La canción de la semana #905

...is Tania by Ana Tijoux, a tribute to the singer's late sister. This song appears on Vida, the first album of Tijoux in ten years.

La canción de la semana #904

...is Bailarín by La Yegros, from her new album Haz. This song also opens the Argentine singer's live set at the Cabaret Sauvage, Paris (12 February 2024).

La canción de la semana #903

...is Sola by La Chica featuring the fantastic Sandra Nkaké, from Live at Le Café de la Danse, Paris (2023).

La canción de la semana #902

...is Safo by Tarta Relena (Marta Torrella and Helena Ros), based on the lyrics by Sappho. This song appears on the 2021 album Fiat Lux. I learned about this amazing Catalan duo thanks to their performance on the Tiny Desk Concert (3 April 2024).

La canción de la semana #901

...is Rata de dos patas, probably the most famous ranchera performed by Francisca Viveros Barradas, better known as Paquita la del Barrio. The composer Manuel Eduardo Toscano said that, although Paquita asked him for a vehicle to vent resentment towards her ex-husband, the true inspiration behind the song was ex-president of Mexico, Carlos Salinas de Gortari. In any case, I don't know a more elegant way to heap a series of delicious insults on an unworthy ex. Check out the lyrics here.

La canción de la semana #900

Libertango, one of the best-known compositions by Astor Piazzolla, is 50 this year! Since its original release in 1974, it was covered about a zillion times. Some of the most famous versions include those by Al Di Meola, Richard Galliano, Hiromi & Edmar Castaneda, Yo-Yo Ma and Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Here's another stunning cover by the Finnish accordionist Ronja Pehkonen.

La canción de la semana #899

...is Joricamba by La Columna de Fuego. This song appears on Desde España... (1974), the legendary Colombian band's only studio album.

La canción de la semana #898

I first heard De cristal two days ago in the concert of Sylvie Hernández in Casa de Colón and just had to share it with you. This song appears on the Canarian singer-songwriter's debut album Magua^*. Sylvie Hernández plays next Saturday 16 March, 21:00, in parque Tamaraceite Sur, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as a part of the new Musicando season.

*	The Canarian word magua means pity, heartbreak, feeling of loss or longing, sadness, melancholy, or nostalgia for homeland.

La canción de la semana #897

...is La farsante by Juan Gabriel. This version (which probably should be called El farsante) was performed by Fabiola Trujillo last Saturday in her new show «Con alma mexicana» in Parque Doramas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

La canción de la semana #896

...is Zyryab, from Paco de Lucía's 1990 album of the same name. The theme is named after Abu l-Hasan Ali ibn Nafi, aka Ziryab, a legendary 9^th-century Arab singer, composer, poet, musician and teacher, who established in Córdoba one of the first music schools in the world and is said to have known 10,000 songs by heart.

By now, Zyryab has become a flamenco and jazz standard, covered by the likes of Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band, Ara Malikian, Colina / Serrano / Carmona trio, Amos Lora... the list goes on. For me, however, nothing beats the author's own take which I was lucky to see live some 30 years ago. Of course, there is no such thing as"definitive" Paco de Lucía version. Which one is your favourite?