Caliche have been one of the leading groups promoting the music and culture of South America in Britain for the last 18 years. Caliche play instruments such as panpipes, flutes, charangos and mandolins which evoke the magic of the Altiplano scenery, cradle to the Inca civilisation. The wind instruments of the native South Americans, the strings of the Spaniards and the rhythms of the coastal black communities have combined to produce one of the world's richest folk traditions. Caliche's music expresses the joys and the sufferings of the campesinos of the Andes and the shanty-towns dwellers of the great Latin American cities. Caliche do more than perform their vibrant music. Audiences are invited to familiarise themselves with an impressive collection of Andean instruments, the origins of which are explained during performances.

Caliche started working in the field of education in 1989 and over the years the group have established a reputation as the main ensemble bringing the music of Latin and South America to primary and secondary schools through workshops and performing projects that feature the rich array of Latin American rhythms as well as the haunting sounds of instruments of the Andes and of the Amazon rainforest.

Most of the educational work takes place in the Midlands as the group is based in Birmingham. Nevertheless Caliche have had regular involvement in projects elsewhere, as in the case of the 'Primary Live' Project in Cheshire, in partnership with Cheshire Music Service. The group have also collaborated with the leading early music choir 'Ex-Cathedra' and with Birmingham Music Service in world music projects and folk festivals in both primary and secondary schools. Other areas regularly visited have been the Lake District , Cornwall and the Channel Islands.

The early years of educational work saw Caliche involved in successful music in education projects with the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Ikon Gallery. The latter merited a prominent review in The Times, as the project involved music-making and painting for children aged between five and thirteen at the Children's Hospital in Birmingham.

Caliche has produced five albums. The CD 'Music of the Andes' was well reviewed by Folk Roots and CD Review magazines. The CD 'Misa Criolla' (no longer available) was the result of a series of performances of this work with the University of Warwick Chamber Choir.

At the end of 1996 the group was featured in a major compilation album released in the USA, called 'Andean Legacy', in which Narada Records sought to highlight the best of Andean music in the last 20 years. Amongst others, the album contained music by groups such as Inti-Illimani, Rumillajta and Savia Andina. In 1999 Caliche released the CD single 'Rainforest Dreams', based on the musical imagery of the Amazon. In 2001 a second edition of 'Winds from the South' was produced, originally recorded in 1987. A brand new recording of the first album 'Deep from the Earth' is in preparation.

The latest recording, ‘Sacred Mountains’ was released in May 2003.

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