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A Trip Around the World with Putumayo
By Gloria Terenzio-Franco, Torrington
 | | Putumayo founder and CEO Dan Storper |
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Over the past few years, Americans have become more internationalized (or at least they had been until the September 11th tragedy); even those who have never left the States have sampled food, crafts, theater, and especially music of other lands.
The international music that is often heard from the various commercial sources is usually a watered down, Americanized version of the roots music of a particular culture. But when the foreign influence is added to American popular music in a way that preserves the integrity of both cultures, it can be a good thing—as with the release by Sting of his Desert Rose, using Mideastern influences; or as the collaboration of Mick Jagger and former Wailer Peter Tosh demonstrates. In the hands of someone like Carlos Santana, who’s been doing this for decades, it becomes a musical gift. Hopefully, what happens is that the listener then becomes curious about the culture and music of the foreign influence and a whole new world opens up.
For travelers who like to really get into the local scene when traveling, it is so much easier to seek out the music of the locals, where the true culture can be realized (this can also happen in ethnic neighborhoods in U.S. cities), after having listened to the music of that particular island or country. This is where the recordings produced by Putumayo World Music are so helpful, with the music of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Africa, the Middle East, and so much more being available.
Dan Storper, founder of Putumayo World Music (named after a river in Columbia), was selling folk art and clothing from Latin American countries in his New York store and other retail outlets. By the early ‘90s he began adding world music recordings, and by the late ‘90s had sold all his stores to concentrate solely on this new venture. He loves to travel extensively, and with the support of ethnomusicologist Jacob Edgar, checks out club scenes in Cape Verde, Johannesburg and Rio, among other places—what a way to make a living! He spent New Year’s 2000 looking on as Nelson Mandela revisited the South African prison where he spent 27 years of his life. He has said of places like Cuba, or the Dominican Republic, that "There’s very little money, and life can be a really big struggle. But it’s through music and dancing that people are able to raise their spirits."
 | | The cover artwork of the compilation album World Playground 2. |
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Putumayo has recently expanded its influence with the creation of the Putumayo World Music Hour, which can be heard on commercial and non-commercial radio in the U.S. Here Storper offers a 60-minute musical journey that is full of information. The show is syndicated nationally on more than 100 stations—including WHUS (91.7 FM), Hartford-Storrs on Wednesdays at 11 a.m.; and WKZE (98.1 FM) in Sharon on Thursdays at 10 p.m. and Mondays at midnight. Storper’s focus is on introducing artists who may never get recorded and giving them exposure. Each week a theme is explored, such as "Mardi Gras," or "A Journey East."
The label also supports organizations that do good where the music originated, and sponsors tours and concerts so that these artists can be seen. Another venture has been three releases of World Playground: A Musical Adventure for Kids in conjunction with a curriculum guide for elementary schools, to inspire curiosity about the world through music.
The liner notes included with each Putumayo CD contain invaluable information, such as some history of the country and the various cultures that passed through an area and thereby influenced the music. You can hear how one culture influenced another, creating a whole new sound. Through Putumayo’s efforts, all this indigenous music and information is preserved for future generations.
The Putumayo website, <www.putumayo.com>, is a world music, culture and travel site, for info on other civilizations and customs. You can access CDs, concert calendars, special events info, world music festivals, artist info, new releases, and make purchases. Putumayo CDs can also be found in bookstores, cafes and gift shops, as well as as many record shops. You can reach Putumayo at 324 Lafayette St., 7th floor, New York, NY 10012; phone 212-625-1400; fax 212-460-0095. In upcoming issues of The Voice, I’ll be reviewing some of these CDs.
Upcoming Area Shows
With the start of the fall season and upcoming holidays, some future events are worth noting:
• On Sunday, November 11, Latin pop star Gloria Estefan will be at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Gloria and her husband Emilio were very influential in popularizing Latin music, first in Miami, with their group of musicians, The Miami Sound Machine. Call the Mohegan Sun at 888-226-7711.
• Also on Sunday, November 11, at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, the Muddy Waters tribute band All Over Blues will perform. The group was formed in 1993 for the 10th anniversary of the legendary bluesman’s death. Many would say Muddy Waters was the greatest and most influential blues artist ever, influencing many of the British rockers of the ‘60s and ‘70s, including Clapton and Jagger. Listening to Muddy is like going back in time to the ‘30s and ‘40s in the Mississippi Delta. Call the Bushnell at 860-987-5900.
• Singer/ songwriter Lucinda Williams will perform at the Warner Theater in Torrington on Wednesday, November 14; call 860-489-7180.
• Supreme guitarist Harvey Reid will be at the Sweet Harmony Coffee House in Marbledale on Saturday, November 17. This is a must-see for acoustic guitar fans; call 860-868-2846.
• And, Burn the Floor, a fusion of ballroom and Latin dance with the technology and energy of rock and roll, comes to the Oakdale in Wallingford on Saturday and Sunday, November 24-25. I saw the video of this show recently, and if you’re a dance fan, try to see it! Call 203-295-1501.
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