ROCKERS UNITE THEIR VOICES FOR THE AMAZON

BY NATALIA CANO
ASSOCIATED PRESS

First it was in favor of the sacred Huichol territory of Wirikuta in Mexico. Now a set of rockers headed by the Colombian band Doctor Krapula joins voices to alert the world about the importance of preserving forest, water and cultural reserve in the Amazon.

Under the name of ‘Colectivo Jaguar’, the French-Spanish Manu Chao, Mexican Ruben Albarran, Celso Piña, Alfonso André and Roco Pachukote; the Chilean Moyenei; Colombian Andrea Echeverri and Hector Buitrago, from Aterciopelados; Argentine Gustavo Cordera and Emiliano Bracciari and the Spanish Pulpul, from Ska-P are some of the participants in the album "Ama-zonas", a project to create environmental awareness among the public through music .

"This album wants to raise awareness, so, with the help of all these people who put their voice, their instruments, their talent and their poetry into this album, we believe that many people will come and learn a little more about the Amazon “ as Mario Muñoz "Subcantante “, Doctor Krápula’s vocalist, told The Associated Press in a recent interview.

"I hope that this project can inform all possible public about the risks and threats that runs in this region of South America which is considered the heart, lung and kidney of the world," added the Colombian singer.

The album was released in late July and last week started playing the first single, "Seinekvn" ("Mother Earth" in the Ikun language of the people Arhuaco living in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in northern Colombia), which Doctor Krápula recorded with Manu Chao. The musical theme represents the return of former Mano Negra to Latin America, land that has not walked in years, at least for a concert.

“It was about eight years ago that we first spoke of the Amazon with Manu Chao. In 2005, we made a trip to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and there we began a process of rapprochement with the natives which resulted in an ecological project called “Abre Sierra ", for which we recorded "Seineken “ said Nicolas Cabrera, Doctor Krapula’s drummer. `Seinekvn' is a new version of the song re-recorded for ‘Ama-zonas' with Manu Chao. “

Ruben Albarran, lead singer of the band Café Tacuba, who has stood out for his environmental activism, was one of the musicians who joined the cause promoted by Doctor Krápula’s project for which he lent his voice to the title track of the album, "Ama-zonas" and “Serpiente Guacamayo" one of the 26 songs included in the album.

“ We Latin Americans, unfortunately, are bound by that situation (ecological disasters)," Albarran said. "The patrimony of the Amazon rainforest is not inexhaustible. As musicians, but mainly as humans, we are concerned about it, and we use what we have, music, to create a little awareness, aiming to create some resistance to this disaster that we are living in our region. "

Moreover singer Andrea Echeverri and bassist Hector Buitrago recorded the songs "Rio" and “Salva la Selva”. "With ‘Ama-zonas', Doctor Krápula is following up the project `Abre Sierra', in which we joined, about ten years ago, together with a group of Colombian musicians who act in defense of our indigenous communities, in favor of their culture, of their wisdom, of their traditional medicine. That brought about several campaigns and this was the inspiration for other initiatives such as the Wirikuta project in Mexico, "Buitrago said.

Unlike other albums that support social causes, "Ama-Zonas" is distributed for free. The only digital platform that put on sale the 26 songs on the album is iTunes, whose collected funds will be donated to the Terra Nova Foundation, an organization working for the culture and defense of the Amazon.

"The fundamental basis of this project is that we do not collect money for anything, because sometimes the money you collect smeared hands, or gives rise to many people to think that you are smearing you hands. Thus this record does not collect funds, but collects consciences, it activates them, it touches them “ said Doctor Krápula’s vocalist.

According to Muñoz, the "Ama-Zonas" project will have a second stage involving the creation of a library-boat floating down the Amazon, which would go from village to village sharing experiences, and collecting useful information to preserve the area.

The Amazon was declared in 2011 as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It has an area of 6 million square kilometers, divided among Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Venezuela and Surinam.

"Ama-Zonas" was performed live a few days ago, during the 20th anniversary of the legendary Rock al Parque festival in Colombia. It will be in October when Doctor Karápula visits the United States to continue the promotion of this project. Before that, the Bogota quintet will stop in Mexico, where they will present the album at the Viva El Planeta Festival to be held on October 11 at the Jose Cuervo Salon in Mexico City.

 © 2014 The Associated Press.

Can Rock Music Change the World?

By 'Fumettista Esplosivo' Fabrizio de Fabriitis - Italy

The answer is that WE believe that ART in general has this power. But there is also a Planetary Conscience Movement growing on this belief, formed by everyday people and intellectuals alike, people that are connecting for the same purpose: becoming a change activator. 

Among them, there is a group of international artists, led by the Colombian Rock band 'DOCTOR KRAPULA', that strongly believes in the upcoming change and in the power of Music as social catalyst: 25 musicians, who on April 26 will launch a new album entitled 'AMA-ZONAS, hope of the Humanity '.

Along with the Alternative Nobel Prize VANDANA SHIVA, the Foundations' TERRA NOVA 'and' BOMBEA ', this collective, among which – being others actually all worthy of note – are starring names as SKA-P, CAFé Tacvba, LOS AUTENTICOS DECADENTES, ATERCIOPELADOS, LA MALDITA VECINDAD and CELSO PINA, wants to bring the attention of the international public on the problems and causes that are destroying the last rainforest. 

Moreover, their album is an ‘IKARI’, which means 'healing song', but is also a powerful message to the world and a call to each one of us to meet and aknowledge an ancestral culture that not only must not die, but that also may help us restore the natural balance of the Planet and should stand as an example on how we could live in armony with eachother and our Mother Nature .

The album will be distributed free of charge. Stay tuned! 

In Italy, during the H2O AfterShow on Aug. 6, 2013 the band meets Chiara Maesano for an interview.

The Band Speaks About Their Last European Tour

By Jorge Esteban Benavides Noguera

Leticia was the starting point for Doctor Krapula's Planet Tour 2013 . In June they were in the United States and the rest of the season was reserved for Europe, especially Germany, where the group from Bogotà gave more than 20 concerts. "Although the Germans did not understand the lyrics of our songs, they understood our message and proposal in general," says the band.

The international public response:
"People know that Colombia has a great musical potential and we feel that they both enjoy the sounds of our country and the rest of Latin America. We add this to our proposal, and the people reaction is amazing: it turns into a party that they and we enjoy together. People also connect with our lyrics that denounce problems that are common throughout Latin America, and propose positive messages of change and awareness with which many people feel identified ".

A bitter moment in the tour:
"There was a concert in a town of Germany, in which we played outdoor in a beautiful park, but no one paid attention, only a small group of 'Nazi' throught us the sole of a boot, which bothered us much, and after having made them the claim, they behaved more respectfully, but the concert was beyond repair. "

Germany in the words of Doctor Krapula:

" It is one of the countries that have treated us better. The people are very open minded, very environmentally conscious and are keen to know the Latin American culture. A country in which we like touring because the circuit is very organized, full of festivals and musical events ranging almost from Monday to Friday. Moreover, travelling by car is very relaxing, there is no toll, no speed limit, and you can go to villages and cities without having to travel long distances ".

Source: http://www.cartelurbano.com/content/sonidos-colombianos-que-giraron-por-el-mundo