PERFORMERS
We are delighted to have the following performers join in this celebration of community!
¡Estamos encantados de que los siguientes artistas vayan a participar en nuestra celebración!
Master Drummer, Orlando Primo was born on December 12, 1986, at the David’s Memorial Hospital, in Georgetown, Guyana, South America.
Being the seventh of eleven other siblings, he began playing drums at the tender age of seven with his brothers Jomo and Kurt as a beginner at the many thanksgiving services his father spearheaded. He was not really a quick learner at the drums, but his dad and brothers always remained spellbound at the melodious and stirring rhythms he created.
Guyana
By age ten he was ready to take on the world as a young drummer and from there on improved rapidly until he became one of the most talented African drummer around. He soon became a household name, creating his own style and routines which always found favor with his audiences. In 2003 they formed a group called the Primo Brothers of which Orlando was made the ‘second in command’ even though he was still very young.
This group effortlessly won the E Kaabo kabiesi Competition in 2004, and placed second in the African Cultural Association Drumming Competition in 2005. In 2006 they again won the E Kaabo kabiesi Competition, and repeated that feat in 2007.
Since then Orlando has greatly improved his act and has rapidly moved up the ranks to become one of the most talented and skillful African drummers not only in Guyana but as well as several neighboring countries around the world.
Raíces
Latinamerican Folkloric Music Band
México
Is a band that is born from a void of folkloric Latin American culture in New Orleans. With 30 + years of experience playing the folk expressions from south of the border, we try to spread as many different rhythms and rhymes as we know to show as many cultures.
Regularly being a duet, there has been up to 5 musicians integrating the band. We play folkloric music like "Son jarocho" from Mexico; "Carnavalito" from Argentina; "Yaravi" from Perú; "Huayno" from Bolivia; "Joropo" from Venezuela; "Saya" from Chile; "Polka" from Paraguay; among a long list.
Members are:
Roberto Carrillo: String and wind instruments.
Maria Rodriguez-Casillas: Vocals and percussion instruments.
Ecuador
Belinda Avila is the director and choreographer for NOHA. New Orleans Hispano America Dance NOHA is a cultural dance group dedicated to bringing ethnic dances from Latin American countries. The folkloric dances that are taught and showcased, foster a greater understanding of the rich diversity of Latinx people. For the past 10 years, Belinda has brought dances from Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, and Bolivia. Her research in the history, culture, and costumes of folklore brings the dance art form to life. In the past NOHA has been a featured performing group at the Audubon Zoo, Jazz Fest, and festivals throughout the city of New Orleans.
México
A principios de la cuarentena, para aliviar el estrés de la universidad, empecé a producir musica tocando el piano y grabando los acordes en una estación de trabajo de audio digital. Desarollé una pasión por el Hip-Hop/ R&B y por la música Urbana Latina. Empecé a escribir canciones sobre mis experiencias a mi corta edad y transformé este hobby en una fuente de desahogo emocional en el cual la gente no solo me escuchaba sino me sentía. Mayor parte de mi trabajo artístico es enfocado a historias de amor mezclando géneros como el Trap o el Reggaeton. Algunas de mis grandes influencias musicales provienen de artistas como Myke Towers, Jhay Cortez, Lil Baby y Travis Scott.
At the beginning of the quarantine, as stress relief for university, I started producing music by playing the piano and recording chords on a digital audio workstation. I developed a passion for Hip-hop/ R&B and Latin urban music and then writing lyrics about my experiences. I shaped this hobby into emotions where not only they could hear me but feel me. Most of my writing is focused on love stories mixing genres such as Trap or Reggaeton. I have major influences from artists like Myke Towers, Jhay Cortez, Lil Baby, and Travis Scott.
República Dominicana
Fermín Ceballos y
Merengue 4
Fermín Ceballos; a tri-lingual songwriter, musician, bandleader, actor, and poet; born & raised in Jamey, San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic who right now, is creating & sharing his art in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Fermín Ceballos studied music at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and was a professor of music for the Dominican Republic Secretary of State for Culture National School System. His primary musical instruments are the accordion, guitar, piano, and voice. Fermín is continually working on several musical projects in the Gulf South and around the US; such as Merengue4-FOUR, a musical project focused on Dominican Music (Bachata & Merengue Típico), Fermín’s Latin Fusion Orchestra which performs original salsa inspired compositions, and Fermín Acústico a musical concept based on guitar and voice. With all his projects, he performs original compositions based on his fusion of different sounds and musical rhythms. In 2019, he released his first book of poems in Spanish and English entitled. “Pisando Mi Sombra” (Walking My Shadow).