Eco Del Sur’s ethereal Andean sounds got the fifth season of Music Beyond Borders off to a lofty start on Tuesday.
The band accomplished this with exotic instruments– a whistle called an ocarina, pan flutes known as zamponas and quenas (made from lamb bones), rain sticks made from cacti.
And then there was a rattly percussion thing… did the performer really say toenails?
We invite our South American readers to jump in and clarify this.
Whatever their instruments, Jorge Gomez (a native of Colombia), Faustina Cutipa (Peru), Juan Castillo (Chile), Miguel Castro (Bolivia) and Oscar Echevarra (Peru) used them to powerful effect on the Morristown Green.
When they launched into Peru’s most beloved song, El Condor Pasa, Luisa Galdos teared up. Never mind that she has lived in Morristown for 20 years.
“It’s in the heart of every Peruvian,” Luisa said of the song. “It’s home, home, home.”
MORE ABOUT MUSIC BEYOND BORDERS
The next free lunchtime concert in the series, a joint presentation of Morris Arts and the Mayo Performing Arts Center, is on July 8: African Global Arts and Iwa L’ewa Heritage Dance Ensemble.
Photos by Scott Schlosser and Kevin Coughlin