Eddy Navia - Savia Andina - Famous Bolivian Musicians

by Quentin Navia
(San Francisco, CA, USA)

Two time Latin Grammy nominee Eddy Navia was born in Potosí, Bolivia. He began his musical career in the 1960s with Kings, X-5 and later formed the group "Los Rebeldes," which played contemporary popular music including pieces by the Ventures.

After his studies took him outside Bolivia, he began performing on the charango and became a virtuoso of the instrument. Navia first recorded with the guitarist Gerardo Arias.

In 1973 Navia co-founded the legendary group Savia Andina with Alcides Mejia, Oscar Castro, Julio Cesar Paredes and later Gerardo Arias. They included works by the great masters on indigenous instruments and above all performed Bolivian music. Eddy composed beloved works such as "Tinkuna", "Copagira", "Tacuaral", "Summit", "Dance of the Sicuri" and the recordings of Savia Andina hit the top forties chart in South America.

He was the first charangist who interpreted works of the great composers of classical music in the self-titled album Savia Andina released in 1978. The group toured the world playing in the Olympia in Paris, Russia, Japan, Tahiti, and Australia.

In 1989, Navia left Savia Andina to come to the United States, and became the Artistic Director of the Group SUKAY, who has performed for 50 years internationally. Eddy has seven solo albums, 35 recordings on Savia Andina and 30 more on the Sukay World Music Label. He is the only Bolivian to date nominated for the Grammys and is considered one of the three living legends on the charango. He currently resides in San Francisco, California and co-founded with his wife of 33 years, Quentin Navia, the Peña Pachamama which is still open for more than 25 years. 'Pachamama' means 'Mother Earth' in Quechua and Aymara. Eddy continues to perform music with his wife Quentin, who co-founded SUKAY in 1973, and son Gabriel Navia.