From Box to Cajón: Peta's Heritage (De la caja al cajón: la herencia de Peta) (ENG-ESP)
From Box to Cajón: Peta's Heritage (bilingual)=UN
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28m
ENGLISH: In this inspiring bilingual film, prize-winning Afro-Peruvian percussionist Peta Robles explains the origins of key Afro-Peruvian percussion instruments including most importantly the cajón, an instrument that is now used in many musical forms from Spanish flamenco to Latin jazz and beyond. Through Peta's explanations and demonstrations we discover than an enslaved community which had nothing was still able to create an entire musical tradition and many musical instruments.
We also learn that on a personal level, it has been difficult for Peta and other Afro-Peruvian women to pursue a career as a professional musician, and especially as a professional player of the cajón. The cajón was seen as something exclusively for men to play.
Peta's account and demonstrations are supplemented by an interview with seven-times Latin Jazz Grammy nominee John Santos, and by interviews and performance by two extremely talented Afro-Peruvians - the late Lalo Izquierdo and Freddy "Huevito" Lobatón.
Shot in Peru and California, the documentary is a stand-alone episode in a sseries-in-progress about world rhythms called Speaking of Rhythm. A half-hour film, it was shot in color, HD, in digital media, and completed in early April 2025.
ESPAÑOL: En esta película bilingüe e inspiracional, ... [pronto]
Up Next in From Box to Cajón: Peta's Heritage (bilingual)=UN
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Extra: How the cajón entered modern ...
In this short extra Lalo Izquierdo explains how famous Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía adopted the Afro-Peruvian cajón into modern flamenco. Izquierdo was present when it happened. It came about due to a friendship between Palo de Lucía and an Afro-Peruvian performer called Caitro Soto...
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Extra-Huevito - in his own words - en...
ENGLISH: Huevito, master percussionist, demonstrates several instruments and also tells the story of his musical career which began when he was four years old. His career began in his native Peru, but for many years he played in New York with Gabriel Alegría's Afro-Peruvian Jazz Sextet.
ESPAÑOL... -
Extra - John Santos
John Santos talks about playing in his grandfather's band as a teenager, and his friendship with musician Marcos Castillo.
