Are You A Chicago Urbanite?

From Peru to Chicago
Chicago Urbanite is the name of a new blog featuring the best our city has to offer in the worlds of music and dance. Chicago Urbanite is the brainchild of Claudia Urbano, a native of Peru who has adopted Chicago as her home. Her mission is to share and promote the city’s rich cultural diversity.

Chicago Urbanite founder, Claudia Urbano

Art and Culture Can Unite Us
Claudia believes that music and dance have the power to bring people together. If we have an appreciation of a country’s artistic heritage, past and present, Claudia hypothesizes that this can help us break down the barriers that divide us. Claudia, who has a BA in Communications and has worked in the hospitality/travel industry, is a backup singer for Nu Bambu, a dancer, and event planner. She is currently finishing up a course in social media and will receive her CeMA certification shortly.


A Global World View
The audience for Chicago Urbanite is one that is “culturally diverse, cosmopolitan” and global in their view of the world. Claudia hopes to “awaken” urban city dwellers’ curiosity, inspiring them to explore all the city has to offer. Apart from informing folks living in Chicago about what is happening culturally, Claudia wants to encourage and entice those outside the city to pay us a visit.

“Musica Criolla”
Claudia’s latest event is an “Intimate Evening with Jorge Pardo” on April 24, 2011 at Rios D'Sudamerica restaurant, 2010 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago. Doors open at 7 p.m. Recommended donation is $15 per admission.

Pardo is a Grammy-Award nominated singer from Peru. In his latest CD he explores the traditional Peruvian music style known as "musica criolla” or creole music. “This style is not well known by international audiences,” says Claudia.  “My intention is to expose Chicagoans to a different style of Peruvian music and [have them] get to know about the African and Spanish influence in our culture,” she says. According to Claudia, people typically associate Peruvian music with Andean panflutes and pre-Hispanic rhythms. The African and Spanish influences in musica criolla are reflected in the instruments. The guitar from the Spanish and the Peruvian cajón, a box-shaped percussion instrument created by African slaves.

For more information on the music and dance scene in Chicago and to get tickets to the Jorge Pardo event, check out the Chicago Urbanite blog.