Carlos Arredondo's Fabula
For A Better Understanding of Latin America



Live music

Welcome to these very atmospheric live recordings. This is music making as a way of life. I sing and play in the way I feel best. I love these recordings because I sound genuine and it is my work. It is me a hundred per cent and please, do not tell me that my music or my style of singing is similar to that of somebody that you may know.



 
ssCarlos as a guest of the Whistlebinkies  
   
 

The Whistlebinkies and the Laggan were two Scottish folk political bands from Glasgow of the 70s. As far as I can remember they were always at the centre of the Chilean Solidarity Campaign in Glasgow. Both bands are the responsible for me to have fallen in love with the Folk music of Scotland. Unfortunately The Laggan disbanded but I know that Arthur Johnston, their Glasgow singer and founder of the successful Star Folk Club in Glasgow is still going strong with the singing. Mick Broderick, The Whistlebinkies storyteller and singer, was not only a lovely and funny character but a very supportive man with the Chilean Refugees. In several occasions, our Chilean Folk Group shared a platform with The Whistlebinkies and the Laggan and for me it was always a joy and although I could not understand the lyrics of their songs, I could feel deeply their music. Click here to see a small but interesting gallery of the Laggan and Arthur Johnston. The Whistlebinkies are still around either touring or recording and their leader, the composer Edward McGuire, has become today very well known in Britain and abroad for the beautiful music he produces. Eddy and another Whistlebinkies' member, the musicologist Stuart Eydmann, are friends of mine and together always encouraged me to carry on with my singing. Click here to see a 'wee' gallery of the whitlebinkies. Eddy wrote a guitar piece dedicated to the People of Chile.

All songs are mine except 5 and 6. Song number 6 is a poem written for my son and in Spanish by my Scottish friend and Poet John Gillies. I set the music to John's poem. All songs except 1 and 5 were recorded with Paloma Arredondo. Number 5 is a free version of Sergio Ortega's famous song "The People United will never be defeated".

   
       

El Hallazgo - The Finding
I always said that this is an archaeological song as it speaks about the finding of an old civilization in the Atacama Desert. In this song we see: the landscape, people, objects, solitude and drama. At the end of the song I ask myself if in the future our own civilization will be found, underneath the earth, by people who will discover not only our remains, our drama but our fate as a race.

Senor Moyano
I imagined a very Latin American situation where Mr Moyano had to leave his country because of political turmoil. He left behind a sad personal story and a beautiful country. The desire for Mr Moyano to return to his "beautiful" place is a utopia. A blacksmith remind him that his country is the scenery where his wife and brother have been murdered: His wife," a beautiful girl by the name of Rosa", was his flower" "Era una linda moza de nombre Rosa era mi flor"

El coraje - The courage
We must have the courage to expose the agents of despair and wars: these people dress well, has good education, have adorable families, goes to the church, some wear colourful uniforms and looks normal from any perspective. From my viewpoint, however, I know that many of them: politicians, scientists and military men are responsible for the death of so many innocent people and the brutal chaos found today in many part of our world.

Cancion para Pablo Neruda - A song for Pablo Neruda
When the centenary of the birth of Neruda came in 2004 I wrote this commemorative song. Neruda deserves it. He is one of the 20th century's greatest poets in any language. Many will disagree with me but I know that Gabriel Garcia Marquez, will agree.

El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido - The people united will never be defeated
This song by Chilean composer Sergio Ortega is one of my all time favorite. It is magic music and it must be because: the pianist and composer Frederic Rzewski composed 36 variations of the same tune. Mine is a free version and I love it because I am playing with real musicians, who are also happened to be my friends among them the Scottish composer, Edward McGuire who played the flute in the song.

A camilo Jorge
This is a poem written by my friend John Gillies to commemorate the birth of my son. John wrote it in Spanish and I dared to set music to his poem. The poem provides beautiful imagines of South America and Italy via Scotland. The song finished with a good blend of Chilean and Scottish Rhythm.

 

 
       
  Rincon Chileno - the Chilean corner    
       
  At the end of the 1980s on the first Friday of the month I used to organize in Edinburgh El Rincón Chileno. We used to gather in the café cellar of St John's Church and meters away from the church's crypt. It was a small but a very atmospheric place to come and listen to: my songs, the Chilean guitarist Galvarino Cerón Carrasco playing the music of Latin American composers such as Antonio Lauro, Aztor Piazzolla and Heitor Villalobos. Martyn Bennet, the well loved Scottish piper, was as a young lad, one of a number of Scottish guests I had at The Rincón Chileno. Martyn played alone and then as an accompanist of his mother Margaret. Jim Sutherland, Jack Evans, (Jack played the flute magnetically in my first album "Debo cantar Bonito"), the Irish singer Mae Shaw, the Jazz Hot and that unique musical character called Lindsay Porteous were also my guests here. I often had poets and their poetry as guests. El Rincón Chileno was a well known place and many positive reviews were written at the time because it was a unique cultural place in Edinburgh. Click here to read some of these reviews. The Rincón Chileno encouraged me to write a number of songs. Most of the songs found in "Tragicosmicas", my second album, were written for El Rincón Chileno which also provided me with an opportunity to talk about Chile and its difficulties with the harsh dictatorship of General Pinochet. Each session was recorded onto a cassette and my son Camilo transferred some of these recordings to a better medium not before, doing some very good technical work with the sound. Please click below to listen to some good moment at the Rincón Chileno. Music making at it best. First class poetry too!    
       
 

Carlos & Galvarino Ceron - La danza de la Araucaria
The Monkey puzzle tree is native to Chile and Argentina and it was the inspiration for my instrumental song heard here. Scotland is full of araucarias.

Carlos & Galvarion Ceron - La guitarra siguio tocando companiero Victor Jara
To write the lyrics of this song I used the names of some of Victor Jara's most well known songs. I composed the music thinking in Victor Jara's guitar. Victor was killed in 1973 by the Pinochet's regime; however, he is still alive in my heart. Victor is one of my musical and political heroes.

Carlos Arredondo - Desierto verde
Back in the 80s, I learned that body parts from poor children were removed and bought for transplant in many countries belonging to the so called first World. I want to shooooooooooooouuuuuuuutttttttt!

Galvarino Ceron - El marabino By Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro
The piece is beautifully played by Galvarino Cerón Carrasco and I try to follow him by playing the Venezuelan instrument called Cuatro.

Martyn Bennet (solo)I was lucky to have in my Rincon Chileno as a guest a young musician who would become one of the most accomplished Scottish pipers of his generation. I am still angry that he died so young. His music is alive and ringing in all my being.

Martyn and Margaret BennetMartyn Bennet's mother has always been a cultural ambassador of the highland people. In this recording Margaret sings to us a lovely Gaelic song accompanied by Martyn.

The Witches Tuesday - SilvieA fine Edinburgh based "a cappella group" made of four accomplished singers from England an one from Italy. Their repertoire was international focussing on feminist themes.

The Witches Tuesday - We are the Witches

Barbara Bishop - Gabriela Mistral

Barbara Bishop - Ode to a tomato

Barbara Bishop - The way Spain was

Carlos Arredondo - Inventos
Inventions and industrial disasters lead us to expect a terrible outcome for the human race and our planet: American Atom bomb/ Hiroshima/Nagasaki/ Japan/1945. Bhopal in India/ 1984/ worst industrial disaster/Amnesty International estimated 22 thousand deaths.

Le jazz hot
Here we have a group of musicians enjoying their playing whilst astonishing me with their skills.

Charles Boyle & Dominic Ashworth
These two fine musicians came all the way from Glasgow to play at the Rincon Chileno. Charles was from Scotland and Dominic from Canada. Today Dominic is a top UK guitar player touring and recording for Carol Kidd. Look for Dominic's CD: "Portraits"

Eugenia & Lorna - Desolacion

Eugenia & Lorna - La extranjera

John Gillies - Bum rap

Lyndsay Porteous - Harmonica
Somebody said that this good friend of mine, a rare multi-instrumentalist, is problably the most well known traditional Twanger (Jew's harper) from Scotland. I confirm what is said of him. Nora, Lindsay's mother, a friend of Lady Elgin, a direct relative of Lord Cochrane, our Chilean hero, always celebrated her son sense of humour and his unique approach to music. I have always celebrated Lindsay musicianship and I will add that he is also a great collector of musical instruments and many other interesting things.

Lyndsay Porteous - Jews' Harp

Mae Shaw - Belfast
May, from Ireland, is a political singer and like very much what she sings. She is accompanied here by Jim Sutherland on percussion and Jack Evan on guitar. The three of them helped me, with their talent, to make my first record Debo Cantar Bonito.

Mae Shaw, Jim Sutherland & Jack Evans

   
  Other recordings    
       
 

El coraje

Los momentos
This beautiful song written by Chilean songwriter Eduardo Gatti has always been a favourite of mine and of most Chileans of my generation. I play and sing it in my own way.

Playing for the Pope
1982 - Pope John Paul II visited Bellahouston Park, Glasgow. Carlos performed for him in front of 300,000 people.

Obsesion
This song came to me as an obsession, hence the title of it. It is one of my latest. It is true that it sound as if I had written and sung it after a hangover. This is no the case. It a song very much in tune with the violent times n which we live.

Parece una canción escrita y cantada después de una tomatera. No es el caso. Es una canción mas seria. Esta es una de mis últimas canciones que habla del atormentado amor en tiempos violentos.

   
       
© Carlos Arredondo 2007