skip to English translation Entrevista con Iván Benavides de Bloque, Noviembre 1998 1. Podria explicar un poco sobre su carrera musical antes de participar en el album de Carlos Vives? Durante 10 años, forme el duo “Ivan y Lucia.” Realizamos 4 grabaciones discograficas y giras por Europa, USA, Latinoamerica y conciertos en todo Colombia. Tambien, he trabajado como productor, autor y compositor para diferentes artistas y he compuesto bandas sonoras para cine, television y musica para teatro. 2. Usted fue miembro de “La Provincia” de Carlos Vives o participo solamente en la grabacion del album? Basicamente mi colaboracion con “La Provincia” fue como autor de canciones y co-productor de “La Tierra del Olvido.” No he sido miembro de “La Provincia,” pero various miembros del Bloque han sido musicos de Carlos Vives. Ernesto Ocampo (guitarrista) fue su director musical durante 2 anos. 3. Si hay algo que usted aprendio con Carlos Vives, que fue? Carlos Vives queria buscar un sonido mas moderno, partiendo del vallenato, que es basicamente una musica regional, basada en el acordeon, la caja y la guacharaca. Fue muy interestante integrar estos instrumentos con instrumentos como la bateria, la guitarra electrica, el Hamond, y buscar nuevas posibilidades expresivas para la musica popular Colombiana. 4. Cuando comenzo el Bloque De Busqueda? Varios de nosotros nos conocemos de tiempo atras y hemos trabajado en diferentes proyectos. Cuatro anos atras, Teto y yo compartimos un apartamento y comenzamos a hacer canciones. Despues, llamamos a los amigos para tocar, hacer jams y asi nacio el grupo. Los primeros conciertos fueron basicamente jam sessions. Luego, vinieron los ensayos y el trabajo de montar canciones. 5. Como se encontraron los miembros del Bloque y que hacian los miembros del Bloque? Parte del Bloque es de la costa caribe. Mayte Montero ha trabajado con la gran cantadora “Toto la Momposina,” con Joe Arroyo y con la Provincia. El “papa” es _________ el bajista de sesion mas importante en la musica tropical colombiana. Alex y Gilbert vienen de trabajar los tambores en diferentes proyectos. La otra mitad de la banda es de Bogota y vienen de una tradicion mas rockera. Carlos Ivan Medina fue fundador de Distrito Especial, una de las bandas mas importantes de los 80. Teto estudio guitarra electrica antes de estudiar en el M.I. de los Angeles, donde tambien estudio bateria Pablo Bernal. Todos nos conocimos en la escena musical bogotena, donde rock, salsa, vallenato y jazz se muevan y se juntan. 6. Que significa el nombre “Bloque de Busqueda”? El nombre lo tomamos de un cuerpo especial de la policia dedicado a perseguir a los grandes capos del narcotrafico. Es una manera de jugar ironicamente con la realidad de nuestro pais. 7. Cuando escuche la musica de Bloque... Muchas bandas de Rock en Espanol simplemente traten de imitar a las bandas anglosajones, pero con letras en Espanol. Nosotros sentimos que los musicos derividos de la dispora africana estan profundamente relacionados: el funk, el reggae, el rock, la salsa, la cumbia. Toda esta musica hace parte de nuestra memoria, y fluye por nuestras venas. Nosotros simplemente dejamos fluir la musica a traves de nosotros. 8. Escuchais la musica tradicional? La musica popular es una musica viva en Colombia. A pesar de que a veces no tiene difusion en los medios, esta presente en la vida de nuestro pueblo, en el carnaval, el baile, la fiesta callejera. Es algo que parece estar en nuestros genes. 9. Dicen que la musica del Bloque tiene influencias... La memoria efectiva musical de la infancia y la adolencencia, que es de donde partimos, incluye el rock clasico — Zeppelin, Hendrix — y nuestra musica popular. Hay otras influencias importantes, como la salsa — Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Ismael Rivera — cantautores como Tom Waits, Caetano Veloso, musicos africanos como Fela Kuti, funk — James Brown, Prince — y seguramente otra cantidad de musica que navega por nuestra memoria. 10. El album que va a lanzar Luaka Bop... Cambiamos las mezclas, para lo que contamos con la colaboracion de Greg Ladanny, quien ha trabajado con Toto y Jackson Brown. En algunos temas tenemos una seccion de vientos y hay un par de nuevas canciones. 11. Cuales son las artistas que le llaman la atencion? Existen una gran cantidad de musicos populares, sin fama, ni gran nombre, ni mercado, que mantienen vive la musica Colombiana. Tamboreros como “Batata” y “el diablo” son sabios de quienes aprendimos mucho. Hay musicos como ellos en cada rincon de Colombia. Acerca de los musicos con nuevos propuestas, nos llaman la atencion tantos…John Zorn, John Laurie, Mark Ribot de N.M., Carlinhos Brown y el innovador Caetano Veloso de Brasil. Irakere de Cuba, y entre los mas populares los Beastie Boys, Radiohead…Tricky, Los Lobos. 12. ¿Has escuchado el album de Lucia? Lucia y yo trabajamos juntos por años y seguimos en contacto. Lucia vive desde 1994 en New York, y actualmente esta trabajando junto al percusionista japones Satoshi Takeishi en la grabacion de un album basado en musicos tradiciones colombianos con arreglos contemporaneos. Lucia es duena de una voz y una sensibilidad especial. 13. Proyectos... Proyectamos una gira el proximo ano que nos llevara a Europa, USA, Latinoamerica y esperamos poder estar tambien en el Japon. Lo principal es poder seguir creando y tocando. Es nuestra vida. Interview with Iván Benavides of Bloque, November 1998 Translation by Eva Golinger, November 13, 1998, New York City 1. Could you explain a little bit about your musical career before participating in the Carlos Vives album? About ten years ago, I had a duo, “Ivan and Lucia.” We recorded four records and toured all over Europe, the USA and Latin America, as well as performing in concerts all around Colombia. I’ve also worked as producer, author and composer for different artists and I’ve composed soundtracks for movies, television and theater. 2. Were you a member of Carlos Vives’ band, “La Provincia” or did you just participate in the recording for the album? Basically, my collaboration with “La Provincia” was as author of various songs and co-producer of “La Tierra del Olvido” (The Land of the Forgotten). I’ve never been a member of “La Provincia,” but various members of Bloque have worked as musicians for Carlos Vives. Ernesto Ocampo (guitarist) was his musical director for two years. 3. Could you talk about anything in particular you may have learned with Carlos Vives? Carlos Vives wanted to find a more modern sound, born from “vallenato,” a regional music based in the accordion and percussion instruments, “la caja” and “la guacharaca.” It was an interesting process to integrate those instruments with instruments like drums, electric guitar and the Hammond, while searching for new possibilities to expand Colombian popular music. 4. When did “Bloque de Busqueda” begin? A few of us had known each other for years and we had already worked together on different projects. Four years before, Teto and I had shared an apartment and we began to write songs. Later on, we got together with more friends to play music and jam, and the group was born. The first concerts were basically jam sessions. It wasn’t until afterward that we really began rehearsing and seriously working the songs. 5. How did the members of Bloque meet and what did they do before the band existed? A part of Bloque is from the Caribbean coast. Mayte Montero has worked with the famous singer, “Toto la Momposina,” with Joe Arroyo and with “La Provincia.” The “papa” is the most important session bassist in Colombian tropical music. Alex and Gilbert came to us after working as percussionists in a variety of projects. The other half of the band is from Bogota and come from a more “Rock” tradition. Carlos Ivan Medina was the founder of “Distrito Especial,” one of the most important bands in Bogota in the 1980s. Teto studied classical guitar before studying at M.I. in Los Angeles, where drummer Pablo Bernal also studied. We all met in the musical scene in Bogota, where the rock, salsa, vallenato and jazz circles get together. 6. What does the name, “Bloque de Busqueda” mean? The name comes from a special body of police dedicated to the persecution of drug lords. It’s a way to play ironically on the reality of our country. 7. What about the music of Bloque... Many Rock en Español bands simply try to imitate Anglo bands, but with words in Spanish. We feel all the music derived from the African Dispora is deeply related: Funk, Reggae, Rock, Salsa, Cumbia… All this music is a part of our collective memory and runs through our veins. We just allow the music to flow through us. 8. Do you listen to traditional music? Traditional music is alive and well in Colombia. In spite of the fact it may not be heard in the media, it is ever-present in the lives of the people, in carnaval, dances and street parties. It’s something that remains in our genes. 9. What are Bloque’s musical influences? Our collective memory of music from childhood and adolescence, where we come from, includes classic rock — Zeppelin, Hendrix — and our folkloric music. There are other important influences, like salsa — Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Ismael Rivera — singers/songwriters like Tom Waits, Caetano Veloso, African musicians like Fela Kuti, funk — James Brown, Prince — and undoubtedly another quantity of music that navigates through our memory. 10. What about the album soon to be released by Luaka Bop? We changed the mixes, thanks to the collaboration of Greg Ladanny, who has worked with Toto, Jackson Brown. In some of the pieces, we have a horn section and there are a few new songs. 11. Can you name some of the artists you find intriguing? There exist a quantity of popular musicians, with no fame, unknown and without a market for their music, keeping Colombian music alive.Percussionists like “Batata” and “el diablo” are wise musicians we have learned a lot from. There are musicians like them in every corner of Colombia. Concerning musicians with new ideas and sounds, we like so many... John Zorn, John Lurie, Mark Ribot from N.M., Carlinhos Brown and the innovator, Caetano Veloso from Brazil. Irakere from Cuba and the more popular, Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Tricky and Los Lobos. 12. Have you heard Lucia’s album? Lucia and I worked together for many years and we remain in contact. Lucia has lived in New York since 1994 and is currently working with the Japanese percussionist, Satoshi Takeishi on the recording of an album based in traditional Colombian music with contemporary arrangements. Lucia has a very special voice and a strong sensibility. 13. Projects... We are planning a tour next year to Europe, USA, Latin America and, hopefully, Japan. The important thing is to continue creating and playing. It’s our life.

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