January 16, 2021 –– Kicking off the year of LAMusArt Live!, teaching artist Dr. Isaac Lopez blends Latin music and Soul for a new sound to LAMusArt's season of performance. Featuring bassist Corbin Jones and drummer Ryan McDiarmid to accompany Lopez’s ukulele and saxophone, the trio put up quite a kinetic performance under the name Korduroy.
The evening of Latin-Soul was set by a dynamic backdrop with a light show that filled the entire soundstage at Envizion Studios. The ensemble opened the evening with “Make Me Feel,” written by Isaac Lopez featuring Ryan McDiarmid with hand percussion on a drum kit and exciting moments of ardent resolve throughout the song. Korduroy moved into “(A Procrastinator’s) Love Song” highlighting a lonesome yet hopeful voice from Lopez accompanied by ukulele. Our virtual audience especially paid appreciation to the talent of the live whistling through the outro. Into the final song “Monster” illustrated the most of Latin musicality. The familiar tune led by the expressive basslines from Corbin Jones and the piece's mysterious tone lent itself a groove that moved fans - new and old - who were pleased to hear the familiar original by Isaac Lopez.
The theme of the evening was Latin-Soul, a genre of music formed out of mambo, pop, R&B, and Latin jazz. A study guide was made available to the audience to share more about the featured ensemble and to delve deeper into the concept of Latin-Soul. Within, we learn that Korduroy’s true genre is “Groove Music” as the groove is always visibly similar but the style varies per song. Perhaps the most apparent demonstration of this is Lopez’s use of the ukulele to replace the original instrument for which the song was written.
This virtual experience marks the beginning of the 2021 virtual experiences through LAMusArt Live! Concert Series, and there are plenty more shows to come! Join LAMusArt in February for experimental instrumental and compositional performance art from Cat Mahatta by reserving your space at www.lamusart.org/season.
Along with several other past and future performances, this event presents new sounds to students and highlights our faculty to pave the way for the appreciation of cultural music outside the boundaries of Western music. The versatile venue for sharing music expands our reach from LAMusArt’s stakeholders of families and students while inviting arts supporters and patrons from all over the world to attend. LAMusArt's mission is to provide the community of East Los Angeles with equitable and affordable access to multidisciplinary arts education programs and offer opportunities for underserved youth to partake in quality instruction regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status so they are afforded creative tools for success and social change.
To register for classes and begin your journey through the arts, visit lamusart.org/programs for individual group classes in music, art, dance, and drama for students of all skill levels. Classes are offered Monday through Thursday, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and on Saturdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.