Luis Casal: Homenage to Panama / Homenaje a Panamá (Audio CD)

1. David Alejandro by Luis Enrique Casal – Atravesao *Dedicated to David Alejandro Casal Rodríguez
2. Vilma Elena (D.R.) – Tambor Corrido
3. Paola by Luis Enrique Casal – Punto Santeño *Dedicated to Paola Esther Casal Rodríguez
4. Yo Vivo Triste (I Live Sad) (D.R.) – Pasillo
5. La Pajarita (The Little Bird) by Joaquín Carrizo – Tamborera
6. Mamá Eva (Mother Eve) by Vicente Gómez – Danzón Cumbia
7. Triste Vida de Soltero (The Sad Life of a Bachelor) by José de la R. Cedeño – Cumbia Abierta
8. Taboga by Ricardo Fábrega – Bolero
9. La Realidad (Reality) by José de la R. Cedeño – Cumbia Abierta
10. Honor al Mérito (Honor to a Merit) by Vicente Gómez – Pasillo
11. Recuerdo de la Laguna (Remembrance of the Lagoon) by José de la R. Cedeño – Cumbia Abierta
12. Punto Ocueño (D.R.) – Punto Ocueño
13. Sinceridad (Sincerity) by Toñito Sáez – Cumbia Abierta
14. El Martes de Carnaval (The Tuesday of Carnival) (D.R.) – Tambor Norte

Luis Enrique Casal, violin, viola (5), voice (5) and choruses

Ricaurte Villarreal, Panamanian drums

Emiliano Pardo-Tristán, guitar [8 (solos)]

Norberto Ulloa, guitar (except 3 and 4)

Juan Cedeño, electric bass

Efraín González, mejoranera (12), maracas and guitar (3 and 4)

Isaac Casal, cello (1,5)

Dr. Luis Enrique Casal M., voice (5)

Paola Casal, chorus (14)

Ella Ponce, caja (a two-headed drum) (except 3) and percussion

Though a small territory, Panama boasts a great musical treasury that has been shaped by the contributions of many diverse ethnic groups inhabiting the country. The musical genres found in this recording are only a small representation of the musical richness found in the Panamanian folk music. Among these, the works of the Azuero Peninsula have played an integral role in the shaping of Panamanian folk music today. The most widely represented region in this compilation, the Peninsula’s influences reflect primarily African and Hispanic traditions and is characterized musically by its fervent closeness to its folk traditions.

The principal autochthonous instruments of the Azuero region include el socavón (a little Creole guitar of 4 strings, now almost non-existent), la mejorana (a small Creole guitar of 5 strings), el rabel (a three string Creole violin, almost extinct), los tambores (percussion instruments similar to the congas), la caja (a two-headed drum), la tambora (another type of two-headed drum), and instruments of a foreign nature such as shakers, violin, guitar, and accordion, among others. The violin arrived in North America along with the Spanish colonization that began in the 15th century. According to Bolívar Rodríguez, a specialist in Panamanian folklore, this string instrument arrived in the Azuero region during the mid 19th century and became the preferred instrument in the performance of folk music. A rapidly increasing population at this time forced musicians at smaller establishments to seek larger performance venues in order to accommodate the growth in crowd numbers. These changes brought along a new necessity: the use of technological devices for amplification purposes that would ultimately compromise the tonal beauty of the violin’s natural voice and eventually replace the instrument with the more strident accordion by the beginning of the 1950’s. One of the purposes of this compilation is to resurrect the role of the violin and restore its importance as a vital Panamanian folk instrument.

Recorded, August 2004 and January 2005 at INSOMNIO Recording Studios.

Sound Engineer: Alberto Ruíz.

Photography: Ana Gabriela Delgado.

Graphic design: Diana Rutherford.

Mixed and mastered by Rodrigo Invernizzi and Roberto Edmundo González Saavedra.

*Violin used in most of the pieces is a William Fleisher 2003.

*Viola used in this recording is an Eckart Richter 1973.