27 diciembre 2007

La canción de la semana #114

As an antidote to the cheesy Christmas music, I (invite you to) return to the tango. This week, it is El sobrevuelo de Pegaso performed by Argentinian guitarist Tomás Gubitsch. This track is taken from his new album 5.

That's it for this year – please tune in 2008!

Kirill

16 diciembre 2007

La canción de la semana #113

Thanks to Elena who introduced me to the music of Joan Manuel Serrat. It was like: "You must know him. Look him up in the Web!" So I did. What a CV! No advertisement can beat the burning of his records on the streets of Franco's Spain. And look at this: 'Mediterráneo', de Serrat, elegida la mejor canción popular española. So here it is, Mediterráneo.

Kirill

09 diciembre 2007

La canción de la semana #112

"Why would anyone with a taste for world music want to listen to a Texan playing flamenco guitar?" asks the Songlines magazine. "When there are countless flamenco albums that are más auténtico... what Jason McGuire got to offer?" Listen to this week's song, Lagrimas De Sal by 'El Rubio' (Jason's nickname) and you'll hear.

Kirill

02 diciembre 2007

La canción de la semana #111

It is fair to say that of all Spanish-language singers, Shakira (according to Wikipedia, "the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time") is the one who does not really need any promotion — or at least not on this blog. The English lyrics is also not her strongest point. But she most definitely can sing and dance, as this live performance of Ojos así demonstrates. This song first appeared on Shakira's 1998 album, ¿Dónde están los ladrones?

Shakira

Kirill

25 noviembre 2007

La canción de la semana #110

This week's song will require a 13 minutes of your attention but I hope you won't regret it. It is called Allah Hu and is performed by Faiz Ali Faiz Qawwali ensemble, guitarist Chicuelo and two flamenco singers, Duquende and Miguel Poveda. It appears on Qawwali Flamenco double CD + DVD box.

Kirill

18 noviembre 2007

11 noviembre 2007

La canción de la semana #108

And now for something completely different: I'd like to introduce a Senegalese hip-hop trio Daara J. They rap in French and in their native Wolof, but in Esperanza (as you may have guessed) you will also hear Spanish.

Kirill

04 noviembre 2007

21 octubre 2007

La canción de la semana #105

This week's song is Quien Manda a Quien performed by this unique Colombian/Congolese fusion band, Colombiafrica - The Mystic Orchestra. (No it is not sung in Spanish but it's a great stuff all the same.)

Kirill

13 octubre 2007

07 octubre 2007

La canción de la semana #103

As you are just about to discover, Grupo Fantasma is a very cool Latin funk band. They are coming from Austin, Texas. Check out their latest CD Comes Alive. This week's song, Laredo, is taken from their self-titled debut album (2001).

Kirill

01 octubre 2007

23 agosto 2007

La canción de la semana #100

For our 100th song of the week, I feel a strong urge to return to tango. This time, it is Finnish tango nuevo. Kadonnut Kuu (Lost Moon) performed by the brilliant Duo Milla & Johanna. This tango appears on their second album Mi Retorno. You'll want to listen to their music again and again.

With that, I am off to holidays. Watch this space in a couple weeks' time.

Kirill

29 julio 2007

La canción de la semana #97

Orquesta Anacaona, Cuba's oldest all-girl dance band, was founded in 1932 by the sisters Castro (not related to Fidel). It was named after the Indian Queen, Anacaona. Thanks to this publication in Times Online, you can enjoy some of the songs recorded back in 1937. All of them are great but my choice is Oh! Marambé Maramba.

Kirill

13 julio 2007

La canción de la semana #95

Now for something completely different: Led Zeppelin's Four Sticks as performed by Sones de México. This song appears on Chicago ensemble's new album, Esta Tierra Es Tuya.

Kirill

25 junio 2007

La canción de la semana #93

...is Qué Dolor by the (now almost world famous) Romanian Gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocărlia, with guest artists Kaloomé. This song appears on the band's new album Queens and Kings. Enjoy!

Kirill

21 junio 2007

La canción de la semana #92

After a looong break, I decided to post something here. I've got this DVD by Spanish virtuoso guitarist Vicente Amigo as a gift. This week's composition is called Tatá!

Kirill

13 mayo 2007

La canción de la semana #91

...es Intimo por La Camorra Tango, de 12 Postales.

La Camorra Tango

Jorge Kohan: guitarra
Nicholás Guerschberg: piano
Hugo Asrín: contrabajo
Sebastián Prusak: violín
Luciano Jungman: bandoneón

Kirill

06 mayo 2007

29 abril 2007

La canción de la semana #89

This week's song is Enpesare, from the latest album Haran by Pharaoh’s Daughter. According to the band leader Basya Schechter, "this is the oldest existing Ladino poem. It’s the story of Joseph through poetry. The poet was from 15th century Spain." The lyrics (transliterated) can be found here.

Kirill

15 abril 2007

01 abril 2007

La canción de la semana #86

Strange and beautiful: Moneda de Cobre by Giovanna Facchinelli with Mario Núñez on guitar.

Kirill

25 marzo 2007

La canción de la semana #85

...El Pibe de mi Barrio by Doctor Krápula.

    La calle de mi infancia se convierte en mi Wembley;
    de otros barrios vienen Maradonas y Pelés.
    La copa más grandiosa es un roscón con gaseosa;
    suelte pues el cuero, que mi gente está que goza.

    Todos los domingos soy el pibe de mi barrio,
    dos ladrillos, mi Campín; mi barra, el vecindario.
    Todos los domingos soy el pibe de mi barrio,
    dos ladrillos, mi Campín; mi barra, el vecindario.

    El penalty de mi alma, los domingos no se ve;
    gambeta a las tristezas y goleando mi desdén.
    la Champion-liga, al lado de mi barrio, es poca cosa;
    mi pueblo se levanta cuando rueda la pelota.


    etc

Kirill

18 marzo 2007

La canción de la semana #84

The nominees of Radio 3 Awards for World Music 2007 include many of my favourite musicians featured on this blog over the last two years: Ojos de Brujo, Yasmin Levy, Gotan Project, Ska Cubano... and, of course, Lila Downs, whose La Cantina is also nominated as an Album of the Year. So... this week's song is Agua de Rosas.

    Flor del color de mis venas
    De una lluvia de cielo que muere en Juchitán

    Eres
    Vara de Romero
    Madre del deseo
    Que el río cantó

    Eres
    Suripanta del pueblo
    La mujer que más quiero
    Que me das de beber

    Agua de rosas
    Dame de beber
    Ah ah ah
    Ah ah ah
    Que esta tristeza
    Acabe de una vez
    Ah ah ah
    Ah ah ah

Kirill

28 enero 2007

La canción de la semana #80

...is Berimbass played by Renaud Garcia-Fons Trio. This truly beautiful music is captured live on the CD+DVD album Arcoluz (also reviewed in Guardian Unlimited).

Also, if you go to Renaud Garcia-Fons website, you can enjoy some of his music as videos, and even download a few scores (for double bass).

Kirill

24 enero 2007

Pé, candidata al Oscar por 'Volver'

Penélope Cruz es una de las candidatas al Oscar a la mejor actriz por su trabajo en la película de Pedro Almodóvar Volver.
Aquí podéis leer la entrevista que ha concedido la actriz al diario catalán El Periódico.

Elena

22 enero 2007

Session in the computer room

The Websites visited during our session in the computer room were:

Have a look and enjoy!

Elena

21 enero 2007

La canción de la semana #79

Amigos,

I've been waiting long enough before posting here another song by one and only Manu Chao. Today, it is La rumba de Barcelona. Enjoy.

Kirill

14 enero 2007

La canción de la semana #78

¿Quién se acordará? by Marta Gómez, a singer-songwriter from Colombia, currently residing in New York City. This song appears on her latest album, Entre Cada Palabra.

Kirill

12 enero 2007

Kirill ; the music is fab!!!

 Having missed this week's class, due to a flat tyre (on the car -  not on me, sadly!) Elena directed me to her recent posts on here so I could catch up with what I'd missed. Having peeked at the lessons, I've successfully distracted myself for some hours now catching up on La canción de la semana from the past year. Oh, I've missed so much good stuff!! It's so brilliant I just had to dance about in the privacy of my living room!! The tango
 tunes are even likeable, not like some of the dirges I learned to dance to.  Kirill, BIG thank you for doing these posts and please, please carry on!!
Jayne. xx

10 enero 2007

Los colores

Aquí podéis acceder a un documento PowerPoint para practicar los colores. Con este otro documento practicaréis el vocabulario relacionado con la ropa y las compras.

Si tenéis alguna duda o queréis comentar algo, podéis usar la función "comments" que encontraréis debajo de esta nota. ☺

¡Que os divirtáis!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!


Feliz año a todos.
Con el nuevo año, nuevos premios para el cine español. Volver cosecha más aplausos en el extranjero.
¡Mucha suerte en los Óscar!

05 enero 2007

La canción de la semana #77

Happy New Year everybody! I am back from holidays in Stockholm, Helsinki, and in between. On New Year's eve (that was Sunday), I walked into Café Tin Tin Tango, which is exactly what the name suggests: café with tango in background and Tintin posters on the wall. It also doubles as launderette (that was my main reason to visit it: the hotel did not do laundry on Sunday.) The washing mashine was well hidden behind the thick screen of tobacco smoke but I managed to find it. While waiting, I had a nice cup of coffee and enjoyed some great music. Which brings us to the subject of Finnish Tango. According to the Pekka Gronow's article for Virtual Finland website,

Finland has taken the potato from Peru — potato in Finnish is peruna, by the way — and the tango from Argentina. Both these South American imports are cultivated in these northern latitudes perhaps even more devotedly than in their countries of origin.
This week's song is Suo sana vain performed by Georg Malmstén.

In 1997 a stamp commemorating the Finnish tango was issued

Enjoy the tango!

Kirill