Sounds of Latin America
Araya
Araya is a contemporary Latin American folkloric ensemble featuring Bianca Catalán (classical voice), Keric Alvarez Zapata (Venezuelan cuatro), Zoe Lee (cello), and Sarah Jaegers (clarinet). Their repertoire spans the early 1800s—late 1950s, from Brazilian Bossas to Mexican Sons, transporting audiences to the music’s beautiful and tragically depicted scenes. Formed in the San Francisco Bay Area, they have performed throughout the United States and Europe, including at the International Clarinet Association’s 2024 ClarinetFest® in Dublin, Ireland. Their new arrangements were created by composer and conductor Manuel Hurtado Dueñez and directed by Keric Alvarez Zapata.
Full Album Credits and Liner Notes
Social Media Links:
Contact:
Music Arrangements by Manuel Hurtado Dueñez (all tracks)
Recorded at 25th Street Recording, Oakland CA, November 2022 & August 2025 Recording Engineer: Karishma Kumar
Mixed and Mastered by Danilo Álvarez (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6), Karishma Kuma (tracks 2, 4, 7, 8, 9) Produced by Bianca Catalán & Keric Alvarez Zapata
Artwork Cover: Bianca Catalán
Track List
1. La Bikina (Mexican Waltz Ranchero)
Ruben Fuentes
2. Media Luna Andina (Venezuelan Waltz)
L & M: César Prato
3. Manhã de Carnaval (Brazilian Bossa)
Luiz Bonfá
4. Amarraditos (Peruvian Waltz)
Margarita Durán & Pedro Belisario Pérez
5. Tonada de Luna Llena
(Venezuelan Tonada)
Simón Díaz
6. Barcelonesa (Venezuelan Waltz)
Enrique Hidalgo
7. Alfonsina y el Mar (Argentinian Zamba)
A. Ramírez & F. Luna
8. Amor Mío (Mexican Bolero)
L. & M.: Álvaro Carrillo
9. Como Llora Una Estrella
(Venezuelan Tonada)
Antonio Carrillo
Artist Bios
Bianca Catalán, Araya's vocalist and artistic director, draws on her classical vocal training with the Ina Chalis Ensemble. Her work centers on bridging heritage, storytelling, and regional musical traditions through modern arrangements shaped by her distinctive vocal approach. She has performed throughout the Bay Area and Europe and currently resides in Cork, Ireland, where she is completing an M
Keric Alvarez Zapata is a Venezuelan multi-instrumentalist specializing in the Venezuelan cuatro, originally trained in Caracas where he studied both cuatro and double bass. He expanded his musical practice in San Francisco through the study of the sitar, cultivating a distinctive cross-cultural approach to sound. Now based in Brooklyn, New York, he is an active performer and recording artist who
Zoe Lee is a versatile Taiwanese cellist who has appeared at international festivals. A graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she is passionate about creative audience engagement and has produced innovative projects such as Trio-20, a hybrid livestream concert, and A Piece A Meal, a chamber music and fine-dining collaboration. Active in the Bay Area music scene, she regularly record
Dr. Sarah Jaegers is an Albuquerque-based clarinetist praised for her “rich and warm interpretations” and regularly performs with local symphonies. She is an interim instructor of applied clarinet at the University of New Mexico and has commissioned several works, presented at major festivals such as ClarinetFest®, and toured throughout Europe. She holds a DMA from The Ohio State University, an MM
