The members of the San Lucas Band lived in the mountain village of San Lucas TolimaIün, Guatemala, playing local events of both religious and social nature. Their unique sound derived from an unusual combination of instruments, a repertoire including pieces dating from more than fifty years before the recordings were made to more recent ones, and above all from the highland Maya style of their playing, which is characterized by a preference for freer rhythmic structures and a wider variety of pitches than Western scales allow. One of Jon Hassell and Charlie Haden"s favorite records, it was nominated for a Grammy Award upon first release and has remained much beloved by a small community of enthusiasts for decades.

[info sheet from distr.]