Something different this week: Luciana Proaño is a Portland-based dancer and artist, and she is working with her whole family including husband John JB Butler (an accomplished Jazz musician and composer) on her newest production – Ginger?!…Bread Boy.  Listen to some tradition Peruvian songs and more on this episode.

Luciana and John came into the studio to record this episode on Sunday, carrying an acoustic guitar and a cajón with them.  You’ll hear these instruments in the two songs they recorded for the middle of this episode — they are both variations on traditional Peruvian songs.  The first is a Tondero, and the second is a Festejo.  Luciana, who is originally from Peru but has lived all over the world, plays the cajón, and John JB Butler played the classical guitar.  You’ll notice there sounds like more than two guitars on the recording — he also brought a looping machine so that he could play multiple parts!

I’ve just met Luciana and her family of artists recently, but as you listen to this episode I’m sure you’ll be amazed by everything this family does.  Their two younger sons are part of the Ginger…Bread Boy production, while the oldest son is off playing with one of Portland’s most famous bands Pink Martini.

The main topic of conversation on this episode is Ginger…Bread Boy, which opens this Saturday at the BodyVox Dance Center.  There is another show on Sunday as well.  Buy tickets and find out more about Luciana buy going to www.lucianaproano.com.  The performance features dance, storytelling, animation/other visuals, and of course music.  JB Butler, Damian Erskine, and Mark Griffith make up the band.

Listen to this episode and find out about the story and the inspiration behind the Ginger…Bread Boy performance, the fascinating artistic and musical careers of Luciana Proaño and JB Butler, and more.

This episode also features music from Bahama Cowboy by JB Butler and Essiet Essiet.

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