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Recording Details
Legend of the Jivaro

catalog no: T-770
Fifth album, first album to have an original release in 12" LP format

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Capitol Records - Monophonic - 1957 United States   12" LP

Historical notes
Liner Notes
This album contains the rare plum of authenticity: the songs of the notorious Jivaro headhunters, learned by Yma Sumac in the tribemen's South American mountain-jungle home, and sung by her in exotic native instrumental settings.

To unearth the Jivaro music - the stories their ancient songs tell, the musical instruments of their culture - Yma Sumac and her husband, Moisés Vivanco, one of the foremost authorities on ancient music, travelled deep into the headhunters' native territory.  There, her mastery of the Jivaro dialect (she was reared less than one hundred miles from their land) helped facilitate the research in that strange and obscure society.

In ancient times, the Jivaros, being neighbors of the highly cultured Incas, were comparatively civilized.  However, the advent of the Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century greatly altered their lives.  Their temples were looted, their treasures stolen, their villages destroyed.  Thus it was that the Jivaros lived in their remote mountainous jungles, alone and bitter, hating the white man, reverting to a near stone-age existence, including the practice of head-shrinking, and doing all in their power to remain alive and free from the influences of the outside world.

Recently, Yma Sumac and Moisés Vivanco, who serves as her composer, arranger, and conductor, went into the Jivaro country armed only with trinkets, good intentions, and a tape recorder.  Fortunately, the Jivaros proved friendly and Vivanco was able to tape innumerable native sounds and melodies to use for reference in the composition of the songs for this album.

Tracks
(select song title to see other recordings with it)

      side one

    1. Jivaro    (Moisés Vivanco) - 2:54
    2. Sejollo    (Moisés Vivanco) - 2:05
    3. Yawar    (Moisés Vivanco) - 2:30
    4. Shou Condor    (Moisés Vivanco) - 2:46
    5. Sauma    (Moisés Vivanco) - 3:41
    6. Nina    (Moisés Vivanco) - 2:14

      side two

    1. Sansa    (Moisés Vivanco) - 2:48
    2. Hampi    (Bill Hitchcock) - 3:06
    3. Sumac Sorateña    (Moisés Vivanco) - 1:52
    4. Aulléy    (Moisés Vivanco) - 3:41
    5. Batanga-Hailli    (Moisés Vivanco, Billy May) - 1:35
    6. Wanka    (Moisés Vivanco) - 3:10
    7. total play time (approx): 32:22

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