David Pena Dorantes - Andalusian Piano

According to David Pena Dorantes, there's not much going on on the fringes of Flamenco. Ojos de Brujo and the work of Diego El Cigala aside for the moment, the Piano of Pena Morales definitely explores new musical territory. And in the case of his latest album, Sur, focuses on very well-known ground: Andalusia. Here's a cool video of one of his new tunes set to images of one of my favorite Spanish cities, Sevilla. Enjoy.



music
flamenco
Sevilla

ESPANA - Ole!

Gano Espana!! Spain has defeated Germany 1-0 to win the Euro 2008 Cup. An awesome tournament, an awesome victory by the Red Fury. Fernando, "El Nino" Torres was the man for Spain. His goal at about the 38 minute mark was the decider, ending 44 years of drought for the Spaniards. 69 year-old Spanish coach, Luis Aragones, was credited by his players for securing the victory. In their march to this impressive victory, the Spanish team beat the world champion Italians, the former Euro Cup champion Greeks, the aggressive Russians and the storied Germans. A victory to savor for the ages. They're still partying in most of Iberia.

On an interesting political side-note, the Spanish victory manged to bring Galicians, Catalans, Basques and Castillians - often a contentious bunch at best - together in a fever of sports patriotism. It would, however, be an oversight to ignore the sublime and unexpected performance of the Turkish national team in this year's tournament. 19 late game goals is very impressive. In The Author's humble opinion, the Turks gave viewers some of the best moments in the last two weeks of football.
Euro 2008
sport
Spain

Flamenco Stylin - Colorful Flavors

Flamenco season is underway in Spain. It started in earnest with the annual Seville Spring Fair, profiled in a post below. The City's main event, Sevillanos get into the spirit in a big way. On the streets, and at the fairgrounds, the women are all in their Flamenco finery. High style & Awesome eye candy. Good music, good food, good fun. And very colorful.

While in Seville, make sure to pay a visit to the Museum del Baile Flamenco on Calle Manuel Rojas Marcos, #3. For techies, the museum is a multimedia wonderland. (The Author spent a good five minutes just checking out the servers & gear.) Some links to YouTube videos of well-known Flamenco artists are here. Let me know if you find any broken ones.


The artists referenced in the linked document above represent some of the traditional performers often associated with Flamenco. Traditionally, a sizeable majority of Flamenco singers are men. Worth noting are the female Flamenco stylists like La Nina Pastori and Matirio. Matirio is known for her on-stage presence and persona. She always appears in large black sunglasses, and usually with blood-red lipstick and a brightly colored hair comb. Quite the image.
From Breast Cancer awareness campaigns to her ads for Absolut Vodka, Martiro's considerable talents and reputation have resulted in a lot of attention and awards. She has appeared with many, well-known artists, published a book with a Spanish poet and starred in Spanish-language movies. She often plays with her son Raul Rodriguez, a virtuoso guitarist. Her throaty, contralto voice and dramatic technique take her beyond simple singer to performance artist. Read her bio here. And then cruise by her web site. Here's a taste of what you'll find.

Flamenco
Spain
Martirio

Barcelona's Boqueria Market

Dating to the 1200's, Barcelona's Mercat de la Boqueria is another fine, old market for foodies and digital camera buffs. Off of the city's most famous Avenida, La Rambla, La Boqueria is filled with the best looking produce, seafood, dairy, poultry and meat you can imagine. There are even a few bars and food stalls inside for those who want to linger. And you'll want to linger. The place is eye-candy for foodies. In a city that worships the bizarre and unusual architecture of Gaudi and boasts of the ultra-modern co-existing with the historic, La Boqueria is an anchor in the real world. A place where the fruits of the earth and sea trump the edifices of man. Check it out.

Spain
Barcelona
travel

Road Diary - Spain 08

The Seville Spring Fair was memorable. First for the amount of rain that fell; and second, for the intensity of the partying when the clouds cleared and the sun shone through. The city was awash in polka dots, the preferred pattern for this season's Flamenco dress. And at least half of the women in town, it seemed, were in full Flamenco finery. Ruffles, embroidered scarves, tiaras and artificial flowers for the hair. Though such costumes could be seen all over town, the nexus of color, form-fitting gowns and excitement was concentrated at the site of the fair. I will have lots of images and slideshows of the fair and its revelers, horsemen and dancers in a future post. Most of the hotel Internet services don't provide card-readers or USB ports so I'm not uploading the majority of my images. Be patient. The rewards will be considerable.

Of special note in Seville is the Alcazar Real. Home to Spanish royalty, including the current royal family when in Seville, the Alcazar is a grand and stunning campus. The gardens are simply extraordinary. On par with the Huntington in Southern California, Montreal's botanical gardens and (on a smaller scale) the gardens at Versailles, the Alcazar's very old and formal grounds are spectacular. While in Seville, we visited the Museum of Flamenco and attended a wonderful performance of traditional style artists at the Casa de la Memoria. Much more on those events in later posts.

Following Seville, we took the bus to Granada. There, we joined the throngs of visitors touring the fabulous Alhambra. The last Moorish outpost in Spain during the "re-conquista," Granada is still the most "Arab" of all Spanish cities. Again, pics and links to follow.

Road Diary - April 08

After three days exploring the souks in the Medina at Marrakech, we´ve arrived in Seville for the Spring Fair. Arrived to buckets of extraordinary Spring rain as well. I´ll have many, many pics soon - so prepare to be dazzled and delighted.

Marrakech´s Casbah, the Medina souks, is the mother of all marketplaces. Over 1,500 years old in parts, the Medina is comprised of a seemingly endless maze of small alleyways and 4,500 hundred shops. That´s right. There is a street of metal workers crafting ornate Arabic-style wrought iron; a street of leather workers hawking raw skins, making luggage and pointed Moroccan slippers; a section of spice sellers, herbalists and parfumeries; and of course, Lamb Alley where a hungry visitor can purchase and consume freshly roasted lamb of any variety including lamb´s head and eyeballs. Snake charmers with Cobras; monkey masters with furry, sometimes threatening creatures on chains, black African dancers and Berber women offering Henna tats are set up in the square in front of the entrance to the souks. Violently visual, intensely engaging and sensual.

We stayed in Marrakech at the fabulous Ville d´Orangers. Much more on that, with images, in a later post. And more on Seville in the Spring Fair in the next post.

Seville's Spring Fair

The Author is retiring for three weeks of holiday to the Iberian peninsula. I'm not anal enough to have pre-written ten posts and stored them with images and links on a Net-based blog publisher. No, I'm going to walk away for a spell and rest my brain and my fingers. That said, I may venture by an Internet cafe and post a short update at some point. Or not. The really good news is that my partner, Lupe, and I are traveling to party and listen to lots of new music which I will then dutifully report on in future posts.

We're not just going to any party. We'll be attending the annual Seville Spring Fare in Spain, arguably the country's biggest and most music-driven event of the year. (Seville at night and street fair pictured) So we'll be listening to lots of Flamenco and fine Gitano musicians. There'll be drinking (of course), dancing and bull-fighting for a week of unparallelled revelry. Yea, that's what I'm talkin' about.

While I'm away, I'd like to suggest regular readers take the opportunity to check-out the sidebar contents for previous posts that may be of interest. Or, you can go to a new Pop Impulse partial post list web page, here. There are lots and lots and lots to check out (over 220 posts). For example, one could take a tour through the "music & bands" category. Most posts have links to artist websites and videos. From Cuban Surf Rock music here, Alt. Mex here, to the blues here, here and here. Or, one could check out some cool places like Cape Breton Island, Madrid, Venice and that Treehouse bed and breakfast in Cave Junction, Oregon. Gluttons for punishment can groan and stress their way through multiple posts on consumers, the economy and the sub-prime meltdown. Have at it. I'm outta here in the morning.

Spain
Seville
travel

Spain's Musical Regions & Traditions

I was listening to my local NPR station the other day and to my surprise was treated to a story about my favorite Spanish band, Ojos de Brujo. I first discovered this group in a mesmerizing LINK TV video about a year ago. I was hooked. I was surprised to hear the NPR announcer refer to the band's eclectic and infectious style of music as Barcelona Bastardo. Didn't think the respectable Catalans would take a shine to this edgy sound. I was wrong (again). When asked, I describe this band as "Flamenco Fusion." With Gitano roots and a Flamenco soul. To this core, the band adds hip-hop; Andalus Arabic ornamentation; Cuban rhythms, even raggae. And it all works in a magical sort of way. Check out this video for a taste.

When most music lovers think of Spain, Placido's tenor or the guitar of Andres Segovia often come to mind. Perhaps a favorite Flamenco tune. Digging deeper, Spain has arguably the richest musical tradition in all of Europe.

The music of Andalucia in the south is influenced by the Moorish era and has distinct Arabic elements. Thanks to another NPR story, I recently discovered the music of Ghada Shbeir. A Lebanese singer with an Masters in Musicology, she has taken some time, effort and love to reconstruct the songs of Al-Andalus. There are few other opportunities around to hear thousand year-old songs. Not exactly easy listening, these pieces are however very valuable bits of Arabic and European history, reflecting a unique moment when the two cultures were at their closest. For the musically curious, this new CD is a real wonder. And yet another thread in the colorful tapestry that is Spanish music. You can hear a BBC interview with Shbeir and a sampling of her songs here. During Moorish rule in Spain, diversity was encouraged and common. The Spanish Jewish community flourished at this same time. I've posted before about the Ladino language music of the Sephardic Jews here.

Travel a little farther north and you're in the heart of Flamenco country. Gitanos, Spanish Gypsies, are the principal performers of Flamenco song and dance. Their colorful and musical festivals are a regular draw during the "Flamenco season." Here are some Flamenco artists of note.

Of course, the Castellanos of cental Spain have their own unique folk traditions outside the Flamenco space. There is no better exemplar of this kind of traditional music than the celebrated band: La Musgana. Check out a sample of their sounds in this video (Picao).

The Catalans in Barcelona have their own musical traditions and further west into the Pyrenees one encounters Basque country with a decidedly different musical tradition that pre-dates even the Moors. Basque music, often dances played by a small group including a diatonic accordion, Alboka flute, fiddle and a wooden percussion instrument, is rich in folk tradition with a unique sound all of its own. The group Alboka is building quite a substantial presence on the World Beat scene.

In the north, on the Atlantic coast of Spain is one of only two Celtic colonies remaining on European territory. (The other is Brittany on the coast of France.) Here's a piece of trivia that will win some free microbrew in a pub wager: The world's most popular bagpipes player, based on CD sales, is a Spaniard. That's right, as counter-intuitive as it may sound. In 2007, when this post was originally written, Hevia sold more CDs of bagpipe music than any other recording artist. Who'd a thought? His video gives one a taste. Yea, that's what I'm talking about. Hevia is following in the footsteps of the greatest Galician piper of all times, Carlos Nunez. He performed at Celtic Colors on Cape Breton Island last year.

Then, of course, there's that sort of dreamy, new-age flamenco guitar thing. Since I'm not much on "new-age" music, I'll leave that alone.

Ah, Spain. The most "emotional" country I have ever had the pleasure of visiting - and I've been back on three occasions. One element that is common across all Spanish music I have heard, regardless of genre, is the passion and authenticity that is communicated through song, dance and instrumental performance.

Madrid: Always On

Madrid is my favorite European capital, and I love all of Europe. What makes Madrid special for me is the feeling it evokes when I visit. Madrid is full of passion. Everywhere. The food is prepared with passion. The music, especially the local Flamenco, is raw and passionate. The architecture is grand, the tree-line Avenidas wide, and the many plazas are bustling centers of activity.

The Plaza Mayor, which dates back to 1581, is the grand center of the city. Lined with 237 balconies, shops and outside restaurants, it is a place for the community to meet, to stroll and to relax and socialize.

Madrid parties around-the-clock. In fact, unprepared tourists sometimes complain about the constant activity. What's not to love? Yes, the city requires that adults stay awake until the wee hours of the morn. For example, the great flamenco players in small local bars don't even wander in until midnight. But the Spanish, ever resourceful, accommodate their unusual cycle by maintaining the afternoon siesta as at least a time to rest and relax. Though I've read recently that the pressures of global capitalism are causing more Spaniards to act like the rest of the business world. Shame.

Spanish culture is a crazy mix of European, North African, Gypsy and Arab influences. It all works, in a unique and memorable way. The capital, of course, is very cosmopolitan. Characterized by wide avenidas, like the famous Avendia Reforma, the city boasts some of the best museums and gardens that can be found in major capitals. The Prado Museum is every bit as impressive as the Louvre in Paris. (Read: The Flanders Panel, by Arturo Perez-Reverte. A "parlor mystery" with the Prado at its core.)

Of interest to art lovers is the relatively new, state-owned Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Its collections are vast and deep. Think: El Greco, Goya, Velasquez as well as a number of Flemish masters.

The Royal Botanical Gardens, just next to the Prado is one of the finest downtown formal gardens I've seen. The specimen trees are magnificent, as is the large, Victorian-style conservatory. And of course, there are fountains. Lots of spectacular fountains. Not like Rome, mind you. But very beautiful and very Spanish additions to the city's landscape.

If you go, I recommend staying at the small but elegant Hotel Orfila. Just down the street from the British Embassy, the charming small hotel has a five-star kitchen, a stunning courtyard patio, and beautiful rooms. When I was 20, I stayed just next to the Plaza Mayor at a modest but comfortable hotel which is still operating: La Perla Asturiana.

The City is famous for its Tapas, classic small plates with a wildly tasty variety of ingredients; its seafood, often served on enormous platters with a sampling of everything; and for El Botin, the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world (ask for a table in the cavernous downstairs room). For authentic Flamenco, avoid the tourist traps with dinner and a show. Look for the small bars with tiled walls like the Monteleon (the old Solea's new iteration), Candela and check-in at Los Gabrieles. If you've got to do dinner and a show, book the Cafe Patas.

Daytrip: to the ancient walled city of Granada, once the capital, home of Spanish steel, Moorish architecture, an ornate Cathedral, and some old-style metalworking foundries.

Ladino Music

Ethnic music interests me. The more obscure and unique, the better. I've been listening to a variety of "roots" music recently, including David Grisman & Andy Statman's "Songs of our Fathers." Eastern European, Yiddish-roots music that has the haunting melody and energetic Clarinet so idiomatic to the Orthodox Jewish music of pre-pogrom Russian villages and Polish Ghettos. The Grisman/Statman collaboration is a classic. Klezmer bands also are a hoot, the Klezmatics being among the most theatrical and well-known. Reminding new generations of their musical roots is a good thing. Linda Ronstadt's mariachi tribute, Canciones de me Padre also comes to mind in that regard.

The Sephardic Jewish community of Spain and North Africa also provides some very interesting contributions to the ethnic music concordance. Eastern European Jews spoke Yiddish, a dialect that merged German and Hebrew. Spanish Jews spoke Ladino, a similar merging of Spanish and Hebrew. They produced, during their stay in Spain, a rich brew of tunes with roots in the Middle East, North Africa and Spain. During the almost 800 year Moorish/Islamic empire in Spain, the Jews were welcome - some were government ministers and functionaries. Likewise Christians, welcome and integrated. Charlemagne re-took Spain for Christendom and the Holy Roman Church in 1492, the same year that Columbus discovered "The New World." Within a year of what is commonly called the re-Christianization of Spain, 99 percent of all Jews and Muslims had been driven from the country. Can you say "ethnic cleansing?" But we won't go there.

Through some unusual irony of fate and geography, Ladino speakers and musicians ended up in many cases in Macedonia - where there is still a small community and the Ladino language can still be heard. Check out this Shira U'tfila tune. For all kinds of Jewish, roots music, including Ladino tunes, check out hatikvahmusic.com's comprehensive site.

In a future post, I will take a look at the world of Turkish, Arabic and Kurdish ethnic music. For the record, there will never be peace in the Middle East until Palestinians have their own, sovereign state with contiguous borders and East Jerusalem as its capital, with the right of all Palestinians in the diaspora to return to their own homeland. All things can be negotiated.