Yma Sumac – Queen Diva of Exotica

Yma Sumac has been called the Queen Diva of Exotica. With her five-octave voice and the incredible talents of Les Baxter (who arranged and produced her work for Capitol records) you have one incredible combination. The Sumac/Baxter combo produced an operatic form of exotica that is truly out of this world!

I have a copy of “The Voice of the Xtabay” that I was hoping to upload, but the amount of surface noise may be too much for many of you download fiends, so I decided to go looking for an online copy on another blog. I did manage to find a 128kbps download. I also found some info on Yma at SpageAgePop.com:

Yma Sumac was born Zoila Emperatriz Chavarri del Castillo sometime between 1921 and 1928 in Inchocan, Peru.

The five-octave queen of exotica. Sumac began performing on radio in Peru in her early teens. Bandleader and composer Moises Vivianco discovered her and began promoting her throughout South America. In 1947, Vivianco and Sumac married and moved to New York City. She performed with Vivianco’s combo, Conjunto Folklorica Peruano, until she was contracted by Capitol Records in 1950.

Sumac made a series of records on the Capitol Records label mostly singing exotic Hollywood versions of Incan and South American folk songs. The combination of Sumac’s extraordinary voice, her exotic, mysterious looks, and her stage personality made her a great hit for American audiences. During the height of her popularity, she appeared in the films Secret of the Incas and Omar Khayam.

Sumac has remained mostly out of the limelight since the late 1950s, performing intermittently. She did record a complete album, “Miracles,” a Rock “tour de force” in 1971, as well as one cut on Hal Wilner’s tribute to Disney music, “Stay Awake,” in 1991.

Here’s some more info on the Xtabay legend from wikipedia.org:

Xtabay literally means ‘Female Ensnarer’ and can refer either to a Mesoamerican demon who seduces and kills or a female deity of the hunt, along with the male Ah Tabay. A legend of Xtabay (the female demon) tells of two women who lived in a village in the Yucatán Peninsula. One was named Xtabay, but people called her Xkeban (which means “prostitute”, “bad woman” or “one who practices illicit love”); the other was Utz-Colel (a good, decent woman).

People said Xkeban was sick with lust and gave her favors to every man who asked her. Utz-Colel was virtuous and honest. Xkeban had a good heart and kindly helped the poor, sick and homeless, and also the animals abandoned for being considered useless, by giving up the jewellery and fine clothes she got from her lovers. She was not a haughty woman, nor did she insult other villagers. Xtabay humbly received the humiliations from the people of her village. On the other hand, Utz-Colel was cold, full of pride, harsh of heart and easily disgusted by the poor.

One day, Xtabay was not seen anymore. Days passed and a fine delicate perfume was smelled all over the village. People found it came from Xtabay’s house, who had died there, alone.

Utz-Colel argued it wasn’t possible, that the perfume couldn’t be that of such a vile and corrupt body; nothing but decay and stench could come out of her. She argued that had to be bad spirits or demons still trying to tempt men. “If that is the odour of a dead prostitute, mine shall be incredible when I die”, she said.

A few people buried Xtabay, feeling pity for her. The next day, her grave was covered with beautiful flowers of a delicate perfume.

When Utz-Colel died, the entire village attended her funeral; they remembered her virtue and honesty. To the amazement of the crowd, an intolerable stench came out from her grave.

The flowers growing on Xtabay’s grave were named Xtabentún.

Track List:

1) Taita Inty (Virgin Of The Sun God) [3:08]
2) Ataypura (High Andes) [3:03]
3) Accla Taqui (Chant Of The Chosen Maidens) [2:44]
4) Tumba (Earthquake) [3:21]
5) Choladas (Dance Of The Moon Festival) [2:35]
6) Wayra (Dance Of The Winds) [3:02]
7) Monos (Monkeys) [2:40]
Xtabay (Lure Of The Unknown Love) [3:19]
9) K’arawi (Planting Song) [3:20]
10) Cumbe-Maita (Calls Of The Andes) [3:09]
11) Wak’al (Cry) [2:32]
12) Incacho (Royal Anthem) [3:11]
13) Cuncho (The Forest Creatures) [3:41]
14) Lulla Mak’ta (Andean Don Juan) [2:28]
15) Malaya! (My Destiny) [3:29]
16) Ripui (Farewell) [3:00]

Track List:

1) Bo Mambo [3:20]
2) Taki Rari [1:51]
3) Gopher [2:17]
4) Chicken Talk [3:04]
5) Goomba Boomba [4:13]
6) Malambo No. 1 [2:56]
7) Five Bottles Of Mambo [2:48]
Indian Carnival [2:06]
9) Cha Cha Gitano [3:52]
10) Jungla [2:23]
11) Carnavalito Boliviano [2:06]

MP3 Downloads (96kbps) from yma-sumac.com:

• Gopher mambo 
• Magenta Mountain 
• Tumpa (Earthquake)
• Chuncho (The Forest Creature)
• Mambo Confusion 
• Taki Rari 
• Babalu 
• Kuyaway (Inca love song)
• Taita Inty (Virgin Of The Sun God)