'Where is the folk music of Puerto Rico in Los Angeles, and especially, Could I find "Chuito el de Bayamón" (the quintessential folk singer from the mountains of Puerto Rico)?'. It is said in Hollywood, make a Copyrighted ©2015 Neyda Enid movie about what you know. It quickly became obvious to me that to answer that question, I had to make a movie about it. The documentary is titled The Cuatro Copyrighted ©2015 Neyda Enid Within: Can you Hear The Love? Poetic… Well, it occurred to me that I may be Neyda Enid seen with her “Beloved Cuatro”. making a visual love poem to my people

Enid Neyda by and country. Initially the working title was You have great affection for the Cuatro "Tierra Adentro" which means two things, instrument. You call it: My beloved the proverbial "land in your heart", or, in Cuatro… the geographical sense "from inland”, To begin with, the Cuatro is the National because the roots of the Folk music of Instrument of my country of birth, Puerto Puerto Rico are in the mountains. From Rico and it embodies everything that is that it evolved into "The Cuatro Within" or native to the island. The sweet sound of the in Spanish "El Cuatro Adentro". "Can you Cuatro is as identifiable as the Bandoneon hear the love?" is another burning question in Tango, the Cuica in Samba, and the I've had. Because I'm convinced that you Electric Guitar in Rock, when you hear it, can see, feel, taste, and smell love. But can it immediately transports you to Puerto you hear it? I believe that one can Rico. To give you an audible idea, the regardless of the language, at least I can Cuatro sounds a bit like a mandolin or a hear it in the folk music I've listened to twelve string guitar and it's tuned like a throughout my life. I hope that when people see the film they can hear it too! five string bass guitar but two octaves higher. If there was a projector showing all the images that come to my head when I In the beginning of the film we can read: hear it, it would not do justice to all that it Before salsa and reggaeton there was the evokes sensorially and emotionally, reason Cuatro music… why I call it my beloved. That is a statement I wanted to make from the start to make the audience aware of Such a huge passion to direct a the longevity of the Cuatro music. documentary… According to some experts in the area, the I'm very passionate about visual Cuatro and its music has had an evolution storytelling. In my career as a director I of over 300 years. And the poem-like lyrics want to tell many stories, a few years back, that accompany the Cuatro music, called while in between films, I was looking for 'Décimas', came from Spain during sources of inspiration and somehow I kept colonial times. As you could imagine, an www.ElCuatroAdentro.com

having a yearning to answer the question, Film A www.ElCuatroAdentro.com art form that old, has influenced all the

Article: “Neyda Enid, Director and Producer in Hollywood” www.ElCuatroAdentro.com 1 of 4 musical forms that have come after it in movie will inspire other people to create some way. Especially in Puerto Rico given similar projects and see that the Folk music that it is a huge breeding ground for of Puerto Rico has earned a place in the musical styles. The question that everyone international music scene as an exemplary has is, its called a Cuatro (meaning four in cultural ambassador not only because of Spanish) yet it has ten strings?... I answer its unique sound but also because its rich that in the film and the official website history, sophistication and of course its www.ElCuatroAdentro.com, where you beauty. can also find pictures, music and information on how to learn to play the Is it a matter of heritage, culture Cuatro. preservation and even remembrance? Yes, yes, and yes! I've interviewed and Back to the basics? spoken to some of the most respected

You know the saying, you can't move Enid Neyda by performers who have consistently forward without knowing your past... I conveyed to me that the folk music as a truly believe that in the socio-political and genre lacks documentation, be it written or trying economic climate of today, people visual despite its rich history. Here are are in dire need to "connect" to their past, some historical facts that would surprise present and future in the most basic way. some people, even in Puerto Rico... The There is some of that going on in Puerto 'Décima' is a poetic form created by Rico right now. According to folk music writer/singer Vicente Espinela in the teacher/musician Jaime "Jimmy" Colón sixteenth century. And the 'Seis', the Meléndez there has been a resurgence of melody that accompanies the ‘Décimas’, folk music in recent years, especially when according to master Cuatro player Edwin it comes to teaching kids. In fact, one of Colón Zayas, there are around 150 ‘Seis’ the most moving film shoots I've had styles. By analogy, that's like saying there during the making of this film was in the are over 150 styles of playing the Blues. town of Orocovis where I witnessed Luis All that history is worthy of preserving, Daniel Colón and Billy Colón Zayas don't you think? teaching kids as young as eight years old to sing and become folkloric troubadours. You worked with masters as Edwin Colón Zayas, Oscar Hernández, Alvin Medina, An identity symbol? Yezenia Cruz, Yomo Toro and many If you are asking if the Cuatro instrument more… and therefore its music is a symbol, I’d A true honor and a blessing! When I heard have to say, "Yes, it's a symbol of Edwin Colón Zayas live at the Festival del everything that is considered deep-rooted Cuatro in Los Angeles I thought: "Now I Puerto Rican!". If you are asking if identity have a movie!”. He is not only a master of plays a part for me as an individual telling the Cuatro but he's also proving its the story, the answer is "Absolutely, with versatility by composing/playing musical this project I'm reclaiming my identity as a styles from around the world. Alvin Puerto Rican and in the process giving a Medina, I call him the Hendrix of the voice to what I think is a magnificent art Cuatro right now; and Yomo Toro who, www.ElCuatroAdentro.com form worthy of noting". Hopefully this Film A www.ElCuatroAdentro.com very sadly recently passed away, he was Article: “Neyda Enid, Director and Producer in Hollywood” www.ElCuatroAdentro.com 2 of 4 the first to introduce the Cuatro to the You are a producer and 3D computer international Salsa scene for Fania graphics artist in Hollywood, you worked Records. Yezenia Cruz, a very powerful on Harry Potter. And now your “Beloved singer. It was a sheer joy to be Cuatro". A combination between science commissioned by her to make a music and art? video of her Bolero named 'Lo Callaras’ Einstein said, "Creativity is intelligence for an album where she is pushing the having fun", I've had a lot of fun in my life. envelope of folk. In Oscar Hernández I For me, science and art are inextricably have found a three-time Grammy winning tied, even when I was a full-time scientist, composer/producer/musician who I can I was telling visual stories through science. spar with about the creative process in a I started my career in 3D computer completely unabashed and constructive graphics as a programmer and producer of

way. Enid Neyda by Scientific Visualizations and Simulations when Virtual Reality was all the rage. It sounds like a Puerto Rican "Buena Vista Working on Harry Potter doing visual Social Club”… effects and 3D CGI for a film was a great Interesting that you point that out. I training ground. With 'The Cuatro Within' I presented the teaser for the film to a studio am fulfilling several dreams including the executive who suggested the same. To incorporation of over a dozen visual which I replied, "I'm making this movie so effects shots, a rather small number by that in 30 years no one sees the need to Hollywood standards, but those few will make the Buena Vista Social Club of augment and serve the storytelling and Puerto Rico because people are forgetting nothing more. about our folk music." I like the comparison, I tell you why... The year that Besides this, we discover that you are a movie came out, I went to the Virgin "hilarious" actress and very funny in Megastore at the Louvre in Paris and I saw Helena Hosts. Is it over with acting? an entire wall dedicated to Latin music Thank You, I like comedies a lot. That is the displaying primarily one album. It was the greatest compliment I could ever receive. Buena Vista Social Club album sitting there Because I also wrote the screenplay and as well as Cuban music from the 50s to the produced Helena Hosts. It's not over for present. I often go back to that wall in my acting yet. The second part of Helena head, to remind myself that a movie can Hosts is in the works. So you may see me have that impact. Though if I had a playing Helena at least one more time, as d o c u m e n t a r y fi l m t o e s t a b l i s h a well as a couple other projects that are in comparison, I'd say my film is part “Buena development. For that I'm in conversations Vista Social" Club (for its portrayal of a to partner up once again with my dear music genre), part "It might get loud" (for friend actor/theater director Robert Beltran its honest portrayal of masters of an (from the cult classic films 'Eating Raoul', instrument and their interaction), and part 'Latino' and also played Captain Chakotay "An inconvenient truth" (for the didactic on ‘Star Trek Voyager’) who was so kind to

and historical elements). direct the first installment of Helena Hosts. www.ElCuatroAdentro.com Film A www.ElCuatroAdentro.com

Article: “Neyda Enid, Director and Producer in Hollywood” www.ElCuatroAdentro.com 3 of 4 Acting makes me a better director. It seems Musical Citizen of the World like I've caught the comedic acting bug ever since the first comedy I starred on Neyda Enid native of Fajardo (Puerto which premiered at the prestigious Edward Rico), has followed an atypical path. James Olmos' Los Angeles Latino Having a Bachelors degree in Science and International Film Festival. becoming a Mathematician, she embarked on yet another career in film, TV, and 3D The Cuatro Within: Can you hear the computer graphics, most notably for Harry Love? A feature documentary by Puerto Potter. But Neyda Enid is a great lover of Rican film Director/Producer/Writer “roots” music. First of all, she has a Neyda Enid. preferred subject, the popular music of Puerto Rico and more precisely the For more information about the feature traditional Cuatro music. And then music documentary: Enid Neyda by from around the world. The Cuatro Within: Can you hear the Love? visit: She is interested in the Algerian Kuitra (an instrument designed exclusively for www.ElCuatroAdentro.com females) that is used to play Andalusian Hawzi music. ”If my research is correct, ✉️ [email protected] the Kuitra may be a distant cousin of my /ElCuatroAdentro beloved Cuatro because they share the Oud instrument in their history. I listen to @PRicanFilmmaker Beihdja Rahal on the web, the manner in which she plays kuitra is very impressive to @NeydaEnid me, but I cannot wait to listen to the Kuitra /2ndTeamFilms Live… “. Neyda has a really insatiable thirst for For more information about Puerto Rican music: "I've been listening to the film Director/Producer/Writer Neyda Enid Colombian folk music named Carranguera. visit: www.2ndTeamFilms.com In my childhood, I studied Spanish classical guitar ... I’ve encountered a lot of ‘surprises’ in music, the list is far too long. The trigger was the discovery of Paul Simon, David Byrne and Sergio Mendes, because they incorporated many styles of music from around the world at a time when it was unexpected. Lately, I listen to everything in the Nonesuch Records, including Carolina Chocolate Drops, Toumani Diabaté, also traditional Chinese Opera and Algerian Chaabi and Rai Copyrighted ©2015 Neyda Enid

music." www.ElCuatroAdentro.com Film A www.ElCuatroAdentro.com Article: “Neyda Enid, Director and Producer in Hollywood” www.ElCuatroAdentro.com 4 of 4