Novalima

Novalima is a Latin Grammy nominated band created in 2001 by Carlos Li Carrillo (Hong Kong). The name Novalima came from one of Carlos’ trips to Brazil where he saw a broken sign along the highway in Mina Gerais saying: “Nova Lima in 30 Kms”. “That is how the name Novalima was created and it was conceptualized in order to give rise to a new generation of modern music made with musicians from around the world combined with the Lima music scene”. Carlos commented “ I wanted to put Afro Peruvian influences within the same context along other important world music styles, since at that time Afro Peruvian music was somehow unknown outside Peru.

For the initial recordings Carlos met Afro-Peruvian musician Mangüe Vasquez who introduced the first “cajón” in a Novalima song becoming the “soul” of Novalima and the main influence of Afro-Peruvian sounds in the band. For the production and recording of these songs Carlos recruited Ramón Perez Prieto (Lima) and Pier Paolo de Bernardi (Lima) to join the band's production team. Later on, Rafael Morales (London) who at that time was living in UK, was also invited to join the band. (Since the early 90s Pier, Ramon and Rafael were together with Carlos in the psychedelic rock band “Avispón Verde” with which they made 2 albums “Avispón Verde” and “Plan 9”)

After the release of the self titled 1st album in 2003, Carlos decided to invite Grimaldo del Solar (Barcelona) who was at that time living in Spain to join the band. (Grimaldo played together with Carlos and Rafael during their teenage years in Curriculum Mortis, a Peruvian Thrash Metal band during the mid 80s in the Lima underground scene). Grimaldo entered Novalima for the recording of “Afro”, the 2nd album production under a UK label called Mr. Bongo. The main members of the band Carlos Li Carrillo (Hong Kong), Ramón Perez Prieto (Lima), Rafael Morales (London), Pier de Bernardi (Lima) and Grimaldo Del Solar (Barcelona), became friends while in high school in Lima, and shared a fascination for many types of music, such as metal, rock, reggae, dance and electronic music.

The production of the “Novalima” first album, and the “Afro” album was done when the main members were living in different parts of the world. From their homes in Hong Kong, London, Barcelona and Lima, they started emailing song ideas to each other even when transferring heavy song files was not easy in the internet and the files had to be done by courier in burned CDs. For the 2nd album, Afro, they invited more Afro-Peruvian musicians to join their recording sessions. It was released in 2006 to tremendous acclaim and put Novalima on the international music map. It also held the #1 spot on the US College Music Journal Latin Alternative and New World radio charts for ten weeks combined. On that same year Novalima was awarded with the IMA (The Independent Music Awards) for Best Album in World Fusion category.

In “Afro”, the creative core was further enriched by Afro-Peruvian scene musicians, such as Milagros Guerrero, Juan Medrano (Cotito), Mangue Vásquez, Marcos Mosquera.

Short after the world release of the “Afro” album and after playing drums in the 1st Novalima concert in Lima, Pier de Bernardi left the band and the production team. With the addition of percussionist/timbalero Constantino Álvarez to the band, Novalima started touring live concerts in Europe, USA and Asia.

Novalima's 3rd album, Coba Coba, was released in October 2008 for the Peruvian market. The album was released worldwide in January 2009 by the Cumbancha label and nominated for the Latin Grammy as Best Alternative Album. On Coba Coba, Novalima delved further into the African roots of Afro-Peruvian music, bringing in influences from its musical cousins reggae, dub, salsa, hip-hop, afrobeat and Cuban son. To complete the extensive Coba Coba tour, Alfonso Montesinos joined the band ensemble with the bass guitar since 2010.

In 2010, the song "Machete" from the album "Afro" appears in the film Machete.

In 2011 Novalima started the recordings of “Karimba”, its 4th album. One of the main guest musicians for this musical production is the singer Pepe Vasquez who is considered a legend in Perú music scene. Karimba was released on January 2012 under the label Eighteenth Street Lounge Music (ESL Music).

In mid 2012, Mangüé Vasquez died. Mangüé was considered the best Afro Peruvian “cajón” player in Perú, and the one who provided the initial Afro Peruvian influences to the band. He was widely recognized as the “soul” of Novalima.

During late 2012, the founder and main bass player Carlos Li Carrillo left Novalima to form his own solo project TIME CERO, an Industrial Electro Metal band with Pier de Bernardi.

The rest of the band continued touring with Novalima. In 2015 Novalima recorded its 5th album Planetario which was reviewed very positively by NPR as a "three-layer cake of time" and avant-garde in approach and execution.

• Novalima, Novalima Music, 2003
• Afro, Mr. Bongo/UK, 2005
• Coba Coba, Novalima Music/Cumbancha, 2008
• Coba Coba Remixed, Novalima Music/Cumbancha, 2009
• Karimba, Eighteenth Street Lounge, 2012
• Karimba Diabolic Remixes, Wonderwheel Recordings, 2013
• Planetario (Wonderwheel Recordings), 2015
• Ch'usay (Wonderwheel Recordings), 2018