaypa Charanku | 12/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the most authentic Andean CDs you can get. This album was originally released as a vinyl LP in 1978. The musicians are all originally from South America (one from Ecuador, one from Perú, and one from Argentina). What is so remarkable about this album is that it does not suffer from being overproduced like so many Andean albums of the 1980s and 1990s. It's not drenched in reverb and multi-tracked. It is simply three musicians playing their native music honestly.



The origins of the musicians is quite evident in their sound - every song is influenced by the musical styles of Ecuador, Perú, and Argentina. There may be Bolivian songs on here, but they do not sound like Bolivians are playing them.



The sound is dry and closely-microphoned. It sounds as if the recording studio was very small. Otherwise, it sounds rather well-mastered. No tape hiss is evident, and it was recorded in stereo. The soundstage is not hugely convincing, but it is acceptable. This may be one of the best-sounding Andean recordings to come out of the 1970s, though it is not a recording produced with the Audiophile in mind.



The CD runs just a few seconds over 36 minutes, which is most certainly due to the fact that this was originally released on LP, not CD. But in that amount of time, they manage to fit in 12 tracks that are very authentic, and without much in the way of modern influences. The musicians are not the most gifted in the world, but they play well, and they play well together. This recording is thoroughly enjoyable for anybody interested in the Mestizo music of Ecuador, Perú, or Argentina."