The inflatable flowers scattered across Anderson Park on the campus of the Aspen Ideas Festival were part of a zero waste initiative. Created by the Australian artist Cj Hendry, Bloom is a cross-section of Hendry’s ongoing exploration of botanicals and inflatables. Whimsical and naturally beautiful, this landscape is the perfect complement to the brilliant Afro-Cuban singer Daymé Arocena. A dynamic performer con carisma y fuerza, her ebullient personality and performance shines brightly even under the hot Aspen sun.
Embellished by vocalists Ayme Canto and Hilaria Cacao, who takes a tenacious trombone solo in the first tune, their ensemble is exquisite despite. Arocena then performs three powerful solo arrangements, including two passionate blues compositions: “Mean,” written when she was just 15 years old, followed by “Coda” written earlier this year.
SET LIST
- “American Boy”
- “Amor de Invierno”
- “Mean”
- “Coda”
MUSICIANS
- Daymé Arocena: vocals, keys
- Ayme Canto: background vocals
- Hilaria Cacao: trombone, background vocals
PRODUCTION TEAM
- Director: Mito Habe-Evans
- Editors: Annabel Edwards, Michael Zamora
- Videographers: Mito Habe-Evans, Nickolai Hammar, Ryan Lohr, Will Sardinsky
- Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
- Post-Production Coordinator: Tsering Bista
- Senior Producer, Aspen Institute: Ava Hartmann
- Program Associate, Aspen Institute: Jacqueline Olivas-Sison
- Festival Director: Graham Veysey
- Supervising Editor: Becky Lettenberger
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
SPECIAL THANKS
- Jaidyn Hurst
- Ben James
- Sylvie Labalme
- Samuel Lasater
- Matt Windholz
- Keith Jenkins