WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2017

By Raul da Gama

Inti-Illimani and Nano Stern: Bringing the House Down

… The prodigiously talented Nano Stern represents a new generation of Chilean musicians who is making an enormous contribution to Chilean music, by adding to the library of music and broadening its musical language with his references to other musical idioms and also by introducing extensive improvisational techniques and memorable soli on guitar, violin and piano (on which he was not, however, heard that night). But Mr Stern and his trio – including masterful drummer and charango player Cristian Carvacho and also a terrific bassist, Patricio Rojas – made for an explosive opening set that went on for almost an hour.

Nano Stern also prepared the audience for what was to come, by reminding Canadians that while we have made great strides in the area of welcoming immigrants from war-torn regions of the world and in mending our ways when it comes to apologizing for the many atrocities committed against indigenous peoples, we have a long way to go when it comes to reforming capitalism – if such a thing is at all possible. His outing of Barrick Gold during the performance ought to have reminded us that liberal-style democracy is not as socially conscious as it needs to be. This was to be an underlying message in the viscerally exciting music of Nano Stern …

It was an evening that was not only one of the most imaginative, but also certainly one the most memorable by any group of artists performing in Toronto this year.

Photos of Nano Stern and Inti-Illimani by Danilo Navas