Susana Baca - Espíritu Vivo

“I was born in Lima and grew up in a small town in Peru called Chorrillos. My father was a chauffeur for a wealthy family and my mother worked as a cook and sometimes washed clothes. In Lima we lived in an alleyway, the kind where the servants lived, off the main streets past the fancy neighborhoods. My father played the guitar. He was the official musician of the alley. Whenever there was a party they called him. People came and we put on a show. I would drop anything for music. In Peru the black population is very small—you find mixed people, like me, or even lighter. But as a culture it is present everywhere. I would like to be remembered for my voice, of course. But also for helping to spread the music of my ancestors—all those people who were never recognized for their work or for their beautiful culture.” - Susana Baca