Join us for a festive free concert with Montreal’s El Balcon group, on the rooftop of the Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch (South Rooftop Terrace – Level 8)
This event is part of the VPL’s Rooftop Rhythms series, and is presented in partnership with the Vancouver Folk Music Festival.
Montreal’s El Balcon first came together to reimagine Mexican folk music, but have since morphed into a globe and genre-spanning group. They layer the sounds of the jarana, tarima, requinto, and cajón—traditional Mexican folk instruments—with Middle Eastern oud and Western violin suffusing their sound with microtones and mixing it up in a new and fresh way.
Anchored by acoustic bass and hard-driving percussion, El Balcón arranges the traditional music of Veracruz, Son Jarocho, with rhythms, harmonies, and influences from around the world. Rooted in lead vocalist Valeria Del Marre’s Mexican heritage, the band both celebrates and reinvents tradition while getting people of all ages and backgrounds up and dancing.
Valeria Del Marre – Vocals & Podorrhythmia; Charles Cantin –Vocals & Jarana; Nicolas Lafortune – Cajon; Alexandre Marchand – Bass; Joshua Greenberg – Requinto & Oud; Laetitia Francoz Levesque – Violin