Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo at the Williams Center

Betsayda Machado is hailed a model of Afro-Venezuelan soul for her dedication to a rich heritage of nearly obsolete musical traditions. The multi-generational band of her hometown, El Clavo, on the Caribbean coastline, are virtuosic musicians who have played together for nearly three decades, yet their music has rarely been performed—much less recorded—outside the region. Passion and power unite in complex percussive tempos and tight harmonies, anchored by Machado’s clear and thunderous voice, a thrilling embodiment of centuries of African tradition and musical influence in Venezuela.