TRANSFORMATIVE STORYTELLING AND HEALING WITH MUSIC:

A conversation with jazz singer Magos Herrera’s on her latest album Aire

By Henry Valdez

It’s often during the darkest of times that society needs artists the most. The pandemic felt dark as we quarantined anxiously, watching news coverage of public health orders with a rollercoaster of emotions like fear, grief, and loneliness. Mexican singer and composer Magos Herrera saw something different. She saw the light through those dark feelings.

“I think about what we all experienced the last two and a half years, all the vulnerability, the fragility, the impermanence, the uncertainty, [that] triggered in my personal experience the opposite,” says Magos. “These beautiful qualities of humanity help us navigate these hard times, such as resilience and creativity. The need to connect with others.”

Magos Herrera’s latest album, Aire, undergoes a breathtaking metamorphosis, turning the sorrow, anxieties, and isolation caused by a devastating pandemic into a radiant anthology of beautiful songs that serve as a tribute to our shared humanity through the power of uplifting music. Mago presents twelve captivating songs showcasing her latest creations, specially commissioned by Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works initiative. The album features original pieces, along with jewels from the Great Latin American Songbook, such as “Alfonsina y el Mar” and “Gracias a la Vida.”

“Sonically, I’ve been navigating with different lineups and sounds. Coming from performing in mostly jazz settings with very strong jazz musicians, my journey of artistic identity brought me to the string sound, very much because of the sound of my voice. So when I started recording with Brooklyn Rider, I understood that even better. My voice works with strings and so in this album, working with The Knights ensemble, I really wanted to bring the two sounds together with the idea in a grand setting.”

In Aire, Magos showcases her musical talent as an immigrant musician living in New York, skillfully blending Spanish, Portuguese, and English melodies and as a jazz singer, sometimes singing with no words at all. The album is a cinematic journey with Mago’s euphonious and powerful voice guiding you through the rhythmic dance of her jazz trio augmented by a 21-piece orchestra. You may not understand every song lyric but you’ll feel the story she’s telling.

“When you tell a story, you give the audience the possibility to connect with the emotional part of it. Even if you don’t speak Spanish or Portuguese, or if you don’t listen to jazz, you’re listening to a story.”

In the darkest of times, when uncertainty and vulnerability reign, artists like Magos Herrera remind us of the transformative power of music. They illuminate the beauty we all share in the human spirit and the resilience that allows us to persevere. Aire stands as a testament to the indomitable nature of the human soul and the capacity of music to heal, uplift, and unite us in our collective journey through life.

For more information about Magos Herrera and to listen to the album, visit magosherrera.com

Scan the QR code to watch her latest video Healer.