An Inca Princess Dies

I grew up in the land of thrift store paradise. Thrift stores in South Florida are as common as palm trees. I remember devoting many hours digging through dense pilings of tattered and torn vinyl records in search of the one jewel amongst a vast wasteland of audio detritus. Henry Mancini, Mitch Miller, and Lenny Dee recordings were always in plentiful supply. Perhaps the dizzying quantity of recordings for sale by these artists made more unusual or original works really stand out. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach the first time I spotted my first Yma Sumac record. Her exotic, over the top appearance, coupled with her equally exotic singing style have never left me. It is for this reason that I was genuinely saddened upon hearing of her passing. Fortunately, the Austin Public Library shares my interest and curiosity for the exotic and original so that others may also discover her truly unique singing talents.

The ultimate Yma Sumac collection [sound recording]

Mondo exotica [sound recording] : [mysterious melodies & tropical tiki tunes]

Voice of the Xtabay sound recording