Andy Palacio (pictured) was not only Belize 's most popular musician and performing artist, but a cultural activist with a deep commitment to preserving the values of his Garifuna culture, and he was preparing an American tour following the release of the widely acclaimed CD "Watina" when he was unexpectedly taken ill and died. The other musicians in his Collective have decided, in honor of his memory, and out of a desire to continue the work he started, to carry on with the tour. We are honored to welcome them. Included in the band are three singers from UMALALI, the delightful women's group that has just released a new CD of traditional music from Belize , and one of the most extraordinary and passionate Garifuna artists of his generation, guitarist and singer AURELIO MARTINEZ, who has followed in the footsteps of the legendary Parranderos of the Caribbean to become the new voice of Paranda. The music itself is a rich admixture of Caribbean and African rhythms, spun together around the beautiful traditional songs of this small and vital culture from coastal Central America.
Andy Palacio article in the New York Times
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