Neftalí Rivera (Aloha) performs traditional Puerto Rican music with his trio, Borikuas. A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Rivera specializes in the danzas, and aguinaldos of his hometown as well as the Afro-Caribbean bombas and plenas. Borikuas plays regularly in the Portland area and features Ramon Cancel on cuatro and percussionist Victor Pizarro.
Bio
Music has been an essential part of Neftalí Rivera’s life since he was a boy. Born in rural Morovis, Puerto Rico, Rivera began playing at the age of eight when his father bought Rivera a guitar and taught him a few chords and songs. Soon, he began to play with his father’s 14 siblings; by the age of 17, he began working in Puerto Rico as a professional musician. In the early 1990s, Rivera moved to Oregon with his wife and three children; he became established in the Portland music scene and connected with the Oregon Folklife Program. Now retired from his full-time job in the paint industry, Rivera plays frequently with his trio, Borikuas, in Portland at restaurants, weddings, and other events. In addition to Rivera’s guitar and voice, Borikuas features cuatro (a small violin-shaped guitar) player Ramon Cancel and percussionist Victor Pizarro. A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Rivera specializes in the danzas and aguinaldos of rural Morovis. Danza is an instrumental genre of music played for ballroom dance. Somewhat similar to the waltz, danzas can be either romantic or festive. Aguinaldos are Christmas folk songs that parranderos (Christmas carolers) perform on Christmas and throughout the holiday season. Rivera also plays the uniquely Puerto Rican styles of bomba and plena rhythms. Bomba is a mix of African, Spanish, and Caribbean traditions that focuses on the relationship between the dancer, the drummer, and the singer. Plena is a folkloric, percussive chant meant for dancing; its lyrics often reflect the details of everyday life.
