Cuicani traverses the Andean regions diverse regional styles, weaving in songs along the way.  Traditional musical styles such as sikureadas and kantus can be heard along with mestizo marineras, bailecitos, chacareras, huaynos, and takiraris from Peru, northern Argentina, and Bolivia.

Cuicani’s unique instrumentation combines traditional Andean instruments, such as the siku (pan flute), the quena (Andean flute), and the bombo (drum), with stringed instruments of European origin and European or Native American manufacture, such as the violin, the mandolin, the guitar, and the charango.  The sensitivity and artistry of this trio results in both a sweet and a powerful sonority that mirrors the rich spirit of the music of some of the many cultures of the Andean regions of South America.

The members of Cuicani are deeply committed to their Latin American heritage and to promoting an awareness of Latin American peoples and cultures through their music and presentations.  The trio has been performing throughout Wisconsin since 1987.  Cuicani’s repertoire brings you an example of the breath of the Andean repertoires.  Cuicani combines the talents of three musicians who play a variety of instruments:

Raquel G. Paraíso (from Spain): trained as a classical musician, Raquel plays siku, mandolin, violin, and percussion.

Enrique Rueda (from Colombia) is both a talented musician and a sound sculpture artist.  He plays quena, quenacho, and percussion.

Francisco López (from Mexico), the founding member of the group, plays guitar, charango, and siku.