Tiyé Giraud and Juan Mendolas

Women & Their Work presented percussionist and vocalist Tiyé Giraud and Juan Mendolas in a mesmerizing performance which combined African and Latin American music at UT’s McCullough Theater on Friday April 29 & Saturday April 30 at 8:00 p.m.

Tiyé Giraud is a founding member of LadyGourd Sangoma, a former member of Women of the Calabash, and served as Musical Director for Urban Bush Women. She has performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and her work has been featured in two films on PBS’ “Alive From Off Center.” Giraud has performed on various instruments, including the songba, bamboo stamping tupe, shekere, brimbao, and the pandiero. Her music is an eclectic mixture of Southern blues and field hollers to Ethiopian love songs and contemporary popular music.

Juan Mendolas is a Bolivian musician who provides traditional contrapuntal melodies. Mendolas, who has performed at Lincoln Center and the Mar del Jazz Festival in Mar del Plata, Argentina, studied in the School of Music at the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. Mendolas collaborated with Giraud for performances and workshops for over two years.