Saturday Night Porch Session, July 16, 2011

These porch sessions just get better and better. In addition to the core of great trad, there is also the occasional surprise visitor. Last week it was the psych nurse from Alaska and his mandolin; this week, Jose and his home-made charango. This is turning out to be the best summer, ever.

Porch Session July 16, 2011, Featuring Jose and His Charango from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.

One day when I was playing my bouzouki on the porch, a gentleman I had seen many times riding by on his bicycle stopped and introduced himself to me and told me about a South American instrument that he played, an instrument that he described as having 10 strings, called a charango.

Tonight, Jose came to the porch session and brought his charango, a Bolivian instrument whose body is traditionally created from the shell of the armadillo, but that he had crafted from wood, complete with the story of life and man's relationship to God carved into the back.

His music was a gift to us all.

More footage:

Porch Session, July 16, 2011 from Sara Piazza on Vimeo.