Afro Peruvian Musician Juan Medrano Cotito Performs in Washington DC at
the Latin American Youth Center
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Juan Medrano-Cotito is in Washington, DC, to perform in a workshop of
Afro Peruvian music and dances the Latin American Youth Center, on
Wednesday October 13, 2010. This event is free and open to the public.
Juan Medrano-Cotito is an outstanding and internationally recognized
musician, a renowned percussionist, singer and composer, and he is one
of the living masters of the Cajon, the famous wooden Afro Peruvian
percussion instrument.
For over 20 years, Juan Medrano-Cotito has been touring and giving
concerts throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Cotito has
worked along with Susana Baca since 1985, and he figures greatly on the
album "Lamento Negro" which received a Latin Grammy award in 2002.
Cotito -as most people call him- creates sounds that are instantly
recognizable, whether heard in the context of the music of his homeland
Peru, as well as jazz, electronic and world music. The pulsating and
intoxicating rhythms that Cotito creates with the Cajon are truly
extraordinary.
Juan Medrano-Cotito is also an educator and has given master classes in
Europe, and in the United States. Currently he is a Professor of Music
at the prestigious Catholic University of Peru and at the National
School of Music Jose Maria Arguedas, in Lima, Peru.
He also mentors musicians and scholars who have come to Peru from all
over the world, helping them to catalogue and to document the history
and music of Peru. Cotito has worked closely with ethnomusicologists
like Heidi Feldman and Javier Leon.
His discography includes recordings with Susana Baca, Richie Zellon,
Novalima, Pilar de la Hoz, Chichi Glass, Sofia Koutsovitis, Eric
Kurimski, Pamela Rodriguez, Kiri Escobar, Damaris and others. He has
been the focus of many documentaries on the Cajon such as "Las Manos de
Dios", "El Cajon con Alma Negra" and "Los Caminos del Cajon".
Juan Medrano-Cotito has recently released his first solo album "La Voz
del Cajon" which includes original compositions and musical sounds from
the African Diaspora of the Americas. He launched his album in Seattle,
at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, in May 2009.
Also a composer, his work has been sung by many renowned artists
including the popular songs: "Se me van los pies", "Tarumbero", "La Voz
del Cajon", and others. Cotito is a member of the electronic music group
Novalima <
http://www.novalima.net/> which recently returned from a
successful tour in the United States and Europe, and it was nominated to
the 2009 Latin Grammy awards.
Recently, Cotito was honored in Lima as the "Ambassador of the Cajon" a
national honor reserved for Peru's greatest artists. He then played at
several festivals and stages in several country, including his recent
participation at the "Marc Ribbot's Birthday Celebration" Festival in
Brooklyn, New York.
Currently Cotito is the director of La Voz del Cajon music group, and he
is working on a new Peruvian music project along with Felix Casaverde,
Mariano Liy and singer Patricia Saravia, three of the most outstanding
Limeans musicians today.
Facebook - Juan Medrano Cotito
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Juan-Medrano-Cotito/143378242352098>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxCQNYkChzw
Juan Medrano Cotito
Afro Peruvian Music Workshop
Wednesday October 13, 2010
1:30 P.M.
Latin American Youth Center
1419 Columbia Road NW
Washington DC, 20009
Metro: Columbia Heights (Green line)
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