A Closer Listen
Are you ready for Carnaval? We know we are. When the landscape is barren and the air is bitter cold, we yearn for color and warmth. The sounds of last year’s Carnaval in Cajamarca, Peru have become this year’s exuberant Cuando tira el aqua (When You Throw the Water), released a month before the beginning of this year’s festivities, running March 1-5.
R. Weis is no stranger to our pages, having first appeared in 2014 with Parrot & Paperback, which called our attention to the wealth of his now 50-year career. Over time, we’ve noticed threads in his work, from joyful creativity to unflagging attention to detail. In one sense, CEMPAZÚCHITL (Party with the Dead) is connected to last year’s The Reaper and Me (recorded earlier) as a yin-and-yang of mourning; in another, Cuando tira el aqua is the soulmate to CEMPAZÚCHITL, as each work is a street celebration.
The title comes from the tradition of dousing spectators with water, a joyful drenching. As Weis writes, “Anyone who attends these celebrations expects to get wet,” whether by water balloon, water gun, bucket or bottle. In this composition, two parades become one, their narrative fused. Hawkers peddle snacks, water and souvenirs. Whistles and drums are heard in the background. The crowd grows excited. In this presentation (unlike real life), they have less than a minute to wait; Weis wants to get right to the good stuff. Handclaps and horns are followed by chants, snares and cymbals. By looping, alternating and sequencing, Weis not only preserves the excitement, but enhances it. Children shout and clap; whistlers whistle in unison; a marching band enters, but does not pass by. Anyone who has ever attended a parade in which the crowd-pleasing bands were separated by music-free moments will appreciate this sonic approach.
Drum solos, brass solos, whistle solos all appear in solo and group versions. A high tempo is sustained throughout, with light variations (a trumpet slowdown with vocal accompaniment at 5:30). Everyone, everywhere, is having fun. Less apparent in the mix, but thankfully visible in the cover photo, is the fact that color is as important to the celebration as sound; Carnaval is a feast of the senses. One might feast on chupa de peras and puchero, chased by a tasty dulce de duraznos; the blend of scents alone is intoxicating.
Most importantly, Weis captures the feeling of Carnaval, the pent-up energy waiting to escape, the sense of community as the spectators join the dance. In other hands, Cuando tira del aqua might have become a club track, its regional flavor diminished; Weis preserves its sense of place. The ultimate compliment: the Official Cajamarca Carnaval Organizers are already using Weis’ piece to promote this year’s event. In the closing minute, the music exits, revealing the patter of children, happy conversation and appreciative applause, to which we add our own. (Richard Allen)
Available on streaming services February 1.
Tue Jan 28 00:01:15 GMT 2025