By Oriol BolaƱo
Mexican jazz singer-songwriter Magos Herrera released her new album Aire on Sunnyside Records on May 5. That is being followed by two concerts in Mexico with her trio and the JosƩ White String Quartet. They will perform at the following venues:
āJune 3 at 7pm, Ćngela Peralta Theater, San Miguel de Allende, Gto.
āJune 4 at 7pm, NezahualcĆ³yotl Hall, University Cultural Center, CDMX.
The album presents a luminous collection of new songs and gems from the great Latin American songbook. They are performed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and include a tribute to the famous Mexican shaman MarĆa Sabina.
The work of an artist can often take the form of alchemy. In her new album, Herrera transforms the pain, fear, and loneliness of a deadly plague into a luminous collection of songs that represent Ā«a celebration of our humanity and the healing power of musicā¦ We’ve been dealing with something that we didn’t see coming and that was beyond what we could have imagined,Ā» says Herrera. Ā«In the process, we find ourselves facing our vulnerability, and in doing so rediscovering our humanity. That is why this album is unique for me. As we emerge from the pandemic, we are not only reconnecting with each other, but also discovering a new world. We need to find a new way to live in it.Ā»
Aire contains 12 songs, including new compositions by Herrera commissioned by Chamber Music Americas New Jazz Works and gems from the Great Latin American Songbook, such as Ā«Alfonsina y el MarĀ» and Ā«Gracias a la Vida.Ā» These two classics suggest two central narratives of the experience in Aire: Ā«AlfonsinaĀ» is an acknowledgment of our impermanence and death, and Ā«Gracias a la VidaĀ» is a prayer of thanks for the many gifts of daily life.
With the exception of two songs, the voice and guitar duet in Ā«PassarinhadeiraĀ» and the octet version of the classic Ā«Samba em PreludioĀ» by Vinicius de Moraes and Baden Powell, Herrera sings over a sound tapestry provided by her jazz trio, amplified by The Knights, a 21-piece orchestra under the artistic direction of Eric and Colin Jacobsen, former members of the Brooklyn Rider String Quartet.
Aire became a way to connect, says Herrera, who wrote much of this music during isolation. Ā«We are here, we are alive, and we can heal each other by meeting and celebrating our humanity with compassion and gratitude.Ā» After the concerts in Mexico, Herrera will continue the Aire tour in New York in Bryant Park.
Tickets are on sale at the Ćngela Peralta Theater box office and start at 500 pesos. For more information, call 415 154-7175.
