She came to New Zealand last year to perform at WOMAD. Lockdown happened just after; she stayed, and that has been our good fortune.
Born in California of immigrant parents from Mexico and the Dominican Republic, but based in New York City, Mireya Ramos and accompanying musicians have been sending us to the next level at various venues across Auckland. On Saturday 10 April she did that again, wowing the audience in the intimate atmosphere of Frieda Margolis in West Lynn.
With her magnificent voice, soulful violin playing, and warm stage presence, Ms Ramos and her musicians left the audience in rapturous appreciation of their talent throughout the evening. A highlight of the night was when she took us on a rhythmical trip with Am I Crazy, leaving us all happy to admit, she and we just might be – crazy happy to be there that night.
Another highlight was the song she had recorded last year with local musicians while holding up in an Airbnb in New Plymouth, Climbing Fences. Interspersed with Spanish and English, Mariachi Soul, covers of Ella Fitzgerald and Chaka Khan, Ms Ramos and her band easily won our hearts. Far from the New York subways where she started sharing her music, Ms Ramos has made several albums with the band, Flor de Toloache. Now, she is working on a new album – yet to be named.
Mireya Ramos came to us with rave reviews including a nomination for the 2020 Grammy Awards; on Saturday night we clearly saw why. The Mariachi sound not only lifted our spirits as it filled the room at Frieda’s, but permeated out the open windows into the streets of the West Lynn village where captivated passersby stopped transfixed.
Put your hands together and bow your heads to pray, that while the rush to make the rest of the world a safer place continues, Mireya Ramos and partner, sound engineer Andy Averbuch, won’t be in such a rush to leave our shores and we have further opportunity for their music to feed our souls. (GREG TONG)
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