Hi dear friends, I'm Mon Laferte. We're here at Amoeba, and this is What's in My Bag.
What a thrill!
This music I listen to a lot, but in digital. But I've never owned it physically, on vinyl,
and I collect a lot of vinyl, so...
Let’s see…I don’t know. Where do I start? What do I show you first?
Celia and Johnny.
I love Celia Cruz. I don't have any Celia on vinyl.
Lately I've been listening to her a lot, and I've been listening to her earlier work,
because I knew of Celia in her later life.
When I met her, you would see her at a Carnival.
And I, from a very ignorant place,
had missed a whole early period of her music, which was also the richest musically.
And I love Celia's look at that stage. It's the best.
It's a duet, and it has some pure classic hits.
'Quimbara,' 'Toro Mata,' 'Vieja Luna,' 'El Paso Del Mulo.'
And every time I shop for music, I always buy something in Spanish,
And it's on the Fania label.
I have almost everything on Fania. I'm a superfan. But I was missing this one.
Grand Celia. I love her.
I’m listening to this a lot right now.
I think it's one of the most beautiful voices that there is.
I chose this one because it has one of my favorite songs, which is his most popular,
'I Fall in Love Too Easily.'
And well, there are many more hits on this record.
And, this is like studying him at the interpretive level, the style of singing.
I am, personally, in search of taking my voice to the most
minimalist...elegant and honest, and with the most sensitivity possible .
And, so, I believe that he gathers all those characteristics, virtues, and more.
I think you can put on Chet Baker at any time.
You can hear him at home, quiet, drinking some wine,
or…I don’t know, during a reunion.
He has a voice that makes me feel like he embraces you. I love it.
Here I have Astrud Gilberto.
I'm also in love with her voice.
My favorite is 'How Insensitive.' It's so pretty.
Her voice is super elegant.
And you can put it on in any occasion.
Well, it also happens with Chet Baker, but I believe that the music from Brazil has that...
It’s delicate, it’s elegant, it has an interesting harmony,
and at times happy, but not the type of happiness that’s, uh…coarse, rough.
It puts you in a very lovely state, very fine, I don't know.
I love Brazilian music, and Astrud's voice is my favorite. I love it.
Chico Buarque. Speaking of Brazilian music.
I was looking for this on vinyl, but there weren't any. It's been very hard to find.
There's hardly any Chico Buarque on vinyl.
I didn't discover him that long ago, to tell you the truth.
Some Chilean friends introduced me to his music,
and I said, "Where I was living that I had not..."
I had heard it, but I hadn't paid attention. I wasn't connected with Chico Buarque.
I think his lyrics are the most beautiful. His way of singing, too.
How he interacts with each note, with each word.
He is kind while singing, he has this honesty.
I believe that is what I look for in music, in artists…
that regardless of the style of music,
I love the richness, that honesty.
Lately I’ve been in the mood for painting, and finding that space in those moments of tranquility,
and Chico Buarque has accompanied me a lot in my evening painting.
And when I want inspiration I put him on, and his music takes you on a journey.
The truth is, I love it. I love him.
And lastly,
And it’s because I had to choose.
If not, I would have taken a box of records. Like the last time I came, I took a box.
Sun Ra. I love it.
In addition to his music, and his projects, because this is with his “Arkestra,”
I also understand that he wrote poetry. He was someone very interesting.
I really like this type of artist as well, who's a musician but is also more than the music.
That there's a search for art because they're workers who are here for music, for art, and they know it.
Well, I think that everyone I chose is a little like this, in this area.
So, that's good. It's also one of my favorites.
And with that, this is what I’m taking today.
I would like to take so many more things. It’s so difficult.
I thought about taking more music in Spanish, or CDs because I like the mixes.
But, these days this is just what I’ve been listening to, this stuff.
So, I wanted to share, like, the actual soundtrack of my days. It’s what I'm listening to.