The show.

Un éxito - a success.

San Martín, Calchaqui Valley, Argentina.

Monday, November 20th, 2023.

Dear Reader, 

The show was a great success. And thank you to all of you who tuned in from afar! 

Around eight o’clock the audience started to drizzle in. Wine was served and plates of cheese with bread were set out. The place began to fill up, with forty one people eventually packed into the Casa Moderna, an institution in Salta for more than one hundred years. Tables were set with white napkins and flowers. At a quarter of nine, the owner announced us, and we began the show.

The opening number was Sabor A Mi, a Mexican bolero. Aito, playing the guitar, also accompanied me on voice for this one. We followed with Dream A Little Dream which I do in English and French, and then a couple of French “chansons” by two of the greatest singer songwriters in the history of France’s music culture: Edith Piaf and Charles Trenet. The tunes I chose were La Vie En Rose and Ménilmontant.

Afterwards we did another bolero, this time by Cuban writer Isolina Carrilla, called Dos Gardenias. Then we took a short break. The empanadas were brought out, more wine was served and a couple of latecomers bustled in. 

We carried on with Misty by Erroll Garner and Fly Me To The Moon by Bart Howard. I mused that Howard is a household name in the Howard household, a joke I picked up from my old pal and musical partner in the U.S., Marcus Dagan. The audience chuckled.

After that we did La Garota de Ipanema, a Brazilian classic by Antonio Carlos Jobim, in Portuguese and English, Astrud Gilberto style. We closed the show with a very well known zamba called La Pomeña, about a young woman singer who lives in La Poma, a town in the Salta Province.

I invited the audience to sing with me which they did, heartily. It was a special moment. When we finished, the audience clamoured for more. Since Aito and I only had our nine songs, we decided to do the first song all over again “in case you’ve forgotten”, I teased. 

They loved it, and we ended with bows, exhilarated and hot and craving a cold beer. The owner kindly brought me one as soon as I came off stage, and I took a few sips of the cold, refreshing beverage, not my usual drink of choice. I went around saying my hellos, and thanks to the folks for being there. The feedback was tremendous and I felt so calm and happy and at peace knowing I had done my best and it had been well received.

Me and Aito after the show. Photo: Nicolas, owner of Casa Moderna.

Saturday was spent mostly driving back to the farm. We stopped in Cafayate where we had a late lunch, and arrived at San Martín just after sunset. We made a bonfire after putting away all of our groceries, and enjoyed the stars and the cool breeze.

On Wednesday we’ll head back up to Gualfín. Adrien plans to go on horseback to Compuel, the no man’s land where the rebels live, for a couple of nights. I’ll stay home with Ramona, taking an opportunity to read and write and get ready for the concerts back home.

Stay tuned for more.

Abrazos.

Mariah

On the square after the show. Photo and flowers: my husband.