Passim Presents: Sol y Canto
30th anniversary show with special guests
Decades ago, the Boston Globe called Sol y Canto “Boston’s sublime pan-Latin music, ambassadors”, and they’re still at it after 30 years! They’re unstoppable. Sol y Canto is the award-winning Boston-based Pan-Latin ensemble led by Puerto Rican/Argentine singer and percussionist Rosi Amador and New Mexican guitarist and composer Brian Amador. Featuring Rosi’s crystalline voice and Brian’s lush Spanish guitar and inventive compositions, Sol y Canto’s original songs are a mix of introspective songs about love and socially conscious hopeful songs, set in a framework of varied musical styles with surprising twists.
On this evening they will perform songs from their new 30th anniversary album, “En tu órbita”, which features songs in varied Latin rhythms from Colombian cumbia and Cuban son to ballads, among others. Their repertoire is primarily originals by composer Brian Amador with inventive twists and two handpicked beloved South American and Caribbean classics.
Rosi and Brian Amador charmingly translate Spanish lyrics poetically to make their music accessible to all. They can make you dance, laugh, cry and sigh all in one concert. With Brian’s commanding, intricate guitar playing, Rosi’s rhythmic drive on cajón and bongos, trademark soul-stirring rich vocal harmonies and the liberal use of vocal improvisation and body percussion, the duo’s sound is lush. They are joined by upright bassist Keala Kaumeheiwa, wind instrumentalist Paul Lieberman and cellist Queralt Giralt Soler. For this special 30th anniversary concert they are flying in two former members of the band that sang with them for years. Flying in from Buenos Aires, accomplished saxophonist Bernardo Monk has distinguished himself in Argentina by featuring the saxophone in his native tango rhythm. And directly from Puerto Rico, Alan del Castillo will add his exquisite tenor voice and Central American ocarinas (clay flutes) to this celebration.
To mark their 30th anniversary, Sol y Canto is recording a new album. The title track, “En tu órbita”, was released as a single on February 14th, can be heard on digital platforms and on Bandcamp here. After submitting the video of the song to NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest they were soon featured in their newsletter (out of 6,600 entries)! The video can be seen here. This performance is part of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration observed in the United States decades ago.