Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna

MAR 21–23 | SING, SING, SING II

Mar 24, 2019

Joe Henderson Lab

PLEASE NOTE:
This page is an archive of a past production

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Original show description below.

Valparaíso-born Pascuala Ilabaca is steeped in the folkloric music of Chile, but she’s not looking to preserve the sounds of the past. Possessing an enchanting, full-bodied voice, she presides over her band Fauna with the authoritative air of a ringmaster, moving between accordion, piano and hand drums. Presented with a keen sense of drama, the music blends the immediacy of garage rock with the seductive grooves of a Latin dance combo. It’s a sound and approach that has earned Ilabaca an avid following across South America and Europe, though she’s still introducing herself to North America.

She made an enduring first impression with her 2008 debut album reimagining the ballads of iconic Chilean nueva canción matriarch Violeta Parra, Pascuala Canta a Violeta, which artfully incorporates Hindustani tabla and electric guitars into the acoustic mix. There was nothing random about the tabla, as Ilabaca spent part of her childhood in India. Chile’s then-president Michelle Bachelet invited Ilabaca to represent the country on a tour through India, an experience that deepened her connection to North Indian music. Ilabaca’s subsequent albums have delved more deeply into folkloric material while embracing far-flung elements like drum ‘n’ bass to create a singularly celebratory sound.

Ilabaca makes her SFJAZZ debut with music from her newest release, El Mito de la Pergola.