Golpes y Flores Eliana Cuevas

• 1 Alegría 03:55
• 2 Te Encontraré 01:25
• 3 Seré Libre 05:33
• 4 El Manantial 03:51
• 5 A Tear on the Ground 05:32
• 6 Poderosa 04:39
• 7 Despierta 04:44
• 8 Nunca Jamás 04:11
• 9 Mi Linda Maíta 05:14
• 10 No Se Puede 05:07
• Total Runtime 44:11

Info for Golpes y Flores

With her 5th album, Golpes y Flores, Eliana Cuevas has created a beautiful musical love letter to her native land of Venezuela. The award-winning singer/songwriter explains; Venezuelan music is very rich and I wanted to showcase some of what my country has to offer musically speaking. I was keen to feature traditional Afro-Venezuelan rhythms and mix those in with what I do. Cuevas was able to discover and record some of the finest Afro-Venezuelan percussionists in that country, and their contributions mesh seamlessly with those of her A-list Canadian accompanists. Their work is framed within her eloquent original compositions, while Eliana's fluent and pure vocals complete a sound that is both timeless and freshly contemporary. Eliana has never been constrained by genre boxes in her songwriting, drawing freely from jazz, Latin, folk and world music elements. That variety is again evident on Golpes y Flores, as songs range from the sparse and tender ballad Mi Linda Maíta to the dramatic and strings-driven Nunca Jamas, the horns-embellished Despierta and breezy Poderosa, and the full-blooded Latin jazz feel of Seré Libre. Afro-Venezuelan rhythms are a consistent thread on the album, and Cuevas is thrilled at their presence. Once I found these percussionists to record with, we adapted some of the songs I'd already written, as well as writing some new songs around those rhythms. Cuevas draws upon personal experiences in her very poetic songwriting. The album title also possesses a deep meaning, Eliana states. 'Golpes' means hit, often referring to rhythms, while 'flores' means flowers. To me, the title suggests a combination of the sophistication, beauty and gentleness of flowers and the strength and force of the Afro-Venezuelan rhythms. She has certainly done that here, crafting a lovely work that is highly worthy of your attention.

Eliana Cuevas, vocals
Jeremy Ledbetter, piano
George Koller, bass
Daniel Stone, percussion
Luis Orbegoso, percussion
Mark Kelso, drums

Eliana Cuevas
Through years of touring around the world, across Canada, and collaborating with Juno Award-winning performers, Eliana Cuevas has grown into an accomplished singer-songwriter and bandleader with unlimited colours in her compositional and lyrical palette. Among her honours are the National Jazz Award for Latin Jazz Artist of the Year (2009), a nomination for Best World Music Solo Artist at the Canadian Folk Music Awards (2008), a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best World Music Artist(2007), a nomination for Best Latin Song (‘Llegó from ESPEJO) at the Independent Music Awards (2014) and, most recently, an Independent Music Award for Best Latin Album for ESPEJO (2014) and a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best World Music Artist (2014).

Born to a musical family in Venezuela, Cuevas grew up to the sounds of salsa, joropo, pop and Brazilian music, writing her first song by the age of 9. After moving to Toronto, she boldly began using a fake ID to play the city’s top jazz clubs despite being underage. Singing for Brazilian, flamenco and jazz ensembles influenced her eclectic sound on her debut EP Cohesión (2001) and first two albums, Ventura (2004) and Vidas (2007). Her engaging voice and songwriting on topics from adventure to forgiveness wowed the local music scene, hailing Cuevas as “Canada’s Latin Music Queen” (680 News).

Acclaim spread internationally as Cuevas played festivals and theatres in countries from Venezuela to Germany. Following her second album Vidas (2007), Minor Music Records released in Europe an anthology of her music: Luna Llena (2009). She has performed with Juno-winning Latin artists Alex Cuba, Jesse Cook and Jane Bunnett. Cuevas also continues to collaborate with diverse ensembles including Caribbean Jazz powerhouse CaneFire, the Jorge Miguel Flamenco Ensemble, and Juno-nominated jazz composer Darren Sigesmund, touring venues as far as Australia and Japan.

Eliana Cuevas - Espejo 2013Her newest album Espejo (2013) is a true testament to Cuevas’ growth as an artist. Shaped by her international performances, work with acclaimed artists and newfound motherhood, Espejo seamlessly blends genres from blues to pop with Cuevas’ signature soaring vocals and Latin jazz sound. Ingenious producer and composer Jeremy Ledbetter played a key role in encouraging Cuevas to push her creative boundaries on the album, resulting in an eclectic and captivating musical journey.

“Llegó,” Cuevas’ funkiest number, describes the excitement of starting a new journey with a driving bass as strong as her voice and an irresistible drum beat. “El Tucusito” demonstrates her full vocal range amidst a blend of jazz and the fast-paced traditional Venezuelan rhythm of “joropo:” Ledbetter composed the track specifically to showcase Cuevas’ vocal range and skills. The lead single “Melancolía” is a moving story of the hardships of immigration told with delicate vocals and piano. With songs describing everything from her daughter Leila to life after death, Espejo is truly Cuevas’ most dynamic work. Whether you hear Cuevas online, on a recording or in person, you’re sure to be spirited away by the versatile powers of her sound, words and soul.

Booklet for Golpes y Flores