catalog no: T-770
This French reissue of Yma Sumac's fifth album, recorded in 1957, was made in 1985. Although most U.S. pressings were not dated, often the foreign ones were, as was this issue, making it easy to know when it was made. While most imports were uncommon in the U.S., for many years this was the only pressing of this album that was available.
A review is available. A copy exists in the Archives in case there are specific questions about it. The Tiki logo is not on the actual artwork.
Pathé Marconi - Monophonic - 1984 France 12" LP
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.
side one
side two
total play time (approx): 32:22