Carolina Mama brings her primavera tour to Daleee
SINCE OPENING LAST YEAR ON the 4th of July weekend, Daleee at KTAOS Solar Center has been host to a wide variety of musical acts. Perhaps due to the inclinations and tastes of owner Ricky Carlini, the programming has skewed toward the international. In addition to being the primary venue for popular local world music promoters Roots and Wires Presents, the venue’s tent-like concert hall has bore witness to many other memorable shows over the past nine months.
This Saturday, March 30, Daleee will host singer Carolina Mama: an up-and-coming Argentinian singer-songwriter currently making her home in New York City. Having performed in the most prestigious jazz venues in Argentina and toured across Mexico, South America, Europe, and Africa over the past decade, she is set to release her debut album, “Amina,” later this year.
With an intimate singing style that draws the listener in, Carolina’s musical world has expanded greatly since moving to New York in 2015. In a sea of collaborations that include the formation of a sextet named Levana, working with the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance and the South American Jazz Collective, performing with Arturo O’Farrill for the release of his Grammy-nominated album “Fandango at the Wall,” and collaborating with Catalan guitarist Lau Noah, it seems the move to New York City has opened up a portal to a new chapter of Carolina’s musical career — one that centers on collaboration and expressive freedom.
While no music from the Carolina Mama project is currently available on popular streaming platforms, those interested in exploring her music before the show can find a large selection of videos of Carolina performing with a wide range of ensembles on her YouTube channel (@carolinamama3104). A selection of recordings of her singing in a more jazz-oriented mode can also be found on her archival Soundcloud page (@carolina-gonzalezmama).
A press release describes her forthcoming record as “a powerful and inspiring expression of womanhood, blending folkloric/jazz elements and cinematography to take listeners on a journey that serves as a witness to women’s strength, beauty, and resilience. Carolina Mama’s live performances showcase her intimate singing style, masterful storytelling, and outrageous skill at imaginatively interweaving cultural treasures into something that challenges female norms and representation. The project originated during research in Morocco on folkloric music performed only by women, where Carolina discovered the story of Amina El Filali, a 16-year-old girl who took her own life after countless violations. Carolina’s origins have also inspired this project as an Argentinian activist within the Ni Una Menos movement. The album is co-produced with Emily Elbert and Jacob Collier.”
On a spring tour that also sees her performing at Bar Lunàtico in Brooklyn, Paradiso in Santa Fe, and a four night-stand at the Black Cat in San Francisco, Carolina Mama will be gracing the stage at Daleee for the final night of her cross-country sojourn accompanied by the aforementioned Lau Noah on guitar, Josh Hari on bass, Brian Haas on piano, and special guest Dmitri Buckler Burtis on drums. Performances at New York City’s prestigious Lincoln Center and The Public Theater are already on the books for Carolina Mama this fall.
Other upcoming gigs worthy of note at Daleee at KTAOS Solar Center include: the psychedelic septet Salamander Collective on Saturday, April 6 with an opening set from Lady’s Mantle’s Turiya Laloba; The Arellano Brothers benefit show on Saturday, April 13; a rare performance from celebrated independent group CocoRosie on Sunday, April 14; and Albuquerque’s Dust City Opera on Friday, April 26.
In addition to their concert offerings, Daleee Productions at KTAOS Solar Center plays host to a wide swath of weekly community events. On Wednesdays, there is trivia night at 6:30 p.m., the long-running Taos Bluegrass Jam at 7 p.m. and karaoke at 9 p.m. On Thursdays, there is ping pong at 4:30 p.m., Latin club dance lessons at 7 p.m. and a reggaeton salsa Latin party at 8 p.m. On Sundays, there are two-step dance classes at 4:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, the venue has a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.