Track Listing

1. T'Iskuy Vicuna
2. Estampa Tapacarimanta
3. Sol de Lasana
4. Coricancha
5. San Juanito de Medianoche
6. Sueño Ancestral
7. Retamita Verde/Huaylash
8. Azucena Tika
9. Danza Chiriguana
10. Intipampa
11. Bajo Las Arenas de Pisagua
12. Tarkeada
13. Urubamba

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #146106 in Music
• Released on: 1992-11-03
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
In the ancient capital city of Cuzco, the Incas dedicated the most magnificent monument of their vast empire to the sun god. Covered with sheets of gold, the temple of Coricancha was as impressive as the deity for whom it was built. For centuries it remained a beacon for pilgrims who traveled from the farthest reaches of the Incan kingdom to witness and assist in the daily ceremonies of Coricancha's priests.

Like the edifice itself, which was plundered and stripped of its golden treasures when the Spanish arrived, the music of those primeval rites has since been lost. The members of Inkuyo, however, have a good idea of how it might have sounded. In Temple of the Sun, they have reconstructed the sounds of festivals hinted at in the myths, memories, and indigenous instruments of the Andean people. These musicians have resurrected the magic and brilliance of the Inca's most venerated temple.

Temple of the Sun does not plunge right into the past. The thirteen selections are designed to take listeners back thoughtfully and joyfully through a combination of modern compositions inspired by the land and its people and traditional songs and dances collected during the band's travels through the Andes. When Inkuyo finally delves into the ancient legacy of Coricancha, their musical reconstructions of Incan antiquity seem logical to listeners as well. Most importantly, Inkuyo has created a portrait of the Inca's past glory that comes to life through the spirit of the people who inhabit the region today.

About the Artist
An internationally recognized virtuoso of pan-pipes and South American flutes, Inkuyo founder Gonzalo Vargas, inherited his traditional musical knowledge growing up in the remote Andean village of Tapajkari, Bolivia. His desire to perform, study, and teach his ancestral music led him to work with numerous ensembles in his native land. He then played a key role in introducing Andean music to the United States and Canada as one of the founders of Sukay. In creating Inkuyo, Vargas brought together the talents of musicians who are well versed in the Andean musical heritage.

Pamela Darington, a fifth generation Californian, studied South American cultures and languages in college. In 1983, as part of the group Takisun, she began performing with Vargas at festivals and concerts in the Bay area. Jorge Tapia and Omar Sepulveda are both Chilean refugees. For Tapia, music is a way of remaining close to his Chilean roots. A founder of Kamanchaka, he has helped cultivate awareness of the plight of the Chilean people. Sepulveda performed with Venceremos, Kamanchaka, and Sukay before joining Inkuyo in 1988.

Inkuyo's reordings for Celestial Harmonies/Fortuna Records are Land of the Incas (17064-2), Temple of the Sun (17080-2), The Double-Headed Serpent (13070-2), Art from Sacred Landscapes (13088-2), Ancient Sun (13093-2), Window to the Andes (13173-2) and Pachakuti: The Overturning of Space-Time (13276-2).

Customer Reviews

Inkuyo moving toward rock?
On this recording, Inkuyo seems to have moved in the direction of classic rock, so if you're looking for that special otherworldly sound, this may not be your album. On the other hand, there are some musical ideas here that might be valuable to rock musicians looking for ethnic sounds and feeling to incorporate into their repetoire. I did find the tracks "Intipampa" and "Urubamba" quite tasty in the traditional sense, but not enough to recommend the album wholeheartedly to listeners looking for the expected Inkuyo listening experience.

Great Andes music.
Excellent Andes style music. Good mixture of styles and tempos.

singing flutes of the inka
If the music of peru and the singing flutes of the andes speaks that special language to you, this is it.