Rhythm is one of the most powerful forces in music, with the beat and meter providing both the framework and glue for many musical styles. Rhythm even reflects our own human existence, which begins with rhythmic heartbeats.
In filmmaker Eve A. Ma's music documentary, rhythm is manifested through the hands and voices of very talented Peruvian masters—percussionists Lal Izquierdo, Juan Medrano Cotito, and Freddy Huevito Lobotón, backed by guitarist Coco Linares—who demonstrate the strong beats of the country's Afro-Peruvian culture. Along with the music, the history of the songs and beats are also explained by the musicians (some stem from “code” during times of slavery). Mostly played on the cajón (a rectangular percussion hand drum), the beats sometimes feature counter-rhythms and poly-rhythms, and at other times are in total synchronization, creating a powerful foundation for vocals, instrumentation (like acoustic guitar), and, of course, dance. In one such dance, called a zapateo, the rhythms are performed by dancers using techniques that some may recognize as having a kinship with tap dance.
Filmed close-up, this is an intimate portrait of the master practitioners of the rhythmic music central to Afro-Peruvian heritage.
Highly recommended for audiences in colleges and universities, and public libraries.
This review was originally published on November 11, 2016 and appeared in Volume 31, Issue 6. Masters of Rhythm: the Afro-Peruvian Way has since appeared on PBS.
More about Masters of Rhythm...
In addition to the documentary and several video Extras, this item includes a 13-page "Classroom Supplements" manual with information, suggested classroom discussion questions and a reading list; a music album of Afro-Peruvian music, and more.
Shot in Peru, the documentary features three fantastic and charismatic percussionists from the Afro-Peruvian community who perform, shoot the breeze, and inform us about their music and how they learned it. Short interviews, and shots of Afro-Peruvian towns, add to our understanding of the culture. It is a fascinating part of the African Diaspora!
The three percussionists are Lalo Izquierdo, Cotito (Juan Medrano Cotito), and Huevito (Freddy Huevito Lobatón). All three tour internationally and are very well known in Peru. They are ably accompanied in three of the performance sequences by the equally well-known guitarist, Coco Linares. In addition, singer Leticia Coray Merino adds her fine voice to two of the performances.
The documentary includes an addendum that gives us a glimpse of a rehearsal of the "hatajos de negritos," part of the traditional Afro-Peruvian celebration of Christmas. The extras that are included here provide information about other aspects of the culture: the cuisine, the Afro-Peruvian talking drums, more about zapateo fancy footwork, and a dance whose origin is a mystery to most Afro-Peruvians but which we explain as a means of showing how traditional cultures can be inadvertently modified.
1 of 10
Lalo Izquiero and Cotito waiting on a park bench for our interview with each in a part in Lima's Baranco district.
2 of 10
Lalo Izquierdo and Huevito walk through town from one shoot location to another, led on by crew member Jair Guillen Schwartz with a camera.
3 of 10
Our stars - Cotito, Huevito and Lalo Izquierdo - in the filmmakers apartment where we filmed the conversation between the three of them.
4 of 10
Guitarist Coco Linares, who accompanied the three masters (and a master in his own right) on a trip to San Francisco.
5 of 10
Lalo Izquierdo and Cotito meet in front of the club where we filmed the performance.
6 of 10
Cameraman Luis Cateriano Nanrique, master cajón player (and zapeador and composer of the first song) Huevito and master cajón player Cotito, setting up for the performance.
7 of 10
Host/director Eve A. Ma with master cajón player (and zapeador and composer of the last song - and dancer, choreographer, folklorist) Lalo Izquierdo in the patio in front of Ma's apartment, where we were filming him.
8 of 10
Cameraman Luis Cateriano Nanrique along with host/director Eve A. Ma and master cajón player (and zapateador) Huevito figuring out a problem.
9 of 10
Huevito (in the red shirt) and host/director Eve A. Ma for solo interviews in the park. You can just barely see cameraman Luis Cateriano Nanrique on the far right.
10 of 10
Official Documentary Poster.