Andean Sounds

Can you listen to Los Calchakis' "Llorando Se Fue" without thinking of the ubiquitous lambada? A luminous reading of "Volver A Los 17" by Chile's Violeta Parra illustrates the precise junction where the Andean aesthetic meets nueva canción. On "María Landó," World music diva Susana Baca mixes Afro-Peruvian roots with a touch of the Andes.

With its subtle instrumentation of melodic flutes and delicate strings, Andean music is ideal for the reinvention of famous standards, like Inti-Aymará's version of "Guantanamera" and Tinku's spirited cover of the Venezuelan classic "Caballo Viejo." Los Calchakis' "Gloria" is culled from the celebrated Misa Criolla, a South American mass.

After decades spent singing about Latin American politics and social justice, legendary Andean group Inti-Illimani released an album of love songs, Amar De Nuevo, in 1999. The gorgeous "La Indiferencia" and "Negra Presuntuosa" are culled from that CD. "Ojos Azules" finds revered Argentine songstress Mercedes Sosa in a Bolivian kind of mood.

A cult genre that deserves wider recognition, Andean music is rustic and refreshing, combining the sounds of the charango (a mandolin-like string instrument) with the soulful quena flute and the bombo drum. Andean music flourished predominantly in Peru, Bolivia and Chile. In the '60s and '70s, the sociopolitical movement of nueva canción found inspiration in Andean soundscapes through the works of seminal groups like Inti-Illimani and Los Jairas. Proceed with caution: this music is likely to break your heart.