Yudnara J. De Ridder

Yudnara J. De Ridder (born July 17, 1976) is a Venezuelan singer, percussionist (cajón) and composer currently working in Scotland. She has performed and recorded throughout Venezuela, Aruba, Spain and the UK, with such musicians as Rigel Michelena, Gustavo Dal Farra (El Rabo del Ojo), Antonio Bello (4 of Us), Kabanayen and Des loups. De Ridder has also performed and composed with Saira and Contrabajo.

Of her work with Venezuelan Rigel Michelena on the CD Bartok's Room, The Dutch Progressive Rock Page says: “Her voice acts as another instrument, something similar to Sarah Pillow, providing a vocal backdrop for the varied musical pattern woven around the intricate bass lines.”

In a 4-star review in December 2007, Edinburgh's The Skinny (magazine) said, "Yudnara J. plays guitar, somehow gets a whole drum kit out of a Peruvian fruit box, and sings in a sweet, smoky, untouchably cool voice."

De Ridder currently plays with Raise Your Hem and Charanga del Norte. She also collaborates in the multimedia, music-, sound poetry-, and performance poetry duo, Zorras (with poet Sandra Alland). In the UK, she has performed at such places as The Moor Music Festival (2008, 2006), Acoustic Café (Out of the Blue Drill Hall), IDAHO (GRV), Club Welto, Queer Mutiny, Who's Your Dandy, The Golden Hour and Canon's Gait. In 2009 she will be touring the UK with Found in Translation, a performance featuring international writers and musicians.

Works

* Rigel Michelena: "Bartok's Room". Venezuela : Musea, 2001.
* 4 of Us: Live Unplugged at Cafe Chaos. Aruba: 2001.
* Des Loups: "Des Loups". Barcelona: 2006.

External links

* [http://www.charangadelnorte.com/band.html Charanga del Norte website]
* [http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigel_Michelena Spanish Wiki Entry for Rigel Michelena]