Translator: Pavel Tchérnof Reviewer: Elisabeth Buffard
(Music)
(Applause)
This is me at work in the city where I live, Medellin, Colombia.
I'm Dutch. My height and blond hair probably gave me away.
I grew up in a small village near a river Waal.
So what happened?
I was 9 when a brass band in my village needed to trumpet players,
just trumpet players, nothing else.
I said "yes" to the trumpet and my adventure started.
Or even better, my musical life started
and the first music I played sounded like this.
(Martial music)
(Applause)
This was ok, of course. But at home,
we listened to all kinds of music: classical, jazz, pop and latin.
And latin music got under my skin.
I kepted hearing it in my head and at the age of fourteen,
I decided to to be part of salsa band.
I loved it. I loved it so much that I knew I want to do that for a living.
I attended the conservatory of Rotterdam to improve myself
and to learn more about music.
In 2003 I toured in Colombia for the first time with Rumbatá Big Band.
And I immediately felt, this is it!
This is the audience I want to play for.
They breathe this music.
And this is where I'm surrounded by people who share my love for latin music.
And I thought, I could live here.
Colombia is beautiful.
The people are very friendly.
And Colombian diversity is breathtaking.
Diversity in nature, in races, in music.
There's salsa, cumbia, porro, currulao, gaita, bambuco,
it's on every street corner.
So I'd like to play traditional Colombian song for you.
But I need to you clap your hands. Please, help me out.
(Giving rythmic pattern) Pa-tz, pa-tz, pa-tz, pa-tz…
(Clapping)
That's it. Please, continue.
(Music)
(Applause)
Thank you.
My first album was received very well in Colombia.
And when I fell in love with a Colombian man, my mind was made up.
I will move to Colombia, leaving my Dutch life, friends and family behind.
[Maite (Spanish) «Mona came»]
Six years have passed since then, six very challenging years
and of course I miss my friends and family.
I miss drinking lots of tea with them
together with my favorite piece of cake, the so-called "rastervlaai".
I miss riding my bike, cruising through the city on a daily basis.
And I even miss the crispy cold January mornings, sometimes.
But the reasons why I'm still living in Colombia are numerous.
I feel embraced.
Instead of saying "a Dutch girl playing salsa, that can't be right!",
Colombian people are actually very open to my music.
My music is their music.
I get to meet my musical heroes personally.
They practically live around the corner.
And I've had the privilege to share the stage to play with salsa greats,
such as Rubén Blades, Oscar D'León and Issac Delgado.
Accidentally, I've became sort of a role model for women and for men.
It's not common for women in Latin America to be a professional musician.
Let alone a musician who plays the trumpet as well as directs a salsa band.
So what happened?
Well, this is what happened.
I'm a fortunate Dutch girl in Colombia,
living my personal dream, planning my musical future.
I've now recorded four albums and I'm playing around the world
with my band and as soloist.
But I'm planning to go more intimate with my music.
I want to play more "Son Cubano" with the smaller format
to go back to the Cuban roots of salsa.
This music is so pure, it's so intimate, it's so up close and personal
and above all it's so happy.
And I think we can all use some extra happiness these days.
(Music)
(Applause)
Thank you very much.
Thank you.