Interview with and peformance by harpist Jesus Rodriguez

General Note/Comment

• One reel to reel tape. (Copied onto C86-119.) Venezuelan harpist Rodriguez was entirely self-taught. During the interview, he discusses how he learned to play the harp; coming to the US in 1973; how harps are made; harp songs; and his career. The Venezuelan harp was introduced to South American by the Spanish, and it retains many archaic features not found in classical harps today. The Dade Folk Arts Survey was conducted in 1986 by folklorists Tina Bucuvalas, Nancy Nusz and Laurie Sommers in order to identify folk arts and folk artists for the special folklife area at the 34th Annual Florida Folk Festival. The traditions are mainly Haitian, Jamaican, Mexican, Bahamian, Cuban and Jewish and cover a wide range of skills and art forms.