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Original Latin American Folk/World music - fronted by Chilean singer Valentina Montoya  Martinez
  
NEW ALBUM
'Little Book of love and Exile' out December 2011

                                           
            
                                
Press

"The Latin voices of Central and South America. Songs of exile, love and freedom and a stunning voice that prickles the hairs, Voces del Sur were wonderful. Chilean vocalist Valentina was incredible, decked in red poncho and strumming along like some sylvan beauty" - Three Weeks Review

"Combining passion, sensuality and musical intelligence Valentina is a dazzling performer with a world class voice" - The Scotsman

"For Valentina, music is a connection to her roots...a gloriously multinational affair" - The Sunday Times

"Valentina is the singer, a very pretty, highly personable Chilean, who sounds as good as she looks. Her pure, clear voice is a joy to listen to. Their music is absolutely irresistible” - Lothian Life

“Valentina's voice is world class - big, bold and full of the defiant soul which inspired much of the music from this vibrant region" - Three Weeks Review

“Russell's intricate lines wove in and out of the luxuriant melodies that poured out of Montoya-Martinez - her voice potent and emotional” - Edinburgh Evening News

"Beautifully expressive voice" - The Scotsman

"Pure and simple passion" - Edinburgh Evening News

"Alluring" - International Record Review

"Exhilarating" - The Herald

"Montoya-Martinez is a voice that we should be grateful came north” - The Sunday Times

“Whether she was interpreting Piazzolla or her own material, most memorably 'La Partida/Leaving', and 'Sola', she held the audience's rapt attention and, after two encores, definitely left them wanting more” - MusicalCriticism.com



A few words from Valentina about

'LITTLE BOOK OF LOVE AND EXILE'.

"I was born in Chile. Because of the 1973 coup my family left the country. I grew up mostly in England, surrounded by the music my mother had brought over from Chile and by the music of other Latin American refugees (from Chile, Uruguay and Argentina). My mother’s music collection consisted of songs from the Chilean New Song Movement, tangos, and Latin American folk.

I remember my childhood and adolescence being framed by the songs of Isabel Parra, Mercedes Sosa, Victor Jara, Alfredo Zitarrosa and El Sabalero. This music always made me feel warm inside. Like I was ‘at home’. I felt secure in its environment, and the warmth of my mother’s love.

It was my mother who bought me my first guitar. The first song I learnt on it was ‘Yo defiendo a mi tierra’, by Isabel Parra. I sang it with a young girl’s high pitched voice, which might have broken a glass or two had it gone any higher! More than anything, I wanted to learn to sing and to sing those songs!

In awe, I watched a singer from Uruguay play his guitar and sing in our living room. I wanted to sing like he did, with just a guitar! Someone said to me that it would take me years to sing the kind of song I wanted, in the way I wanted, because the nature of that music required it: because you needed to live life first.

And he was right. My search for ‘my song’ coincided with my search for my identity, which sat straddled between two cultures.

This album, inspired by a visit to the Island of Ikaria, an island with an history of accommodating exiles, is my tribute to all exiles who have had to undertake that search, and to the people and music which surrounded me then.

I share it with you.

Valentina."




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