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A Latinized Celtic musical voyage
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Meli Rivera
Both genres couldn't be more different.
One is mystic, soulful, melodic and nostalgic, while the other is upbeat, sizzling, danceable and joyous.
But somehow a witty young female musician from the mountainous, cool town of Aibonito has found a way to seamlessly merge the two universal idioms to create a distinctive, mellowed-out sound that has its origins in Ireland, Scotland and Latin America.
Dubbed “Celtorriqueña” or “Celtorican” music, the refreshing and richly brewed mix that blends Celtic and Latin rock is the brainchild of Meli Rivera, a shy but deeply passionate and multi-talented artist whose Irish and Syrian descent has fueled her desire to explore the Celtic culture and trace back her musical roots.
“I strongly believe in reincarnation, and for some reason, ever since my childhood I've felt a direct connection not only to the Celtic culture, but also to its music,” Rivera told the Latin Music Examiner during an interview in early July.
“When I was a young girl, my grandmother once told me that one of our ancestors was Irish, so this strong feeling is in my DNA . . . as well as the Celtic culture's mysticism, the Gaelic language, the melodies, the rhythms,” she added.
Born and bred in Aibonito, Rivera, 32, was born into a musical family. Her father, a military man whose musical tastes range from Nueva Trova to '50s rock, taught her songwriting skills and to play guitar and 'cuatro' at age 7. At 16, Rivera joined the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music to study classical guitar before being admitted to the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, where she studied music and social sicences.
A singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist — Rivera plays mandolin, bandurria (a small musical instrument resembling a fiddler) guitar and cuatro.
After graduation, Rivera packed her bags and moved to Berklee in California to expand her musical horizons before settling down in San Francisco for five years (2002-2007) — her dream city.
“My first contact with music was listening to Nueva Trova artists like Silvio Rodríguez because my father has always been a fan, and I love it too, but as I've grown older I've become heavily addicted to '60s rock,” said Rivera, noting that her '60s influences include Janis Joplin, The Doors, Grateful Dead, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.
“I've always been drawn to San Francisco because of its rich and amazing musical history so I went there without knowing anyone and I ended up staying for five years, during which time I recorded four albums and formed my own band named Earthen,” she added.
For Rivera, more modern influences include Enya and Canadian-born singer-songwriter Loreena Mckennitt, who's of Irish and Scottish descent.
In the past five years, Rivera has made a name for herself in the San Francisco music scene playing gigs in clubs and bars, carving a niche in a highly competitive music market where a blend of Celtic music and Latinized rhythms and vocals is likely to stand out.
Rivera's independently-produced albums are “Los Elfos,” “Vida siempre (2002),” “Songflowers (2004)” and “Fallen Leaf (2008),” the newest one with Earthen that contains all original material.
The overall message of Rivera's lyrics is steeped in topics on reincarnation, life, politics and spirituality.
“For centuries, the Celtic culture has struggled to survive so in a way I feel that I'm somehow helping it move forward,” said Rivera. “And that gives me great pleasure.”
For more information on Meli Rivera visit www.myspace.com/meliriveramusic.
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