Interferences: María Sonora

It was 1990 when the first pioneering record was made at the intersection of hip-hop, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and rock. But it was never published until now, when María Sonora returns to the stage at GAM, with her first show in 31 years.

The brothers María José and Sebastián Tan Levine were at the center of the creative ebullition of the most purposeful pop of the years of dictatorship in Chile. But not in the "front line", but in the more suggestive nooks and crannies of advanced composition, the crossing between genres, and the challenge to assigned roles. Ella, massively known for her time as keyboardist and vocalist of the group Upa! —his singing in "Río Río" is unforgettable—he also collaborated with groups such as Cleopatras and Primeros Auxilios. And he, a self-taught percussionist and producer, is part of the history of an almost endless list of bands, from Pinochet Boys to Eltrabajos.

The first band in which the Levine brothers associated their talents was María Sonora (1988-1994), an Afro-Caribbean, hip-hop and electronic fusion group; sound unprecedented until then in Chile. An «experimental-Latin» proposal, in his words, whose shows became appointments of unforgettable liveliness. Color and rhythm articulated as an atypical form of dissidence for a country uniformed in its distrust of what is different.

They were able to make their first recording with prestigious collaborators; including two of the then members of the group Eltrabajos (Carlos Cabezas and Silvio Paredes), the guitarist Ángel Parra (Los Tres) and the multi-instrumentalist Cuti Aste. The work was musician Carlos Cabezas' first commission as a producer, and it was mastered in Tokyo, Japan, at the King Records studios (February 1990). However, being an independent recording, it did not find the resources to be published, and remained unreleased, except for its circulation on informal cassettes.

That only album by María Sonora is not only a hidden gem of Chilean music, but also a missing link in the chain that would later establish the valuable rapprochement between cumbia, electronica, reggae and rap. A pioneering album, which has taken 36 years to be officially released, and which is now available thanks to the agreement with Hueso Records.

The concert will also feature the screening of the video of the legendary band Cleopatras (Patricia Rivadeneira, Jacqueline Fresard, Cecilia Aguayo and Tahía Gómez) presenting"Peonía Roja", along with the screening of the film "El punk triste" by Mario Navarro and a DJ set by Planta Carnívora. Everything, regarding the exhibition by Iván Navarro, Penumbra, at the 17 Biennial of Media Arts.

Interferences 3 is a GAM project where Chilean musicians intervene in corners of the cultural center and its programming, with freedom to design and articulate a creative proposal coherent with their current work in development, and presented as a unique experience and contact without hierarchies with the audience. A concept and selection project coordinated by the journalist and music researcher Marisol García.

Programme
6 p.m. Doors opening. Video screening of "Red Peony" (Cleopatras).
6:30 p.m. Carnivorous Plant (DJ + Planta MC).