Victor
Saldivia, was born in Valdivia, Chile, and Juan San Martin was born in
Santiago. Victor, viewed here, back row, middle, and Juan, far right, back
row, are the co-founders of Grupo Taller. Formed in Toronto, Ontario, in
1978, this band’s music is Latin American in origin offering a variety
of fused rhythms from the Afro-Cuban tradition and native sounds from the
Andes. Taller uses a variety of instruments, including guitar, Colombian
tiple, and Venezuelan cuatro, incorporating a wide variety of the folklore
roots of South America. The band participates in a wide cross-section of
internationally sponsored cultural events, especially within the Latin
American communities of both Canada and the United States, all in an effort
to maintain their cultural heritage and introduce it within the Canadian
context. [Photo, courtesy Rodrigo Moreno]