Sonido Amazonico!

Chicha is the name of a corn-based liquor the Incas distilled in the days before The Conquest, and the word's mysterious, boozy etymology makes it perfect for the musical style that bears its name. Chicha - the music - was spontaneously distilled during the culture clash of the '60s when the Indian population of the Peruvian Amazon blended Columbian cumbias with American rock & roll, particularly the twang heavy sound of surf music. With cheap electric instruments, Amazon Indians used the syncopated beat of cumbia as the foundation for melodies that sound to western ears like Andean folk music played on electric guitar supported by Tex-Mex style Farfisa. When the Indians moved to Lima, chicha became a thriving subgenre, but since the 70s the style has been dying out. Olivier Conan, owner of New York's Barbés nightclub and record label, discovered the music on a 2005 trip to Peru. In 2007, he put out a compilation called The Roots of Chicha. The music so captivated New York's downtown crowd that he put together Chicha Libre, a combo comprised of New York's musical scene makers, and started playing the old hits, and some new compositions, to packed houses. Part of the charm of the old chicha recordings had to do with their distorted, lo-fi approach, something that you can't match in a Manhattan recording studio. Nonetheless, Sonido Amazonico!, named after a hit by the chicha band Los Mirlos, is a sunny, upbeat collection guaranteed to bring a silly smile to your face. Vincent Douglas' plays a twangy guitar and Josh Camp plays a rare Hohner Electravox, an accordion-like instrument that sounds like a 70s Farfisa, anchor the band's timeless sound (the Electrovox is an electric hybrid; no air passes through it).

Like reggae, the chicha groove is so recognizable, and flexible, that almost any style of music can be played using it. The playing here has a lightness and humor that the originals lacked, but Chicha Libre's not making any claims about being authentic or keeping a lost tradition alive. They're playing it for kicks, and they supply plenty of 'em. ~ j. poet, All Music Guide

Ask any singer, no matter how successful, and they will tell you that they get nervous before a performance. It's a fact of life. There are so many facets to getting up and singing a song in front of an audience that it's impossible to be totally sure that everything will go well. The key to being a confident singer is to find ways to accept this fact, to feel the fear and do it anyway. There are numerous techniques that can help calm frayed nerves and a pounding heart. Here are a few ideas.

Be Prepared

One of the most important ways to remove doubts before a performance is to make sure you are properly prepared. Unlike exams, it's not possible to cram your learning into a few hours the night before - that would simply guarantee a tired voice and lacklustre performance. So it's vital to practice and learn everyday for a period of time before the day of the performance. This is going to make you feel confident in your ability to actually remember the song. If you have never performed to an audience before, part of that preparation could be to perform in front of a friend or a relative - it might feel a bit uncomfortable, but it will go along way towards preparing you for the big day. Try not to look at your music just before you go on this will just make you more nervous.

Warm Up

It's absolutely essential to warm up before a concert or performance. This will boost your confidence by letting you know the voice is working well. You should aim to get your lungs and diaphragm going as well as the vocal chords, plus a bit of stretching to wake up the whole body. Try 5 to 10 minutes of gentle warm-up exercises, done a little while before the performance, ideally 2 or 3 times throughout the day - try not to overdo it as you might end up tiring your voice.

Relax

There are plenty of relaxation techniques which can help reduce jittery nerves. These are great to do just before a performance to enable you to approach the event in a calmer way. Find one to suit you, but try to keep it short, so that you don't panic about time and add to your stress. Including shoulder and neck relaxing exercises is helpful. If you don't have time to search for a particular technique, just try deep breathing. For example, breathe in slowly and fully, being aware of your diaphragm then breathe out as slowly and completely as you can.

Deal with Your Thoughts

There is no doubt that our own thoughts can be the main obstacle to confident singing. All sorts of unhelpful self-critical thoughts can rise up as we anticipate the performance ahead. Some of my own thoughts have included: "What if I make a mistake", "The audience might dislike me", "Maybe I'm not as good as I think I am", "I don't want to let anyone down". A lot of people swear by positive thinking, for example, repeating statements such as "I am a great singer who performs with skill,"or "I sing with ease and confidence." I believe this can be very helpful. Personally, I have found the following technique to be very effective. When a negative thought makes you feel nervous and anxious, ask yourself "Who would I be without this thought?", then imagine how you would be without the self limiting beliefs that sabotage your confidence - when you do this be as imaginative as you can. An example answer to the above question could be, "I would be free to give my all to this performance, to soar, to sing with all my heart, to make the song truly beautiful and unique. I would not worry about the audience."

Remember that stage fright and nerves are to be expected. So don't fight them, instead, use them to give yourself the energy your performance needs. I believe this is the key to being a confident singer. In time you will find your own special "rituals" to help keep calm and I hope the above tips will help you to perform at your very best.

London-born Helen Astrid has a remarkable knowledge and talent for teaching people how to sing, from complete beginners with stage fright to professionals in the music industry. In her latest book, Singing Tips at your Finger Tips, she reveals cutting-edge techniques which will not only improve confidence, but will transform your voice. For more info and free tips and articles, visit her website at http://www.singingtipsatyourfingertips.com

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