The Sandra Delgado Experience

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It’s time to sing! The Sandra Delgado Experience (SDE) is a music project that focuses on fresh versions of Colombian folkloric music and original songs inspired by traditional Colombian rhythms, woven together with storytelling. The SDE will exist as both a live show and as recorded songs available for streaming. I will be collaborating with Roberto “Carpacho” Marin, the Colombian music director and band leader of Carpacho y Su Super Combo (featured in my play with music La Havana Madrid) and maestro of Colombian folkloric music Arley Otalvaro to bring to life renewed versions of Colombian folkloric music. And with Michelle J. Rodriguez, songwriter and composer, I will be developing original songs inspired by traditional Latin American music forms such as the bolero, the timeless love song, and traditional Colombian rhythms like the Cumbia and Vallenato. The campaign funds will be used to work with Carpacho, Arley, and Michelle in the development of the material; to contract musicians (which include guitarists, a harpist, and a pianist) for rehearsals, recording, and performances; and to secure rehearsal space and recording studio time.

About This Project

I grew up on Colombian folkloric music. I was born in Chicago to Colombian parents, and this music is the biggest thing that ties me to my culture aside from the empanadas, chicharrones (deep fried pork belly), and buñuelos (salty fritters) that my mother prepared. I started singing and dancing to Colombian folkloric music when I was six years old. And every time I hear it, I am filled with unspeakable joy. I want to share that joy with you. I love our harps, our accordions, our rhythms, our sabor. I am inspired by artists like Lila Downs and Santa Cecilia who have brought Mexican folkloric music to a wider audience by making it a focal point of the work they share. A major goal for The Sandra Delgado Experience is to do the same for Colombian folkloric music both inside and outside of the Colombian community in Chicago and beyond.

I call this project The Sandra Delgado Experience because it is the summation of my life’s experience; how music has shaped who I am. And, also, because it will be an experience for the audience, something they haven’t seen before. Magical and unforgettable. I am inspired to create this project for the Colombian community in Chicagoland. The SDE features music that our elder Colombians will enjoy and is a way to pass on Colombian culture to the younger generation of Colombians in Chicago and beyond.  I also want to preserve and share the music of Colombia with Colombians living in the United States and introduce this beautiful music to people who are not familiar with it. It’s part of my mission to expand the knowledge and experience of Colombian culture beyond the destructive images and narratives of Colombians in mainstream media. I’ve been thinking a lot about what will be left of our Colombian roots as we get more and more diluted/entrenched in the US. How do we hang on to what makes us unique? The way I see it, because there are Colombians living in the United States, Colombian culture is now part of the fabric of this country. And I am on a mission to share it with as many people as possible.

The funds raised through 3AP will support the music incubator part of The Sandra Delgado Experience. Contributions will be used for developing the music, for rehearsals, and for recording. The resulting material will then be used to compose different live versions of The Sandra Delgado Experience to accommodate different types of events and venue sizes. The simplest version of the show exists as an acoustic set, with myself singing alongside a trio composed of two guitarists and a harpist. On the other side of the spectrum is a full-blown spectacle with a six-piece band, including a horn section and dancers/backup singers. A selection of 4-6 songs will be recorded and made available for download. In my dreamiest of dreams, we can raise a stretch goal that will allow for the recording of 1 to 2 very simple music videos than can be uploaded on YouTube for anyone to enjoy.

It is an honor to be part of Colombian folkloric music’s preservation and continued life. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Thank yous

Contribute any amount or choose from the levels below.

• $25
  Personal thank you on social media ($25.00 is tax deductible.)
• $50
  Above plus a digital download of a song from "The Sandra Delgado Experience" ($45.00 is tax deductible.)
• $100
  All of the above, plus 1 ticket to "The Sandra Delgado Experience" 2020 concert ($70.00 is tax deductible.)
• $250
  All of the above, plus 2 tickets to "The Sandra Delgado Experience" 2020 concert ($195.00 is tax deductible.)
• $500
  All of the above, plus an invitation to a rehearsal of the songs-in-progress ($445.00 is tax deductible.)
• $1000
  All of the above, plus a VIP invitation to a champagne toast with the band at the winter concert ($945.00 is tax deductible.)

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Sandra Delgado

Community Awardee

Sandra Delgado is a Colombian-American writer, actor, singer, and producer born and raised in Chicago. She is best known as the creator and star of the hit play La Havana Madrid. Acclaimed as one of the best plays of …

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