Text and photos by Ariel Soto
"I think this is going to be really romantic music," J said to me, as we sat down in our seats, our toes literally touching the mics and instruments on the makeshift stage area at Red Poppy Art House (http://www.redpoppyarthouse.org/). It was a perfect Fall evening and we were about to embark on a musical adventure through Chile with trusty our guides, the Quijeremá quartet. And yes, the music was very romantic, but also very sad.
Many of the pieces we heard were written by guest artist Rafael Manriquez who has composed many works using poems by famous Latin American poets, like Pablo Neruda, that focus on love and joyfulness, but also on the political turmoil that has so rampantly spread itself throughout the continent.
Beyond the powerful messages and emotions, the musicians themselves were true masters of their instruments, with Quique Cruz continuously diving into what he called his "bag of tricks" to share with us yet another type of Chilean flute, to Maria Fernanda Acuña playing the best (and first!) maracas solo I've ever heard. And of course with the intimacy and warmth of Red Poppy, it made for a perfect evening that felt like a gathering of old friends just chilling and soaking in the culture.
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