by Kara Hildreth
Thisweek Newspapers

Sounds of Latin American folk music blended with Andean mountain songs echoed into the downtown Farmington business corridor last Saturday evening.

Families sat close on blankets and lawn chairs and clapped to the upbeat tunes and listened quietly to the softer harmonies, sounds of the band Alma Andina that gave an outdoor concert on July 21 in the McVicker lot on Third Street in downtown Farmington.

Juan and Martha Mena, the owners of Servicios Latinos Mena's, a Mexican grocery market and Bolivian goods shop, helped set up the band concert. The concert was part of the new monthly free entertainment hosted by the Downtown Farmington Business Association.

Servicios Latinos Mena's opened in downtown Farmington more than a year ago and is located on Third Street in the old Farmington State Bank building next door to the Farmington Barber and Beauty.

The Menas and their three children moved from Bolivia last year and relocated their family business to Farmington from Northfield. The grocery store specializes in offering authentic Mexican spices, many cooking ingredients, homemade tortillas, ‘fresco queso' or white Mexican cheese, and spicy sausage called chorizo.

The other side of the family business houses a Bolivian goods store called the Incan Galleria, which sells handmade, imported goods crafted by artisans in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and areas north of Chili.

Peter Herlofsky, Farmington city administrator, said he and his wife enjoyed the outdoor concert by Alma Andina, as they brought lawn chairs to sit and listen to the group.
"It was very nice, kind of small-town entertainment," Herlofsky said. "You could sit and enjoy the music and talk to each other and not get interrupted by the sound of the band."

Herlofsky said the McVicker lot green space provided a nice visual backdrop for the band, and the space between the two buildings offers a good auditory space for music to circulate into the downtown Farmington business district.

Mena said she and her husband both enjoyed hearing the familiar sounds of the band and were glad to bring some of the Latin American culture and music into the Farmington community.

As downtown business owners, the Menas are members of the Farmington Downtown Business Association and were asked to help locate some entertainment.

After making contacts and networking with contacts around the state from Latin America, the Bolivian Consulate and Ecuador, the Menas decided to contact the family band from Chile.

"We liked their sound and listened to their CD," Martha Mena said. "We were so happy they agreed to come and play their beautiful music."

Juan welcomed and greeted many local residents who came to listen to the music on the clear, cool Saturday evening.

Alma Andina was busy playing that same Saturday afternoon at a Minneapolis Park as the group helped with a celebration to honor Columbian independence.

"We liked to hear the music from Peru, Bolivia and from Chile," Martha said. "The sounds are all very similar, and the instruments are the same as in our country of Bolivia."

Alma Andina is made up of family band members who originate from Chile and now make a home in Eagan. The family came to the United States from the northern part of Areca, Chile.

"Alma" means "soul" in Spanish, and "Andina" is for the Andes Mountains. The band name describes the soulful sounds of songs that come from Latin America in the countries of Peru, Bolivia and Chile, according to band member Vladimir Jarrido.

Jarrido, 20, plays two different wind instruments called "quena" and "zampona" in the band. His mother Nia Biageggi sings and plays a Latin American style drum called a "bombo." Jarrido's uncle is Wilson Araya, who also sings and plays the classic guitar along with his son Italo Araya, 14, who plays the "charango," a small oval-shaped guitar.

The family musical team has been performing as a musical group for more than 20 years, Vladimir Jarrido said.

"We play music that is originated in all the cultures in Latin America," Jarrido said.

"I just love music and love to play music with my family. I don't care what kind of instruments. It is special because it is with my family," Jarrido said.

The band is putting together a Website.

Alma Andina performs for church and community groups and entertains for community celebrations. The band also gives special musical performances for schools and youth groups.

"For schools, we can come in and sing and dance and explain our culture," Vladimir said. "We will even ask the kids to dance and sing with us."

Nick Schultz, local business owner and chair of the Farmington Downtown Business Association, said he would have liked a larger turnout, but he was impressed with the group and the concert sounds that bounced off the walls of the McVicker lot that is located between the Farmington Steakhouse and Gossips Bar and Restaurant.

When the new city hall opens as scheduled by late summer 2008, Herlofsky said the city would like to see a downtown park or a veterans park created where the current city hall building sits on Oak Street.

"We are hoping that, if we have more green space, it will spur some additional development," Herlofsky said.

Besides offering evening entertainment on the third Saturday of each month this summer and fall, the Downtown Business Association is also working on putting together a downtown car show set for Sept. 15 in the historic downtown.

The business association is looking for future entertainment ideas or musical groups. To share ideas, contact Schultz at (612) 282-2326.

Kara Hildreth can be contacted at farmington@ecm-inc.com.