PERUVIAN LATIN POP STAR’S TRAJECTORY TO FAME CONTINUES THROUGH NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA

By Brion Shreffler

With a contribution by Charles Tribe

Photo by Charles Tribe

Somewhat reminiscent of a line from one of Radiohead’s more dour song’s, Periko tells of how he said he wanted his music played when he’s not around prior to leaving his native Peru. Having found considerable success in the pop duo, SONDO2, along with a top thirty finish in Latin American idol, the Lima born singer reached this goal with the release of his first single, the self-produced ,Dame el Calor, which quickly overtook the airwaves back home shortly after his arrival in Philadelphia in 2006.

Though the lyrics seem to present someone steeped in the misery of a revenant light cast by a past love- the second line states, “es tan dificil retroceder el tiempo”([it] is so difficult to turn back time), and the chorus begins, dame el Calor, dame la brisa, dame el aire que respiras”(give me the heat, give me the breeze, give me the air that you breathe)- you wouldn’t deduce that by the ebullient joy that springs from Periko’s guitar and a voice embodying a forceful river, while it calmly trills away. The bonus track, Cuentame, bears a similar sentiment. Though pensive, his voice gently parries an accompanying guitar riff, which opens the song and reoccurs ¾ of the way through, evocative of all the pain he is moving past with his music; though he says, “cuentame como estan las olas del mar,”(tell me how are the waves) despairingly to his former love by the sea, he is able to declare, “porque jamás olvidaré, ese tiempo en que me enseñaste amar”( because I never forget that time that taught me to love), while concluding “no tuve la fuerza que esperabas, porque no estoy preparado para el amor. Y el que perdio fui yo”(I did not force you as expected, because I’m not ready for love…and I was lost), the energy imbued in the melody bespeaking his redoubled spirits. He’s capable of this introspection while dealing with such a topic because, just as in conversation, Periko exudes the greatest optimism in his music, his songs hopeful musings on all aspects of life.

This outlook is reflective of his strident efforts towards popularity stateside. Having come here to record an album- “there are no major record labels in Peru like there are here,” he says, indicating his dream of signing a deal to a major label after finishing his album- he spent nearly a year focused solely on working in order to build his savings. Now, he splits his time between his day-job in construction and working on his music. “It’s not easy,” he concedes, recalling his first show in Philly in October 2007, which was accompanied by one-off stops in California and New Jersey. For a couple hours, he says, all the eyes were on him: people were enjoying his music, and were lining up for his autograph. Despite the heavy distinction before him upon waking for work at 6am the next day, he quickly pointed out how the power of the experience filtered through and continues to do so, “the people loving the music he so loves” inspiring him in the same manner as the “magic moments” from which his music springs. His mind always turned to music, his spirits are raised by it even when away from his guitar (the melody and lyrics for Dame el Calor came to him whileplaying the soccer video game, Winning Eleven with a friend. He lost the game). While he proudly speaks of how hard he works at his demanding construction job, he quickly points out that it this confluence of music that always keeps him brimming with positive energy. It is his yearning to share not only his music, but also something of himself with others that invigorates him; “I meet someone and I tell them my history…my stories in 3 minutes with a song rather than telling them something for a few hours. They understand me the same way.”

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5/31/08 show at Bella Noche Photo by Charles Tribe

On crossing the Boulevard on the way to the venue at St. Vincent and Bustleton Ave I notice a slight change that’s more of a continuance of a trend than anything dramatic: more shops and restaurants have sprung up to add to the cultural diversity along Bustleton avenue west of the Boulevard since the last time I visited. The diverse array of businesses here reflect the various communities that are taking root in this formerly uniform section of the Northeast; the strip boasts a Brazilian Market, a Mexican restaurant and bodega, Chinese restaurants, and a KC Pastries, which can also be found in Chinatown.

Back in 1998 during the World Cup, the excitement keyed up inside us watching the games would lead to hours spent on the pitch where we tried to burn off some of that mad energy. There at the field at Solis Cohen playground- across from the venue which, for years was an Italian restaurant named Vincent’s- we played the world’s game with players representing Brazil, Nigeria, Mexico, Costa Rica, Angola, and Guatemala to name a few, making friends with people we were shocked to find only lived a few blocks away from our local hub, a near frat-house occupied by three of my friends. We were shocked since at that time, you just didn’t notice that such a community existed right around the corner, despite the burgeoning diversity along Bustleton Ave.

Indeed, when Periko told me he was living in my native Northeast Philadelphia, I thought with certainty this was the neighborhood he called home. In actuality, he’s living further into the Northeast, pretty much where I grew up, much closer to the local Russian community than any Latino transplants.

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The venue, Bella Noche, is a bit of a rarity in an area generally known for cheesy cover bands. Besides the cache of putting on live original music, there’s also the fact that they’re dedicated to their roots- Latino music. The owners- 2 women from Columbia and 1 from Peru- have been serving South American Cuisine for nearly a year (they celebrated their first anniversary in August) and have been putting on shows around the bar in their main dining room for the last four months, including monthly Colombian parties, and the recently added, Rock en Espanol. Andres Reyes, who helps manage the entertainment, stated their goal rather simply; “we wish to create an atmosphere where everyone can come and enjoy the music. A great time with great music- that’s all we want.” Having consulted club managers in the city, he’s eager for Bella Noche’s after hours appeal to continue to take off.

6/28/08 show at Bella Noche Photo by Brion Shreffler

*

At 10:35 a sizeable crowd waits around the bar and the adjacent tables. It’s a warm Saturday night at the end of June. Owing to the late start at his previous show at Bella Noche, most people come late, with the crowd swelling a few songs in. With time to kill, I sip a Mojito- one of the smoothest I’ve ever had- and eye the crowd. The people at the bar sip colorful cocktails between sampling a variety of dishes: fried plantains, empanadas, camarones alla plancha…I begin to rethink my heat inspired reluctance to eat. Casually, I note I’m the only one in the venue with limited skills de Espanol; I soon lose this status.

6/28/08 show at Bella Noche Photo by Brion Shreffler

The set starts well past 11 with Dame el Calor and Cuentame. More than half the crowd sings along. The tempo picks up with some of his newer songs and before long the dance floor is full, set to stay that way most of the night, the participants raucously dancing Merengue and Salsa to the music. He rounded out the evening by covering Carlos Vives a few times- I only knew this thanks to my Colombian friend- as well as doing a rendition of La Bamba that transitioned into Twist and Shot, his lone English offering of the night.

At the show here on May 31^st, there were more English only speakers drawn by word of mouth support emanating from new friends and co-workers from the Northeast curious to find out about Periko. While he hopes to continue to build towards a large Latin fan-base, cross-over fame is one of the main reasons why he came to the U.S. in the first place. Indeed, it is bringing his music to all people that he has in mind the most for these two shows; “I want to establish a history in Philadelphia. I don’t want to be somewhere else and have them say, ‘that guy from Peru.’ No, I want them to say Philadelphia when they mention me here. This is where I want to do something big for the first time, to have exposure in America,” he says, fervency in his eyes. And while he’s aware of the current limits of his audience, he hope’s to build momentum that will quickly expand his fan base. After the first show, a pair of German tourists, drawn by to the venue out of an appreciation for Latin music, enthusiastically thanked him for his performance. Amidst the show of hands given in response to the question of audience composition- Argentina? Peruano! Mexicano!- a couple hands went up when up for Estados Unitos/ U.S.A, one of those belonging of course to his girlfriend from Delaware county, whom he met in Manayunk, and who he graciously says has helped him with his English, though he hardly seems to be at a loss for words. When he speaks of any misunderstandings they have it’s hard not to conflate that to his earnest efforts of transcending cultural barriers.

*

Since the June 28^th show at Bella Noche, construction began that will expand Solis Cohen Elementary and effectively eliminate the soccer field that has stood for years. Perhaps Periko’s music will bring people together in the Northeast in the same manner of the beautiful game. The local Latino community could have no better ambassador.

Pedro Almeida gave a performance at the Fiestas Patrias Peru on July 26^th; hosted by the Philadelphia Peruvian community- while the 2000 census lists a number of 471, Periko says the current number is around 1,000- in celebration of their independence. It was a proud moment in which he was able to celebrate his home country in the city where he wishes to write a new chapter in his life.

In the final days of July he went to Miami for ten days of recording time. He recorded the first three songs for his debut album. His goal is to record three tracks at a time until finished. He’s looking to add some of the Miami sound to the project, while taking his time to get it right; asking if there’s not the temptation, given the expense, to quickly record the whole thing at once, he says, “I’d rather do it right, make sure it’s perfect…if it takes a year I’m happy with that.”

Hopefully, in the meantime Philadelphia will embrace him, because regardless of one’s bilingual abilities, one can’t help but be affected by the stories Periko tells.

www.myspace.com/perikolatin

UEFA EURO 2008 Kickoff! For one month the world orbits Europe.

In giving my prediction for the UEFA European Championship I have to say Deutschland Deutschland Uber Alles (it's an old song that existed long before the 3rd Reich, the "uber alles" referring to German unity at a time when such a thing hardly existed, but yes, the early verses are left out now for good reason). The tourney kicks off Sat with the 2nd match being an early highlight as well as a possible early upset as Turkey faces Portugal. Of course, there's no better match in the first round then Italy v France(with the Netherlands vs Italy running a close 2nd) on Tuesday the 17th at 2:45 ET. Les Bleus and the Portugeezers are the other favorites with the Azurri coming into the tournament a bit off from their World Cup winning form. I don't see a darkhorse taking this one. I'm thinking Germany v Portugal or Germany v France in the final with Podolski, Klose, Ballack,Carvalho, Ronaldo, Nani, Henry, Ribery all shining for their respective squads. I'm inclined to pick Klose, Ribery, or Ronaldo as a clear standout but this could be Podalski's tournament should the Germans go deep. Of course, the Azurri could regain form, and there's no discounting the Oranje, especially if Robin Van Persie can get back to fitness. I'd like to think the Spaniards will finally live up to their potential with a stacked squad that includes the likes of Xavi, Fabregas, Xabi Alonso, and the deadly Fernando Torres, but their weak showing in their lead up friendly against the US- admittedly though, team USA is quite adept at playing strong 1st halves against superior oppositions of late before dropping intensity in the 2nd- seems to indicate that we may keep wondering when they're going to grab major tournament glory. Getting back to the opening reference, I think the "1000 years of rivalry settled in 90 minutes" pitch for the Euro championship has never become tired(think of all the wars and continued tension in Europe since the song's inception in 1841). I look forward to missing a lot of work. Game on!

Injuries in the NHL- being there for the team and comfort in numbers during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Brandon Coburn during the moring skate prior to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Flyers and Penguins. He did not play that night (3-2 Flyers win) or in the final game Sunday(6-0) as the Penguins wrapped up the series 4-1.


The Stanley Cup playoffs brings with it an exponential increase in the level of intensity and determination. The high fervor and battle-like mentality yeilds a high number of injuries as players are aware that each shift can determine whether they carry on or see the end of their playoff lives. In that vein, the hitting becomes much more acrimonious, shots are unflinchingly blocked(the Flyer's Patrick Thoresen nearly lost a testicle doing so in in the Game 1, Round 1, 5-4 loss to Washington, and defender Kimmo Timonen was sidelineded for all but Game 5 of the Pittsburgh series due to a blood clot from a shot blocked in Game 4 of the series against Montreal), the pace relentless as the game, especially in the playoffs, firmly subtantiates the equation, f=ma.

With the Flyers on the edge of elimination a few days ago some wondered why Coburn, overcoming a concussion from a shot to the head that left his eye nearly shut, or Timonen would risk further injury especially with their team at a seemingly insurmountable disadvantage. As is the case with many such injuries in the NHL, many also wondered why further preventative measures aren't in place.

Of course, any ground for caution only bears weight for Coburn's injury, which was caused by a deflected puck striking him in the face. The half visors have been continuously touted to prevent eye and facial injuries. They would definitely help to some degree but given the angle and the speed the puck travels, you'd still have some horrific eye injuires, since, as with Coburn's case, deflections would still cause a problem, as you can have pucks hop from the ice at high velocity-let alone off someone's stick- to shoot upwards at a sharp angle. There's also the danger of being slashed in the face not to mention a plethora of additional scenarios: pucks to the throat (the Flyers Chris Therien ended a Habs defender's career a few seasons ago with a slapshot that said defender blocked with his windpipe), the [ouch] testicles, the feet (blood clots are serious business), and the knees, not to mention anywhere else, as well as the danger posed by skate blades(within a few days of each other in early February, Steve Downie's skate cut linesman Pat Dapuzzo, followed by the scare given Richard Zednik that was a macbre reminder of when Blues goalie, Clint Malarchuk, had his jugular severed on the ice and managed to survive). You can take reasonable measures, but too much is going to result in limited mobility and/or diminished vision when you're talking about more cumbersome cages or throat guards. Visors are a good way to go as they certainly don't restrict vision. Anything that gets in the way though is viewed with a disdain akin to the samurai, who kept their armor paired down to ensure complete freedom of movement.

For the most part, however, hockey players operate with a steely indifference, as the frequency of devastating injuries remain extremely low; they think probability, not possibility. It's certainly unfortunate to see someone take a stick blade to the eye and end up with diminished sight- as was the case with Bryan Berard in the '99-00 season- but such stick injuries are extremely rare, with eye injuries by puck being more likely, and even these are highly infrequent, with the force of impact in these occurances being diminished by the rounded edge of the puck striking the orbital bones around the eye.

As for Coburn's attempt at getting back on the ice, there's no sicker feeling than being unable to help your teammates. Down 0-3 or up 3-0 in a series makes no difference whatsoever for a hockey player. This notion is all the more pressing when facing elimination, as live or die, you want to be in the battle to the end with your teammates. In all of sport, but especially within the confines of hockey and soccer wherein the components merge into one cohesive unit, selfless players possess this tacit understanding, with their dedication unwavering even amidst the most dire of times. Their resolve is akin to that of Shichirōji of Seven Samurai, who simply smiles when told by Kambei, his former superior, that their next mission "may be the one that kills us." Of course, before returning in Game 5, Kimmo Timonen waited for the doctor's assurance that there was no danger of the blood clot in his foot becoming dislodged or exacerbated to the extent that his toes would lose their vascular flow and would have to be amputated. He merely had to deal with a mixture of excruciating pain and numbness with each stride, while Coburn was unable to return to action as the vision in his left eye did not suffiently improve. It's a hardly a moot point to say that either player was better off sitting out the end of a series turned hopeless for the Flyers. For Coburn, there is little comfort in knowing that he did everything he could to try and get back in the lineup, for even Timonen, of limited capacity in Game 5, surely regrets fate keeping him from being 100%. Both players resiliency and determinantion is reflective of the classic lines of regret that mark the end of The Wild Bunch, wherein, Deke Thornton(Robert Ryan), the bounty hunter leader, says with deep chagrin,"I should have been there, I should have been there," while viewing the bodies of his former comrades after slowly coming into empathy for them over the course of the movie, and prior to shooting the posse amidst his horrific self-loathing.

NHL vs NBA?! Do hockey fans care about ratings?

VS


NBA?! For a hockey fan it doesn't exist, while their counterparts see the NHL as some weird sport given us by Elven Lords(Canadians) as a generous sign of friendship(we did invade once). Granted there's certainly fans who appreciate both sports, but for the most part you're on one side of the fence or the other, either watching the NBA on primetime or settling for the obscurity of the Vs channel and the few games that NBC chooses to pick up( always the 'if necessary' games). But as for NBA fans who, like fervent supporters of the other "top three" sports, choose to discredit the NHL by speaking of ratings, I don't think there's any sense of "competition" since hockey fans could care less about ratings or market shares. Some of the most passionate fans in all of sports, they love the game for its skill, intensity, emotion, speed, and near seamless action. One of the more astute rule changes in recent NHL history was to put the puck back into play as quickly as possible after any stoppages as well as altering the rules so as to encourage the goalies to keep the puck in play as much as possible. Basketball, and especially baseball, has too many stoppages in comparison. Hockey, like soccer, is a game that harshly punishes simple mistakes while demanding much of one's effort and courage in order to create something beautiful, the desired goal that, in basketball, is diminished by the back and forth, back and forth, back and forth scoring. What percentage of baskets has the same crowd effect as a hockey goal? Do NBA fans have short attention spans(ADD)? Granted, its nice to see a team create turnovers and fight back from a 17 point deficit, but mostly the high scoring seems like incessant Pavlonian wish fulfillement for the viewer. I can appreciate the finer points of the NBA-especially when San Antonio is playing- but can't watch it consistently. To each their own.

Flyers Rolling With Steel Born From a Dismal '06-'07

With the same core of players from last season putting them in the conference finals the Philadelphia Flyers obviously weren't as bad as last year's record (dead last with a franchise worst 22 wins and 56 points) indicates. Several times they seemed set to dig themselves out of the hole, winning in spurts, such as a Western swing that saw them come back from blowing a 3-0 lead to beat L.A. 4-3 in overtime in an exciting game,followed by a 5-1 drubbing of record setting and eventual Cup winners, Anaheim. They finished fairly well on that roadtrip and had numerous other such stints, each instance offset by injury which made it all the more difficult to shake off the duldrums of a horrible '06-'07. The fans knew the team was better then its record and with a long history of contiguous playoff appearances, along with owner Ed Snyder being just as livid as the rest of us (the GM and coach were shown the door early on) we had no reason to become disinterested or dispondent,especially with some of our best players (Simon Gagne[IR], R. J. Umberger, Mike Knuble and the newly arrived Scotty Upshall) putting up points well into April when every game, since January it seemed, had become meaningless. This tireless work ethic amdist injuires and all else going wrong was certainly in some way aided by the unwavering support of the Flyers fanbase, which in turn cheered all the louder. As responding to adversity is the true distinction of character, the Flyers clearly laid the groundwork for their current run in the depths of failure.

Sometimes I comment

And of course, when you're stuck with Mickey Mouse (M-I-C-K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E) it's best to have fun especially when you come across responses that are- initially, at least in this case - overally PC and reactionary. Bad enough I have to look at this screen all day...

This photo was taken from Asianlife.com, who obtained it from the Xanga of Korean-American director Mike Kang. While the author proceeds with a PC take relating to his disgust as an Asian person, he does admit in the end that he may have taken it too seriously. Here's my take which I left in the comment section (it's helpful to read the original posting first) :

Apr 10, 2008 12:38pm - Brion J. Shreffler Maybe Mike has some angst about Asian girls dating white guys(paranoid white guy). Maybe Mike is playing to Asian stereotypes(parnoid Asian guy). Maybe the two males represent a dichotomy, the Asian male dealing with the appeal of intrusive western influences while he struggles to maintain a sense of identity(history, culture), unable to move beyond Hegelian precepts(intellectual guy).

Or maybe, it's just funny. Who leaves all their weapons on display, let alone by the passageway?One's katana, as a living embodiment of one's soul, is not supposed to be removed from the saya for anything but the kill. Anything less would show a lack a purpose and would reflect poorly upon a retainer. All small blades are to be sheathed or hidden. Shuriken are to be kept in a pouch attached to one's obi, or better yet, behind a cool, unassuming belt buckle. Look at this guy(ex or current husband or boyfriend or all purpose assassin) on his way in, with his predatorial eyes, terminator gait, hachimaki, and near trench coat- he means business. Do you really want to make it easier for him?! Of course, the white guy could be shinobi, a stealth assassin whom no one sneaks up on. Patiently the young master awaits, having heard the creaking of specially altered floorboards out in the hallway, though his highly attuned senses were already keen to this malicious presence. Rising to suprise the intruder at the last moment, he steps inside to avoid a downward sword strike, simultaneously softly planting the stem of his glass into the attacker's carotid artery, thereby resolving the connundrum, 'Why is this Ruby Port so bloody light?'

HR 676- Proposed Universal Health Care Bill

Getting my hair cut recently I chipped in a few dollars to a fund for someone recently paralyzed. Some guy, a father of three, in the Hatboro area flipped off his bike and crushed several vertebrate in his neck. His insurance will either offer full or zero coverage for all subsequent treatment and the plethora of miscellaneous expenses that he will incur beyond medication needs. Given that he's not rich(with the astronomical cost of health care anyone in this situation would have to have tens of millions set aside to be considered 'rich' ) the expenses are exacerbating an already tragic event.

Unfortunately, we see this all too often. Communities are constantly "pulling together" to offer monetary support for those treated so harshly by the HMOs, such as in the case of 14 year old Brad Bamka of Bucks County. Money was raised after his insurance company said it would not cover ambulance trips back to the hospital for necessary continued care.
This can happen to anyone with insurance, no matter what type of insurance you have or how long you have been paying into your plan. Worse yet is the situation for the millions of Americans(such as myself) who do not have have insurance. The insurance companies exist to make money and nothing else. If you become sick you're a liability that they will do their best to rid themselves of.

What can we do:

We can support HR 676, a bill being proposed before congress that would provide universal health care for EVERYONE free of charge. Rather than the focus being on profits, as is the case with the current system, the system would be designed solely for the people. As citizens we have several options. We can write our state reps in congress as well as our senators, while raising awareness with everyone we know and love, since anyone we know could be adversely affected by the cruel and inhuman health care system that we now have. As citizens, we can make this one of the chief issues of the presidential campaign.

Remember we can always feel safe laughing or shrugging off someone else's complaints or protests until we are affected by the same things.But with this, we're all affected.

Points of ref:
general info:
"Single Payer and HR676-Debunking the Myths"

Find out if your local state rep and state senators support HR 676 as well as how to contact them