Abstract
Betsayda Machado, raised in the small village of El Clavo in the region of Barlovento, is the voice of Venezuela. Her recent recordings with lifelong firends Parrande El Clavo brought new attention to the genre as tambor, a percussion and voice fiesta said to make dancers float. The New York Times music critic Jon Pareles describes Machado as "vital, accomplished, local, unplugged, deeply rooted."