Soweto
Trip Start
Sep 24, 2008
1
21
41
Trip End
Ongoing
Lima,
Peru
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Prior to going out to a smaller venue in Baranco I did a little looking into the music before deciding to pay for what I was going to give my ears. Myspace has a tool that enables those interested to look into upcoming shows. I've been dying to get some good funky jazz. Soweto was the main attraction last night. www.myspace.com/sowetoperu.com La Noche is a smaller venue, maximum capacity about three hundred. Three hundred people would be standing room in their space. The house transformed into a venue has a killer second floor with tables lining the railing that overlooks the stage. The creaky wood that the building was built with adds an essence of history to the place and its Peruvian style architecture. Most of the better examples of old-style construction includes phenomenally intricate wood paneling. La Noche humbles this architecture in its design. We got to the venue at about ten when the band was said to go on stage. At eleven sound checks were finished and after a little time a quintet went on to open the night. Red Moon Soldiers played a 30 min set with introductions and explanations between their instrumentals. The bassist was fantastic, he had a raw style of holding together the backbone of their ensemble. Red Moon felt new, I would love the opportunity to see them in a year after they expire the need for written music to assist them. Soweto stepped onto the stage with an air of experience. Their comfortable banter between mikes was comical and encouraging. Recorded music never does justice to their genre of music. Their myspace tracks are good, live they were amazing. I love watching interaction between artists as they flow through a song. Soweto opened giving each instrument more than a moment to shine laid over a mix of jazz, funk and salsa. No words, a bass, flute, drums, saxophone and electric guitar, such a beautiful thing. "El misterioso seņor poe" followed their opening, the electric solo near the end of the rhythmic groove showed true talent in the fingers of the lead guitar. The night included a bit of Coltrane, you can never go wrong with Mr. John Coltrane. In conclusion the band introduced the saxophone's mentor who brought a tenor sax on stage. The following ten minutes blew my mind, I have personally never seen live a sax played with such grace and raw connection to the instrument. When the band finished it was after two in the morning...I love the later nights here, no closing time enabled Soweto to play without agenda. All in all by far the best musical experience of my trip so far. If ever in Lima, check out the various genre hosted nights at "La Noche", and definitely Soweto if they are playing during your stay. www.lanoche.com.pe
