Underground music - that's what I am looking for -
Submitted by Kontranista on Mon, 2004/08/30 - 22:55.
Is there an underground music scene in Nicaragua? if so what kind of music?
experimental - (as in academic/acoustic/non-commercial) Techno - (as in Turntablelism/trance/rave) Electroacoustic - (as in Acousmatic/cinema for the ears/etc.) Alternative Jazz - (as in AcidJazz/Ambient/etc.)
To me these are very important questions, since I don't feel to enthusiastic about interviewing the Mejia Godoy Bros, or any of the other names that keep popping in La Prensa or El Nuevo Diario. Also I have no desire to listen any rock from the 70's or 80's which m research indicates that is the "thing" happening in Managua, even some Gringos are singing with local musicians. That's all great but...
Your comments are appreciated. Gracias a todos
Depends what you mean by "und
Depends what you mean by "underground". 99% of everything is a half-ass imitation of some crap from L.A. or N.Y. or wherever. Just as TV stations in Mexico support a woman who looks and acts like Oprah (and a guy who looks like a Latin Phil Donahue), so too Latin companies exist in and are the basis of, the world of imitation. Want a Spanish "Madonna", no problem; a tropical "Gloria Gaynor", ther emust be 10 of them; or, a 111% gay, salsa-based BeeGees flashback, right down at the best club in the capital. There is virtually, NOTHING out here; there is no originality, period. You have not lived (or is it died?) til you suffered through a Garifuna-derived rap on the woes of not being famous, or having to buy pirate "Chapps" cologne. In the lands of god-i-wish-i-was-cool-like-Ice/T there is no real underground music. By underground, they just mean not -or not yet- popular music. Unless you want traditional music (much, much better in El Salvador, than Nicaragua), of which you can find in rural areas, there isnt anything half as good as what you will hear in the low-grade bar circuits of Mexico or Texas.
thanks for your kind observation
I am afraid I agree with you, not only it is difficult for musicians/composers to break out of the stereotype of top 40's American style, but also it is a complete chaos in terms of government support or promotion of experimental music, no matter if it is acoustic, electronic or academic.
I been researching the subject, and I understand the situation, I am preparing for a short trip to see things closer, to a point, it's just depressing, but I know where there's crisis always there's hope.
Are you in Nicaragua at the present?
Thanks for your comments.
Coming back, mid-2005
I am not there yet, but should be back by May, 2005, unless something drastic happens. I expected more or different music in Nicaragua. Of course, I knew young people listen to mostly U.S. music, and that country music is still popular in many areas of the country. But, there didn't seem to be much going on, even in Managua. Imitation, it is every where, all the time. Or maybe it is a tribute, and I am too stupid to know (possible)? Not sure why I find imitation so annoying. Maybe because it is bad, or maybe because it reveals how bad the original is! Not like when I was in Peru in the late 1990's, or Mexico in the early 1980's. Then and there, good fairly unique music could be found many places. Some of the people I saw, now have big-label contracts (and for most, the music has not suffered because of that). It was just my assumption (and I now think I was way wrong), but I thought there would now be more Cuban influences, and maybe some crosses of country and rock, or rock and reggae, but all I find is trasitional music (some of which is really quite good), and copies of whatever is happening in the States. In this respect, it is pretty much like Honduras. For what it is worth, the only real Latin jazz I saw people playing with, was when I was in Chile (2000). Santiago had many tiny little places with die-hard jazz fans. Even some non-club places which apprently just sold donuts all day, would shove the tables aside at night. I never found the link or an explanation, but this was the only place jazz seemed to have nay practioners or followers, least outside any offical government concert or university project. And, the reggae music I have seen in Madison or Milwaukee Wisconsin is twice as good as anything I ever saw in Central America. Of course, maybe that is the problem; people who are good, leave to try to make a go at it?
Interesting
I do nopt think is about just economics but rather a social problem.
Without taking care of the social inequalities, education access, employment and political normalization is almost impossible to promote a cultural environment where creative artists can evolve and to find an unique indentity. Having said that, I know for a fact that there's always the non-conformist, the one who challenges the status quo. Those are the one I am looking for, those are the ones I want to tell others about.
reggaeton is popular in the campo
not revolutionary, though some of the lyrics are interesting, most is about how to get down ala "el perreo", so not real underground.
I don't know what goes on in Managua, though there's a couple of "club" websites, http://www.bacanalnica.com is one you might check out. Lots of pictures of party people in clubs.
Hey thanks
Thank a lot for your comments. I do appreciate the interest.
Music scene in Managua
Somewhat...although what there is of the "underground" or "rave" scene is centered in the "upscale" Zona Rosa (Carretera a Masaya) club scene in Managua. Besides that are the FSLN Revolutionary songs, sung at fairs and festivals, perhaps a jazz club or two in Managua and the Caribbean Reggae scene, evident everywhere especially Managua with its large population hailing from the Atlantic Costal Regions, the hip hop and rap are popular with the "Miami Boys" young Nicaraguans who lived in Miami and have returned home with their families...that is about what I know.
Central America Language Tours Your Vertical Portal to Travel, Trade and Language Study in all of Central America... www.centralamericalanguagetours.com info@centralamericalanguagetours.com
Muchos gracias
How interesting, my guess is that due to economics and socio-political instability the whole country might have other concerns of more relevance. Maybe what is needed is a second revolution, one with musical intruments instead of AK's.
Thanks for your input I do appreciate it, although a bit sad from my perspective but rather useful to formulate a strategy and perhaps even a change of topic, how about a documentary on Dr. Aleman or Comandante Daniel?...yeah right.
As deep as you want to go.....
Ex-Compas (Sandinistas), Aleman's Liberal Front, Ex-Contras, Saints to Scoundrels, I've been in these parts a long long time..... whatever you want whenever you want it......"The Good, The bad and the Ugly"...You may be in for some suprises if you see everything as "blanco y negro"...I was raised in New York City (excuse me) and have something called "street smarts" that has helped me survive over the years...enough said. E mail donaldlee@thepolyglots.com if and when interested..no hurry..no hay prisa. Saludos.
Central America Language Tours Your Vertical Portal to Travel, Trade and Language Study in all of Central America... www.centralamericalanguagetours.com info@centralamericalanguagetours.com
Komandante Narko - Si a la Robolucion.
Hey man thanks again.
I understand your point, I hear Ya. One of my associates suggested to research into the "narco dollars" flow down in Nic. also how the country is rapidly becoming a second Colombia, furthermore the relationship of some of the ex Komandantes in all the business going on there.
But the reality is that I am only interested in cultural affairs, particularly new music relating in social issues. I believe my skin is important (for me), therefore attempting to get into Komandante Narko's business can prove to be a bit too much for this humble filmmaker.
Uncovering the Robolucion could be lethal. Ay caramba! no es bueno!
sorry for Misunderstanding......
Been flowing into Central America for years and years....I was not talking about those people..they are few and far between..gracias a dios...I was talking about some ordinary and extraordinary people that lived through the turbulent 70s 80s and 90s "way down south" here..one runs an English Academy, a couple are taxistas, one is an evangelical pastor, etc. etc. The "Narkos" live way up in their condo penthouses somewhere. Let them be. Personally when I am not in a rush, I take city buses around Managua, San Salvador, etc. shop in the markets and know just about everyone...sorry for the misunderstanding (malentendido).....I have been down here many years, I keep a low profile, you would never even give me a second glance on streets of Managua....
Central America Language Tours Your Vertical Portal to Travel, Trade and Language Study in all of Central America... www.centralamericalanguagetours.com info@centralamericalanguagetours.com
No problema hombre
No problem man. It's ok I find getting to know people is the best way to proceed in any circunstance. At the present I am working on a short film about land claims and forestry way up in north Ontario so I am very busy, however I decided to start preliminary research in a different subject, Music in Nicaragua so this initiative if I get funding will be for the 1 quater of 2005. One might say: well that's plenty of time, but not really.
Another filmmaker friend of mine suggested that if I am really interested in going down there, I should pack a cheap camera or two and fly down south with my backpack, meet people and get something interesting out of it. I agree with her, but I want to take my crew to shoot properly (I mean 16 mm film) but in the next coming months I will decide if I should forget about funding, pack a couple of shorts, get a better life insurance :) and get there somewhere in March.
Asi que hay que communicarse mucho. Viva la fiesta!
Music in Nicaragua
I presently am based in El Salvador but am going down to Nicaragua for a month around Sept. 20th and probably relocating there in November, years ago in Guatemala, many years ago, did promotion for Chayanne and Ricky Martin, as well there is budding "Bohemian Scene" in El Salvador since 1994 véase: http://www.lalunacasayarte.com/ a lot of experimental theatre and music besides "salsa nights"..Nicaragua is just beginning to emerge from the "dark ages" so to speak, so when I am there I will look around and find out more from the street level, the only way. There really needs to be a film or films made that show "reel life" in the tropics, enough already about what happened 15 or 20 or 25 years ago..most of the under 20 generation don't remember anyway (70%+ of the population here now is under 25)and want an education and a future. Do it right, I can help with the permits when you are ready and security on the ground. Contact our Director in English or Spanish casí iqual now working with us in central America, Prof. U. Paz E mail paz@thepolyglots.com he is a journalist and author, fluent in 9 langauges, and we have a scriptwiter on staff ( www.multilingual-publishing.com) if required....Also we would be able to subtitle the film in English/French for you..¿Eres tu nativo(a) de Nicaragua?
Central America Language Tours Your Vertical Portal to Travel, Trade and Language Study in all of Central America... www.centralamericalanguagetours.com info@centralamericalanguagetours.com