Two young New Yorkers with an ambitious plan to rescue the traditional sounds of Nicaragua’s southern Caribbean port town held a concert in Managua last weekend as part of a campaign to promote the coast’s rich but threatened musical tradition.
Alexander Scott and Edwin ReedSanchez are on a mission to revive the Creole and indigenous musical tradition in Bluefields, while infusing the old sounds with new instruments and technology.
“We’re trying to develop the tradition of music in Bluefields and rescue the culture,” Scott told The Nica Times.
The impoverished coast’s musical tradition, which is inspired by the annual Palo de Mayo – or Maypole – celebration, is eroding as local artists have few resources to promote or develop their talents.
The two started the first recording studio and reggae school on the Caribbean to record local artists and hosted its first live concert in Managua Dec. 13, which was headlined with the comeback of Bluefields reggae legend Profesòr Sabu.
To find out more, go to the project’s new Website, visit www.bluefieldsound.com.
–Blake Schmidt
