The Latinola Project
The Latinola Project is the brainchild of Lisa Richards and Jihane Obadachi brought into being by their passion for cultural cross-pollination and their love of great music. Their back history is over 20 years long, having met each other in Tunisia, when, at this time, they were both managers of world music artists. Having moved to Cali, Colombia just over a year ago, Lisa was inspired by the sounds and energy of this city, famous for salsa and a country rich in cultural diversity. Jihane has a mosaic background having lived in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, France and now currently residing in Cairo, Egypt. Several Skype calls and conversations between Cali and Cairo in late 2017 cemented the deal and The Latinola Project was born. Conceptually, the project transforms popular western songs with a collection of Latin arrangements. For example “Uptown Funk’ is given a Colombian Caribbean folklore spice with a Cumbia arrangement and ‘Stairway to Heaven’ commences with a sultry Bolero melody, finishing with a uptempo salsa swing. For the most part, the songs have also been translated into Spanish, giving the songs yet another dynamic. Colombia being abundant with musical talent, forming the first band to give The Latinola Project it’s first breath was an easy task. Musical Director, Joaquin Salcedo and arranger Paulo Cesar are integral to the project and quickly assembled a 12 piece band whose enriched diversity and love for their culture is apparent in their performances. With 2 female and 2 males singers, these performances showcase a variety of tones and tempos, all brought together by a strong percussion and horn section laying down the backbone of the show. Expect hot energy, vibrant sounds, bright colours and salsa dance moves that are as contagious as they are entertaining. The Latinola Project’s mission is to give the audience a cultural rich experience whilst dancing in the aisles.