Piquete
Piquete, a Puerto Rican musical project, led by a female percussionist, which aims to balance the sensuality and rudeness of street music both in its aesthetics, theme and musicality. Contemporary sounds of Caribbean and Brazilian music, neo soul and hip hop meet traditional instrumentation creating a powerful, flavorful and avant-garde fusion. The band, established in 2018, in Santurce-Puerto Rico, has called its sound as Neo Plena and Bomba Groove, demonstrating the versatility of Boricua urban music and being part of the so-called "New Latin Wave" a new movement of Latin bands that explore their musical heritage through contemporary music.
Tell us about you and your work:
ABOUT PIQUETE
Songwriter and percussionist Miosoti Alvarado joins a group of versatile musicians to shape Piquete: Puerto Rican musical project, led by a female percussionist, which aims to balance the sensuality and rudeness of street music both in its aesthetics, theme, and musicality. Contemporary sounds of Caribbean and Brazilian music, neo-soul and hip hop meet traditional instrumentation creating a powerful, flavorful, and avant-garde fusion. The band, established in 2018, in Santurce-Puerto Rico, has called its sound as Neo Plena and Bomba Groove, demonstrating the versatility of Boricua urban music and being part of the so-called "New Latin Wave" a new movement of Latin bands that explore their musical heritage through contemporary music.
ABOUT MIOSOTI
My name is Madelin Miosoti Alvarado Burgos, born in Bayamón and raised in Orocovis, Puerto Rico. I dedicate myself to cultural production in different ways: I am a composer and percussionist: I direct the musical group Piquete and teach Maracatu -a Brazilian percussion rhythm- I create cultural content for the networks, I’m curator and blogger of Dimelomio, a Cultural Agenda in PR, I produce musical events and I am a mother of two great artists: Sebastian Antonio @cbalonchera and @amandaantonella. I come from a musical family and innate producers. My father is a bassist, he plays guitar, a little piano, percussion, and my mother is a natural event producer, composes decimas, she goes, buys, comes, decorates, dances, sings and clean up the place!!! As we are a big family, the activities are big productions: for the music that will be offered, as well as to accommodate the people, what they are going to eat, etc… so, I can say that I grew up doing what I do. My first familiar instrument was the “guicharo” and academically it was the flute. And since I enter deep in the Plena, there is not much that makes me happier than play plena. The same thing happens to me with the Bomba, but what I want is to dance, I love dance bomba. So part of my mission with Piquete is to make known to the world these tasty Puerto Rican rhythms, from my musical corner.
What inspires you?
Musically I am inspired by the music of my country and the Caribbean. Also, the music of Brazil, since I practice and use maracatu and coco, rhythms from the northeast of Brazil. I was raised in the “golden age” of Hip hop, so ... I was always inspired by that culture and everything that surrounds it. And I’m very inspired to be able to create other Boricua “street” music, represent myself, and represent ourselves musically.
What does community mean to you?
For me, community is to manage to live in a society in which everyone participates as creator-consumers, where there is that sense of relevance for the place and those who make it up.
Favorite film
Wow, these questions are difficult, because I have several. But, the last favorite I have seen was "I'm no longer here", a Mexican movie that tells a story from the cumbia-style counter-culture called Kolombia. That movie left me thinking about it, to this day... I still think about it.
Favorite song
This is even more difficult ... because there are several of my favorite songs ... but, I can say that my favorite bolero is Quisiera Yo tener by Cheo Feliciano, 93 'til Infinity by Souls of Mischief is one of my top rap songs and my favorite bachata is Yo quiero andar, Sonia Silvestre version.
Favorite place
Uff ... another difficult ... but definitely Puerto Rico is my favorite place. Besides, that here are my people, it is an Island! And with the best size! It's a paradise! Another place that I think of and brings me immediate happiness is Olinda in Recife, Brazil, which has a lot of tropical vibes and a lot of music.