CD Notes & Translations

Semillas de inmensidad/Seeds of immensity

“por las coplas que mordemos - semillas de inmensidad”

“And these songs that we eat – seeds of immensity” –Atahualpa Yupanqui

1) Chacarera Santiagueña 4:05

Argentina. Trad. Chacarera.
Lyrics:Chango Farías Gómez
Guitar, clarinet, violin & voices.

A trad. Chacarera, our version starts in space, quickly earths, gets rockin’ with hints of klezmer, has a mellow interlude of violin clarinet conversation, then rocks out. Argentine Chacarera is a passionate song & dance form from the countryside. According to legend originating in the remote province of Santiago del Estero, now played in all Argentina & beyond. This is dedicated to Chango Farías Gómez, the great musician, singer, interpreter and arranger who passed in Aug. 2011 & wrote these lyrics.

Arriba de unos árboles
cantaban unos pájaros.
Lunes Martes y Miércoles
Jueves, Viernes y Sábado.

Up there in the trees
Some birds were singing
Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays

Una vez que te quisí
y tu mamá lo supio.
Fue porque yo le dijí,
que te casaras con yo.

Once I said I wanted you and
your mother knew about it
it was because I told her
that I would marry you

Yo no ando porque te quiero.
Ni ando para que me quieras.
Ando por andar de vicio
Ando por andar nomás.

I’m walking not because I want you
Nor so you love me
I go on and on because it’s my addiction
I do it for the pleasure of it

Canten canten compañeros.
De que me andan recelando?
Yo no soy mas que apariencia,
sombra que anda caminando.

Sing, sing my friends
Don’t get jealous of me
I’m just pure image
Shadow that likes to walk

Cuando llega el carnaval,
no almuerzo ni como nada,
me mantengo con la copla,
me duermo con la tonada.

When the carnival arrives
I eat nothing
I sustain myself from the copla
I fall asleep with the Tonada (song)

Ay hojita de algarrobo
molidita en el mortero.
Se me sube a la cabeza
como si fuera sombrero.

Ay, the algarrobo leaf
Ground in the mill
goes up to my head
Like it was a hat

Canten,canten compañeros
De que me andan recelando?
Yo no soy mas que apariencia
sombra que anda caminando.

Sing, sing my friends
Don’t get jealous of me
I’m just pure image
Shadow that likes to walk

2) El Jarabe Loco 6:50

Mexico. Trad. Veracruz Son Jarocho.
Harp, jarana jarocha, bombo & voices.

A joyful upbeat dance song in 6/8.

Para cantar el jarabe,
para eso me pinto yo.
Para rezar el rosario,
mi hermano el que se murió.
Ése sí era santulario,
no pícaro como yo.
To sing the jarabe,
that’s what I’m ready for
My brother who passed
was good for saying the Rosary
He really was saintly
Not mischievous like me

Este es el jarabe loco
que compuso Lucifer
Que compuso Lucifer
Este es el jarabe loco
que compuso Lucifer

This is the crazy Jarabe
that Lucifer wrote
that Lucifer wrote.
This is the crazy Jarabe
That Lucifer wrote.

Cogollo de lima,
rama de laurel
Cómo quieres china
que te vaya a ver
Si salgo de guardia,
voy para el cuartel
Mis zapatos blancos
los voy a vender
Porque ya no tengo
ni para comer
Si son los de encima
son de cuero viejo
Yo por donde quiera
se me ve el pellejo
Si salgo a bailar
hago mucho ruido
Ya parezco río
de esos muy crecidos.

Harvest of limes
branch of laurel
How do you want me
to come see you?
If I have to go on guard
I’m going to the barracks
With my white chaps
which I’m going to sell
because I don’t have enough money
Not even for food
If they’re the bargain ones
they’re made of old leather
Every way you look at me
you see old skin.
If I go dancing
I make a lot of noise
I am noisy
like a very fierce river

Este es el jarabe loco
Que compuse una man~ana
Que compuse una man~ana
Este es el jarabe loco
Que compuse una man~ana

This is the crazy dance
that resurrects the dead
They come out of their graves
shaking their little heads

Lo compuse en Veracruz
Y ya se toca en la Habana
Y ya se toca en la Habana
Desde que esta Castro Ruz
Lo compuse en Veracruz
Este es el jarabe loco
que a los muertos resucita
Salen de la sepultura
meneando la cabecita
Te quise rendido,
te adoré constante
Vuelen pajarillos,
vuelen vigilantes
Si la piedra es dura
tú eres un diamante,
Donde no ha podido

This is the crazy jarabe
that I composed one morning
This is the crazy jarabe. I composed it in Veracruz
and it is played already in La Habana
since the times of Castro Ruz.
This is the crazy jarabe
composed by Lucifer
This is the crazy jarabe.
The one that takes the souls to hell to suffer
This is the crazy Jarabe composed by Lucifer
mi amor ablandarte
Si te hago un cariño,
me haces un desprecio
Luego vas diciendo
que mi amor es necio.
I loved you completely
I adored you with everything
Little birds fly, and fly observing
If rocks are hard you are like a diamond
which my love has not managed to soften
When I try to please you, you ignore me
Then you say that my love is foolish

3) Guendanabani 3:45

Mexico. Son Itsmeño. Music: Daniel C. Pineda, lyrics: Juan Stubi
(Pronounce: Gen-dah-nah-bah-ni / La Vida /The Life).
Guitar, clarinet, small percussion & voices.

A slow, haunting waltz sung in the Zapotec Indian language from Oaxaca, Mexico; a language & culture over 2500 years old. Translations in Spanish & English.

Guenda nabani Xhianga sicaru
Ne gasti ru ni Uganda laa
Diuxhi biseenda laanu idxi layu
Ne la cuidxi laanu ra nuu

La vida es muy hermosa
y no hay nada que se le compare.
Dios nos mandó a la tierra
y el mismo nos llamara a su lado.
Life is beautiful
There is nothing to compare to it
God send us to The Earth
and he himself will take us to his side
Napu que gapu zie lu
Caditi napu ziaanu
Nahuini naro,guira zabi
Cadi guixhi huidxe guuyulaa ma zeeda bi
Ti bisaana sti
Nga huaxha que ziuu dxi
Laanu ma ziuu nu guiba
Xhunaxhi do ngagapa laanundaani na
Todos tenemos que morirnos,
y todos iremos a la última morada (tumba).
Tengas o no tengas, (riquezas) te vas a ir,
y no porque tengas te vas a quedar.
Niños, adultos, todos irán a casa (al Panteón).
Y no manana, o pasado, los verás regresar
porque hayan dejado algo.
Eso jamas sucederá.
Nosotros ya nos vamos al cielo,
donde la diosa nos cobijara entre sus brazos.
We all have to die
and we all will go to the last place
Weather you have riches or don’t
you will go
You won’t stay because you have.
Children, adults all
Will go to home
and you won’t see them
tomorrow or day after tomorrow
Even if they left something undone
it’ll go undone
We will go to heavens
where the godess will
hold us in her arms

Zi ma ziuunu nacahui riaana ndani yoo
Huadxi siado,ni biaana ruuna re ni salux pido
Ne ruixhilu,
Zuhuaa lu gala bato tinisa do
Canaba lu xhunaxhi do
Cu laabe ndani ladxi do
Guiruti na qui zie
Guira napa xhi che
Ne dzi guidsinia zi
Za duuna ne nu ira ni ma zie

Cuando partamos, oscura quedará la casa.
Tarde y día, el que se quede llorará ante el altar,
y se imaginara estar parado a la mitad del mar,
pidiéndole a la Diosa que lo guarde en su corazón.
When we leave
the house will remain dark
Morning or afternoon
the ones remaining
will cry in front of the altar
and the ones gone
will imagine themselves
standing in the middle of the ocean asking to the godess
to keep them in her heart
 


Que nadie diga que no se va a ir.
Todos tenemos que partir.
Y cuando se acerque el diá,
nos reuniremos con los que ya partieron.

Nobody can say
that won’t go
We all have to go
And when the day gets closer
we’ll get together
with the ones departed.

4) Cosechero 3:57

Argentina. Chamamé. Ramón Ayala
Guitar, violin, accordion & voices.

A rolling, sensual chamamé that bears poetic witness to the blood hard work, life & landscape of the workers in the cotton fields. Ramo’n Ayala bio at: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramón_Ayala_(cantante_argentino)

El viejo río que va
cruzando el amanecer.
Como un gran camalotal
Lleva la balsa en su loco vaivén.
The old river which
Criss crosses the dawn,
Like some giant mass of camalote plants
Carries (my) raft in its mad fluctuation

Rumbo a la cosecha
cosechero yo seré.
Y entre copos blancos
mi esperanza cantaré.
Con manos curtidas
dejaré en el algodón
mi corazón.
La tierra del Chaco
quebrachera y montaraz,
prenderá en mi sangre
Con un ronco sapucai.
Y sera en el surco
mi sombrero bajo el sol
faro de luz.

Headed to the harvest, a harvester I’ll be
And between white puffs I’ll sing of my hope
With leathery hands I’ll leave
In the cotton my heart
The wild land of El Chaco
Will inflame my blood
With a raucous sapukay
And in the furrow my hat will be
Under the sun a street light

Algodón que se va, que se va, que se va
Plata blanda, mojada de luna y sudor.
Un ranchito borrado de sueños y amor,
quiero yo

Cotton going on and on and on
Soft silver moistened with moon and sweat
A ranchito, intoxicated with dreams and love
Is what I want

De Corrientes vengo yo.
Barranqueras ya se ve.
Y en la costa un acordeón,
Gimiendo va, su lento chamamé

From Corrientes I come
Barranqueras is already in view,
And on the shore an accordion
Wails its slow chamamé

Rumbo a la cosecha
cosechero yo seré.
Y entre copos blancos
mi esperanza cantaré.
Con manos curtidas
dejaré en el algodón
mi corazón.
La tierra del Chaco
quebrachera y montaraz,
prenderá en mi sangre
Con un ronco sapucai.
Y sera en el surco
mi sombrero bajo el sol faro de luz.
Headed to the harvest, a harvester I’ll be
And between white puffs I’ll sing of my hope
With leathery hands I’ll leave
In the cotton my heart
The wild land of El Chaco
Will inflame my blood
With a raucous sapukay
And in the furrow my hat will be
Under the sun a street light

Algodón que se va, que se va, que se va
Plata blanda, mojada de luna y sudor.
Un ranchito borrado de sueños y amor,
quiero yo, quiero yo..
quiero yo…

5) Periquera 4:02

Venezuela. Trad. Joropo
Harp, maracas & bombo.

A joyful, upbeat instrumental dance song from the llanos/plains & the llaneros/Cowboys who live there. With lots of poly-rhythm in 6/8 time. Joropo music is a Trad. collection of standards that everyone plays their own way. This music is shared by the plains people of Columbia.

6) Ti Feo 3:59

Mexico. Son Itsmeño. Demetrio Lopez Mendez
Guitar, clarinet, small percussion & voices.

A love song in waltz time sung in Zapotec (Indian) & Spanish, from Oaxaca, Mexico. Zapotec language and culture go back over 2500 years. This beloved Meztizo Indian song is widely interpreted in many southern/central regions, cultures and dialects and has become a mainstream Mexican favorite.

Si te hablan de mi mujercita.
Si te hablan de mi en tu presencia.
Diles que yo soy tu negro santo.
Diles que yo soy tu negro santo.
If they speak to you of me, my life
If they speak to you of me in your presence,
tell them that I’m your black saint.
Tell them that I’m your black saint.

Yo soy un feo, un feo que sabe amar,
con todo su corazón que te quiere de verdad.
Yo soy un feo, un feo que sabe amar.
Con todo su corazón, y te llevara al altar.

I’m an ugly one.
An ugly one that knows how to love
with all of his heart,
and he truly wants you.
Paguinica bena espadaguini
paguinica bena nesalulu
bushilaca benanga espirolo
bushilaca benanga espirolo
I’m an ugly one
An ugly one that knows how to love
with all of his heart
and will take you all the way to the altar
Nanga ti feo, ti feo granachi
Negidubi lachi do
Nesachaga nalelli
Nanga ti feo, ti feo granachi
Neguidubi lachido
Nesachaga nalelli
 
Si te hablan de mi mujercita.
Si te hablan de mi en tu presencia.
Diles que yo soy tu negro santo.
Diles que yo soy tu negro santo.
 
Yo soy un feo, un feo que sabe amar,
con todo su corazón que te quiere de verdad.
Yo soy un feo, un feo que sabe amar.
Con todo su corazón, y te llevara al altar.
 

7) Playa Grande 3:46

Venezuela. Trad. song
Venezuelan cuatro, violin, accordion & voice.

A song from the early 1900’s by an unknown composer. The song describes a whole day into night & alternates between two parts; one describes slow things, like an early morning’s calm breeze, the sound of sea you wake with, the moonrise. The other part soars in double time describing quick things like a flock of birds hunting fish, or the tingle of a fast song.

Sopla la brisa
en la alborada.
Y trae la marejada
dulce musicación.
Brilla la arena, saltan los peces
teniendo muchas veces
la playa por prisión
The breeze blows
in the early morning
and the small waves bring
sweet music
The sand sparkles
The fish jump
having many times
the beach as priso

Los pájaros marinos
forman tropas voladoras
sobre la mar.
Huyen los peces,
en su aletear.
En cambio una barquilla que muy suave
sobre el agua trae la red,
recoge sus peroles
y al fin,
termina de pescar

The sea birds
form hunting flying troupes
over the sea
The fish try to escape
flying through the water
Instead a little boat
goes calmly over the water
throws the net, picks up its baskets full
and finishes the day fishing
En lontananza
el sol declina.
Y límpido fulmina
un tierno resplandor.
Detrás del cerro,
surge la luna, brindándole fortuna
a un pobre trovador.
Far away the sun declines
and fulminates with a clean
tender shining
From behind the hill
the moon surges
giving fortune
to a poor wandering musician
El suave tintineo de una lira
es la delicia de aquel lugar.
Se oyen sus cuerdas
himno triunfal.
The soft high clinging of a lyre
is the enchantment of that place
Its strings sound like
a triumphal anthem

Y aspirando el aroma de la reina
de las flores de allí.
Cantando sus amores al son
de las olas del mar.

And breathing in the aroma
of the queen of the flowers there
Singing love songs to the rhythm
of the ocean waves

8) Los Hermanos 5:25

Argentina. Milonga. Atahualpa Yupanqui
Guitar, clarinet & voice.

A lush milonga with interludes of conversation between clarinet & guitar. The song sings of our profound, intrinsic human connections to each other - in, through & beyond life. The title of the CD comes from this song; “…And these songs that we eat: Seeds of immensity”. Atajulpa Yupanqui bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atahualpa_Yupanqui

Yo tengo tantos hermanos,
que no los puedo contar.
En el valle la montaña,
en la pampa y en el mar.
Cada cual con sus trabajos,
con sus sueños, cada cual.
Con la esperanza adelante
con los recuerdos detrás.
Yo tengo tantos hermanos,
que no los puedo contra


I have so many brothers
More than I can count.
From the valleys, the mountains
the plains and the seas
People connected by work, by dream,
with hope ahead, and memory behind.
I have so many brothers
More than I can count

Gente de mano caliente
por eso de la amistad.
Con un lloro pá llorarlo,
con un rezo pá rezar.
People whose hands are hot
from extending them in friendship.
With a cry for a cry, a prayer for a prayer.

Con un horizonte abierto
que siempre esta mas allá,
y esa fuerza pá buscarlo
con tezón y voluntad.
Cuando parece mas cerca
es cuando se aleja mas’:
Yo tengo tantos hermanos
que no los puedo contar.

With an open horizon that is always far beyond
And the strength & will to keep going towards it
Because the closer it looks, the further away it actually is.
I have so many brothers
More than I can count
Y asi seguimos andando
curtidos de soledad.
Nos perdemos por el mundo
nos volvemos a encontrar.
Y asi nos reconocemos
por el lejano mirar.
Por las coplas que mordemos,
semillas de inmensidad.
Y asi seguimos andando,
curtidos de soledad.
Y en nosotros nuestros muertos,
pá que nadie quede atrás
Yo tengo tantos hermanos
que no los puedo contar.
Y una hermana muy Hermosa
que se llama libertad.
That’s how we go on
tanned like leather by loneliness
It’s how we lose each other in the world
It’s how we find each other again
It’s how we recognize each other from a great distance
And these songs that we eat: Seeds of immensity.
That’s how we go on
tanned like leather by loneliness
And our beloved dead
Well, we take them with us, in us
so no one gets left behind
I have so many brothers
more than I can count
And a sister, very beautiful
whose name is freedom.

Credits: Abel Rocha: Harp, cuatro, guitar, vocals. Madeleine Sosin: Violin, maracas, small percussion, vocals. With Amy Denio: Accordion, clarinet, bombo, vocals.

Recorded & mixed by Scott Colburn/Gravel Voice Studios.
Mastered by Mell Dettmer.
For bookings: Josh Dunson: Real People’s Music. rpmjosh@aol.com
For lyrics & translations go to: http://www.correoaereo.us/albums/semillas-de-inmensidad/
CD design: Karina Bingham. CD artwork: Patricia Fatta
ASCAP, All copyrights, correoaereo.com

For my dad Henry, who found in his family, his treasure, and for all those everywhere participating in creating, in their own unique ways, a caring, just, healthy, peaceful, and unabashedly creative, curious, celebratory, beautiful & humorous world for all, in harmony with our wondrous earth which sustains all life.

Love & gratitude to our parents, Abel & Aurora Rocha & Georgette & Dr. Henry Sosin. And to Amy Denio, Karina Bingham, Mick Heltsley @ Agua Verde, Josh Dunson @ RealPeoplesMusic.com, & our dear families & friends.


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