Santa Sabina (band)
Encyclopedia
Santa Sabina is a Mexican rock
band originally from Mexico City
. The group was formed in 1989 by singer Rita Guerrero, bassist Alfonso "Poncho" Figueroa, guitarist Pablo Valero and keyboardist Jacobo Lieberman. Juan Sebastian Lach
was keyboardist for a while. The name of the group honors the memory of Maria Sabina
, the Mazatec shaman who lived in the southern state
of Oaxaca
.
Santa Sabina are distinguished by their gothic rock
and darkwave
atmospheres, lyrics and stage presence. Their music, however, is perhaps best described as a variant of progressive rock
which borrows heavily from jazz
.
in Mexico City
to pursue a career in theatre
. There, she met Poncho Figueroa, Pablo Valero and Jacobo Lieberman, who at that time were members of a jazz group called "the Psicotrópicos". "The Psicotrópicos" agreed to provide music for a play written for Guerrero's theatre class based on Franz Kafka
's "Amérika". As they worked together, they realized they had a strong artistic affinity. After the dissolution of the "Psicotrópicos", they decided to form a new rock
band that reflected their artistic vision. Although the group's lineup has changed through the years (as in the case of Pablo Valero and Jacobo Lieberman), the sound of the group, has evolved but remains faithful to its initial course.
Juan Sebastian Lach was the group's keyboard player on all its albums up through "Mar Adentro En La Sangre." Rather than replace him, the group instead invited cellist Leonel Perez and saxophone player Rodrigo Garibay to join. For its 15th Anniversary tour, Aldo Max replaced Garibay on saxophone. Guitarist Alex Otaola replaced Pablo Valero prior to the "Concierto Acustico" album. Drummer Patricio Iglesias left the band prior to "Mar Adentro En La Sangre." Julio Diaz was the group's drummer after Iglesias.
Their first albums, Santa Sabina (1992 produced by Adrian Belew
), Símbolos (1994) and Babel (1996) were released through the now-defunct Mexican record label Culebra Records, a local branch of BMG Ariola. Their following albums, Mar adentro en la sangre (2001) and Espiral (2003), were independent productions. In 1997, they also recorded an album of their "unplugged" performance for MTV Latinoamerica called Santa Sabina Unplugged. In early 2006, the group released a double live album "XV Aniversario" which also included a DVD. After that, the group went on indefinite hiatus.
Many members of the group have remained active in music.
Rita Guerrero and Leonel Perez perform as part of Ensamble Galileo. This acoustic chamber group specializes in Renaissance-era music.
Poncho Figueroa organized and produced a tribute album to Mexican rock music pioneer Rodrigo "Rockdrigo" Gonzalez. He has also been performing in a trio called Los Jaiguey
who released their first album on November 2009. (Highway).
Alex Otaola performed with La Barranca from 1998–2007 and has also been active as a guest guitarist on numerous projects. His solo album "Fractales" was released in September 2007.
Patricio Iglesias was absent from the music scene for almost 8 years due to various health problems. The band participated in a benefit concert on his behalf in 2005. However, he apparently made a full recovery, and in 2006 he appeared on the Cafe Tacuba triple live album and DVD, and he also played on Otaola's "Fractales" album.
Julio Diaz performed with Jorge "Ziggy" Fratta and others as well as performing concerts with his own group.
Juan Sebastian Lach moved to Europe and studied for a doctorate in cognitive musicology. He continued to write music, often with microtonal applications that involved either chamber groups or players and computers.
, which was diagnosed in January, 2010. She had undergone chemotherapy
, and as it was unsuccessful tried various treatments of allopathic medicine
. She was 47 at the time of her death.
Mexican rock
Mexican rock music, often referred to in Mexico as rock nacional , originated in the 1950s with covers of standards by Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and The Everly Brothers, among others, bands such as Los Rebeldes del Rock, Los Locos del Ritmo, Los Crazy Boys, Los Nómadas, and Javier Bátiz soon arose...
band originally from Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. The group was formed in 1989 by singer Rita Guerrero, bassist Alfonso "Poncho" Figueroa, guitarist Pablo Valero and keyboardist Jacobo Lieberman. Juan Sebastian Lach
Juan Sebastian Lach
Juan Sebastian Lach is a Mexican composer of classical, microtonal and electroacoustic works.He has played keyboards and piano in jazz and rock bands in Mexico. He is perhaps best known as one of the members of the progressive Guadalajara-based band Santa Sabina...
was keyboardist for a while. The name of the group honors the memory of Maria Sabina
Maria Sabina
María Sabina was a Mazatec curandera who lived her entire life in a modest dwelling in the Sierra Mazateca of southern Mexico...
, the Mazatec shaman who lived in the southern state
States of Mexico
The United Mexican States is a federal republic formed by 32 federal entities .According to the Constitution of 1917, the states of the federation are free and sovereign. Each state has their own congress and constitution, while the Federal District has only limited autonomy with a local Congress...
of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
.
Santa Sabina are distinguished by their gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
and darkwave
Darkwave
Dark Wave or darkwave is a music genre that began in the late 1970s, coinciding with the popularity of New Wave and post-punk. Building on those basic principles, dark wave added dark, introspective lyrics and an undertone of sorrow for some bands...
atmospheres, lyrics and stage presence. Their music, however, is perhaps best described as a variant of progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
which borrows heavily from jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
.
History
At the end of the 1980s, Guerrero left her hometown of Guadalajara to attend the National Autonomous University of MexicoNational Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to pursue a career in theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
. There, she met Poncho Figueroa, Pablo Valero and Jacobo Lieberman, who at that time were members of a jazz group called "the Psicotrópicos". "The Psicotrópicos" agreed to provide music for a play written for Guerrero's theatre class based on Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
's "Amérika". As they worked together, they realized they had a strong artistic affinity. After the dissolution of the "Psicotrópicos", they decided to form a new rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band that reflected their artistic vision. Although the group's lineup has changed through the years (as in the case of Pablo Valero and Jacobo Lieberman), the sound of the group, has evolved but remains faithful to its initial course.
Juan Sebastian Lach was the group's keyboard player on all its albums up through "Mar Adentro En La Sangre." Rather than replace him, the group instead invited cellist Leonel Perez and saxophone player Rodrigo Garibay to join. For its 15th Anniversary tour, Aldo Max replaced Garibay on saxophone. Guitarist Alex Otaola replaced Pablo Valero prior to the "Concierto Acustico" album. Drummer Patricio Iglesias left the band prior to "Mar Adentro En La Sangre." Julio Diaz was the group's drummer after Iglesias.
Studio albums
- Santa Sabina (1992)
- Símbolos (1994)
- Babel (1995)
- Mar Adentro en la Sangre (2000)
- Espiral (2003)
Live albums
- Concierto Acústico (1994)
- MTV Unplugged (1997)
- XV Aniversario En Vivo (2005)
Their first albums, Santa Sabina (1992 produced by Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
), Símbolos (1994) and Babel (1996) were released through the now-defunct Mexican record label Culebra Records, a local branch of BMG Ariola. Their following albums, Mar adentro en la sangre (2001) and Espiral (2003), were independent productions. In 1997, they also recorded an album of their "unplugged" performance for MTV Latinoamerica called Santa Sabina Unplugged. In early 2006, the group released a double live album "XV Aniversario" which also included a DVD. After that, the group went on indefinite hiatus.
Many members of the group have remained active in music.
Rita Guerrero and Leonel Perez perform as part of Ensamble Galileo. This acoustic chamber group specializes in Renaissance-era music.
Poncho Figueroa organized and produced a tribute album to Mexican rock music pioneer Rodrigo "Rockdrigo" Gonzalez. He has also been performing in a trio called Los Jaiguey
Los jaigüey
Los Jaigüey is a band formed by Poncho Figueroa along with brothers Gustavo Jacob and Ricardo Jacob who together form a musical outcome...
who released their first album on November 2009. (Highway).
Alex Otaola performed with La Barranca from 1998–2007 and has also been active as a guest guitarist on numerous projects. His solo album "Fractales" was released in September 2007.
Patricio Iglesias was absent from the music scene for almost 8 years due to various health problems. The band participated in a benefit concert on his behalf in 2005. However, he apparently made a full recovery, and in 2006 he appeared on the Cafe Tacuba triple live album and DVD, and he also played on Otaola's "Fractales" album.
Julio Diaz performed with Jorge "Ziggy" Fratta and others as well as performing concerts with his own group.
Juan Sebastian Lach moved to Europe and studied for a doctorate in cognitive musicology. He continued to write music, often with microtonal applications that involved either chamber groups or players and computers.
Death of Rita Guerrero
Rita Guerrero, lead singer of the band, died on March 11, 2011, due to breast cancerBreast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
, which was diagnosed in January, 2010. She had undergone chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
, and as it was unsuccessful tried various treatments of allopathic medicine
Allopathic medicine
Allopathic medicine refers to the practice of conventional medicine that uses pharmacologically active agents or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms or pathophysiologic processes of diseases or conditions. It was coined by Samuel Hahnemann , a homeopath, in 1810...
. She was 47 at the time of her death.