Incantation (musical group)

This article is about the traditional South American music band. For the death metal band, see Incantation (band).

Incantation
Years active	1981–present
Past members	Tony Hinnigan Mike Taylor Forbes Henderson Simon Rogers Chris Swithinbank Claudia Figuerora Sergio Avila Mauricio Venegas

Incantation are a musical group playing traditional tribal and other South American music. The band started in 1981 from a pool of musicians who were, at the time, playing all kinds of different types of music for the (then) Ballet Rambert, based in London. A new ballet was choreographed (called "Ghost Dances") about political oppression in South America, to the music of Inti-Illimani, the exiled Chilean folk group. The company preferred to use live musicians (rather than tapes) for performances, and six of the musicians volunteered.

Authentic instruments were procured, and some time was spent perfecting how to play them.

The show was a hit and before long the band was offered a recording contract. Incantation was chosen as the band's name, based on the word "Inca".

Members of the various incarnations of the band include Tony Hinnigan (Scottish), Mike Taylor (Irish), Forbes Henderson (English), Simon Rogers (English), Chris Swithinbank, and Chileans Claudia Figuerora, Sergio Avila and Mauricio Venegas. They achieved chart success in the UK in 1982 with the top twenty hit "Cacharpaya", and later contributed the traditional instruments (including pan pipes) to the soundtracks of the films, The Mission (1986), scored by Ennio Morricone, and A Handful of Dust (1988), scored by George Fenton.

Discography

Albums

• On the Wing of a Condor (1982)
• Cacharpaya (Panpipes of the Andes) (1982) - UK #9
• Dance of the Flames (1983) - UK #61
• Virgins of the Sun (1984)
• Best of Incantation (1985)
• The Meeting (1987)
• On Gentle Rocks (1992)
• Ghost Dances & Sergeant Early's Dream (1994)
• Songs For All Seasons (1994)
• Incantation (1995)
• ATACAMA (2012)

Compilation albums

• Best of Incantation - Music from the Andes (1985) - UK #28
• The Very Best of Incantation (1996)
• Geoglyph (The Very Best of Incantation) (1998)
• Remembrance (1998)
• Camera: Reflections on Film Music (2003)

Singles

• "Cacharpaya (Andes Pumpsa Daesi)" - UK #12

External links

• Incantation fan site with biography and discography
• Tony Hinnigan website - One of Incantation's founding members
• An official band website for their 2012 album - "Atacama"
• The official Facebook fan page for the band Incantation