Eco Del Sur on the Morristown Green: Music Beyond Toenails?

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Eco Del Sur’s ethereal Andean sounds got the fifth season of Music Beyond Borders off to a lofty start on Tuesday.

DANCING ON THE GREEN: It's Music Beyond Borders. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
DANCING ON THE GREEN: It’s Music Beyond Borders. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

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.

Fans come in all shapes and sizes at Music Beyond Borders. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Fans come in all shapes and sizes at Music Beyond Borders. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

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.”

Faustina Cutipa gives his lips a workout at Music Beyond Borders. Photo by Scott Schlosser
Faustina Cutipa gives his lips a workout at Music Beyond Borders. Photo by Scott Schlosser

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

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