The Japan Foundation is sponsoring a concert tour in three South American countries (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile) featuring Mio Matsuda, a noted young singer with a true love for Latin American music, true-to-his-form percussionist Tomohiro Yahiro, and Uruguayan master keyboardist Hugo Fattoruso.

Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and many other South American countries will be celebrating their bicentennial anniversaries in 2010 and 2011.Music in South America developed from a mixture of diverse elements of pain and suffering, which make up much of the region's historical background. "Musica Criolla" is indeed a creation of this combination, a culture of its own. The music of these three musicians will blend together into a majestic world of "Criolla" (Creole) sound.

Concert Schedule: August 6 - 14, 2010

A great number of immigrants from Europe, the Middle East and Japan came to live in this country, Argentina. At the same time, many of them were forced to leave for financial or political reasons. With guests Eduardo Falu, who wrote Las Golondrines (Swallows) - a song about seeing those immigrants off in hopes that they will one day return - and expressive quena and flute player Marcelo Chiodi in Buenos Aires, and genius guitarist Horacio Burgos in Córdoba, the sounds and rhythms of Argentina and Japan will surely fill the air.

Candombe, a musical style unique to Uruguay, was a creation by African immigrants brought to the country for slavery. Despite prohibition by the government, the music continued to evolve and now represents Uruguayan style. Hugo Fattuoso and his group Rey Tambor will display their vivacious layering techniques with the rich accompaniment of guitarist Nicolas Ibarburu and his vocals, adding further energy to the music. Nicolas Ibarburu is the composer of the candombe, Templando Momentos.

The Nueva Cancion (new song) Movement began amidst the days of military coup d'etats, fascism, oppression and persecution. It was song and expression based on folklore music, yet made stronger to meet modern day needs. Mio Matsuda familiarized herself with the music of this genre's leading vocalist Victor Jara from an early age. She will be joined by nationally acclaimed Neuva Cancion singer Francesca Ancarola to deliver the strong and free voices.

A Partial List of Songs on the Program

*Descriptions by Mio Matsuda

This is a masterpiece written by singer / composer Eduardo Falu, a leading Argentinean folklore musician. He uses a swallow as a metaphor in this message song, referring to immigrants being forced to leave the country for financial or political reasons. As the immigrants are being seen off, voices call out for their return one day. Falu himself is scheduled to join us for our performance in Buenos Aires.

This song was written by young Uruguayan singer/song-writer Nicolas Ibarburu. Uruguay's candombe is a style of drumming that developed among the African population despite having been banned by the government. The warm echoes of the three tabor drums synchronize with the beat of your heart. Joining us in Uruguay, will be candombe masters Hugo Fattoruso y Rey Tambor, with Nicolas Ibarburu.

This song is a lullaby from the Odate Region of Akita Prefecture. Being born in Akita, I listened to this song often as a child. The melody has a magnanimous continental feeling. A feeling that the wind carried it here across the ocean, back to days gone by. "My dear child, why do you cry? Who are you missing?" I feel that this song is full of love and a perfect fit for South America.

This was a song written by Chilean protest singer Victor Jara, who also gave rise to the Nueva Cancion Movement. He found a love and affinity in the daily lives of laborers. From it, I can feel the warmth from lighting a single cigarette between working hours on a cold day. World-class Chilean singer Francesca Ancarola will be joining me in a duet for this number.

Profile

Copyright: Mariko Itagaki

Born in Akita, Mio found her style of self-expression in fado, the music of Portugal, which enticed her to study in Lisbon in 2003. She absorbed fado and the musical cultures of Portuguese-influenced countries as her own style of expression while living as a singer in Cape Verde. Using the Atlantic Ocean as her theme, she recorded her debut album Atlântica (2005 JVC) with Brazilian choro musicians. She then recorded Pitanga! (2006) and Asas (2007) in Brazil before officially expanding to Spanish-influenced countries such as Argentina and Venezuela, where she continues to perform with local musicians. In 2010, she released Flor Criolla (Creole Flower) with Uruguayan master hand Hugo Fattoruso (Pf) and Tomohiro Yahiro (Per). As an "earthling living in Japan," the ease at which she skips across borders is overwhelming. Spirits from communities she has traveled through live in this voice of hers that connects the world with a sure power.

Copyright: Tetsuya Nakagaki

Percussionist Tomohiro Yahiro was born in Tokyo,1961. He spent boyhood in Canary Islands, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria where he began to play drums with local rock bands.
Came back to Japan in 1979 and he made his professional debut in 1980.
In 80's he was regular member of epoch making rock band like Jagatara and S-Ken & Hot Bomboms.
He has been active with the most representative artists of Japanese Jazz scene and World Jazz like, Yosuke Yamashita, Shigeharu Mukai, Kazumi Watanabe, Fumio Itabashi, Kazutoki Umezu.
On the other hand, he paticipated to many recordings and tour of such outstanding japanese music artists like Joe Hisaishi, Toru Takemitsu, Lisa Ono, Minako Yoshida, Taeko Onuki, Masashi Sada, Tokiko Kato, coba etc.
At present he has been active with GAIA CUATRO, DOS ORIENTALES (duo with HUGO FATTORUSO), Duo projects with Gladston Galliza, Tyrone Hashimoto, Yoshiro Nakamura etc....

Copyright: Mariko Itagaki

Hugo Fattoruso is an accordion / piano keyboardist and singer born in Montevideo in 1943, Uruguay. His musical career took off when his Beatles-influenced Los Shakers made it big in Argentina. In the United States, he formed OPA, which gained recognition as a legendary fusion band and in Brazil he went on to play with Milton Nascimento. His fame and talent took him beyond his home in Uruguay to international success, Hugo's intimacy with Uruguay's African-flavored music candombe gave his recording with Rey Tambor its distinctive essence of simplicity. Recently, Hugo has made yearly trips to Japan promoting Dos Orientales with Tomohiro Yahiro and most recently, Mio Matsuda's new CD Flor Criolla (Creole Flower). Meanwhile, his performance with the Aska Strings, led by Aska Kaneko, has been released as ENCUENTRO.

[Contact]

Performing Arts Section, Arts and Culture Department, The Japan Foundation
Maeda
Tel: 03-5369-6063 Fax: 03-5369-6038