ArtistInfo

Inti Illimani

Band, 1967-2004 US
World, Latin and Folk
A.k.a. Inti-Illimani

Inti-Illimani (Inti-E-gee-manee), from the Aymara dialect, means "Sun of the Illimani," in reference to a mountain at La Paz, Bolivia. Latin American folk music ensemble from Bolivia & Chile. The band was formed in 1967 by a group of university students: Pedro Yañez (musical director), Jorge Coulon, Max Berrú, Horacio Durán, Oscar Guzmán, Luis Cifuentes and Ciro Retamal. That same year Luis Cifuentes was replaced by Luis Espinoza, and Ciro Retamal and Oscar Guzmán quit the band, joining them Horacio “Loro” Salinas. Pedro Yáñez also left the band in 1968. They acquired widespread popularity in Chile for their song "Venceremos" (We shall win!) which became the anthem of the Popular Unity government of Salvador Allende. At the moment of September 11, 1973's Chilean coup they were on tour in Europe and were unable to return to their country where their music was proscribed by the ruling military junta. In Europe their music took on a multifarious character, incorporating elements of European baroque and other traditional music forms to their rich and colourful Latin American rhythms - creating a distinctive fusion of modern world music. They are perhaps the best internationally known members of the nueva canción movement. Owing to personal problems, in 2001 they split in two bands (as Quilapayún): Inti-Illimani "Histórico" (directed by Horacio Salinas, with H. Salinas, J. Seves, H. Durán, Jorge Ball, Fernando Julio, Danilo Donoso and Camilo Salinas) and Inti-Illimani "Nuevo" (Jorge and Marcelo Coulón, Manuel Meriño, Daniel Cantillana, Efrén Viera and César Jara)

Members

	Horacio Salinas g, perc *1951 US
	Renato Freyggang fl
	Horacio Durán g, fl
	José Seves g, fl *1948
	Jorge Ball fl, voc
	Jorge Coulón g, fl *1947
	Max Berrú perc, g *1942
	Marcelo Coulón voc, fl *1950
	José Miguel Camus Vargas perc, fl CL
	Danilo Donoso voc, perc
	Pedro Yáñez g *1946
	Ernesto Pérez De Arce perc, voc
	Pedro Villagra fl US
	Efrén Viera perc, cl *1971 CU