31 diciembre 2008

La canción de la semana #152

For me, discovery of this year was Algerian-French singer-songwriter Soha. Her debut album D'ici et d'ailleurs (actually recorded in 2007) is sung mostly in French. However, the opening song, Tourbillon (Serre-moi fort si tu m'aimes) (audio | video | lyrics), is a beautiful mix of French and Spanish.

Dime el amor, dime el cielo
dis moi la vie et comment vont les gens
dime el sol, dime el verano
dis moi le monde et des droles d'habitants

dis moi le jour, le depart
las cosas que valen esperar
dis moi la joie, dis moi l'espoir
mais ne dis jamais au revoir...

¡Feliz año nuevo, amig@s!

Kirill

22 diciembre 2008

La canción de la semana #151

This week's song is Hay un son by Orishas, the hip-hop band originally formed by four musicians from Havana. This song appears on their triple (2 CD/ 1 DVD) album Antidiotico.

¡Feliz Navidad!
Kirill

12 diciembre 2008

La canción de la semana #150

I heard the song Homenaje a Justino on the Top of the World CD of the latest (January/February 2009) issue of Songlines magazine. Web search brought no free music of Grupo Socavón except for this rather poor quality video. This song appears on this wonderful compilation of music from Pacific coast of Colombia, called (unsurprisingly) Pacifico Colombiano.

Kirill

28 noviembre 2008

La canción de la semana #149

Willie Colón is an American/Puerto Rican trombonist, singer and bandleader who recorded with likes of Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Fania All Stars and Héctor LaVoe. This weeks's song, Idilio, taken from his 1993 album Hecho en Puerto Rico, features singing and a lovely trombone solo by Willie.

Kirill

18 noviembre 2008

La canción de la semana #148

This week's song is La bien pagá performed by self-styled flamenca hiphopera (don't be scared, it is not all hip-hop really) La Shica.

Kirill

04 noviembre 2008

La canción de la semana #146

After a looong break, let's play some salsa! This week's song is Micaela by the Colombian band Sonora Carruseles, from their 1998 album Heavy Salsa.

Kirill

28 septiembre 2008

La canción de la semana #145

And now for something completely different: Monty Python's The Llama, including the classic line "¡Las llamas son más grandes que las ranas!"

Kirill

21 septiembre 2008

La canción de la semana #144

...is beautiful Brest played by Galician folk band Berrogüetto, from the band's tenth anniversary album 10.0 (2006).

Kirill

13 septiembre 2008

La canción de la semana #143

Continuing with a completely different kind of flamenco fusion: I'd like to introduce the London-based band laXula. This week's song is Soberbia, from the album In X-ile.

Kirill

31 agosto 2008

La canción de la semana #141

Today, I feel nostalgic for those late '60s — early '70s rock days. This week's song is Guajira by the classic Santana band (from Santana III album).

Kirill

14 agosto 2008

La canción de la semana #140

La cumparsita, composed by Uruguayan musician Gerardo Hernán Matos Rodriguez, is probably the most famous tango of all times. This week, I would like to introduce rather unusual version of this song, as played by the British outfit Tango Siempre (appears on their 2007 album Tangents). Tango Siempre plays on 25 October 2008 at Junction, Cambridge. Hope to see you there.

Kirill

08 agosto 2008

La canción de la semana #139

Don't receive enough spam? Then "Miami's hardest-working Latin band", Spam Allstars, is the answer. This weeks' song is Descarga Gusano. Want even more spam? Check their BandCamp for more free music.

Kirill

12 julio 2008

05 julio 2008

La canción de la semana #134

...is Ladino song Komo el Pasharo ke Bola performed by the young Israeli singer Mor Karbasi. It is taken from her debut album The Beauty and the Sea. The songs are mesmerising, and no doubt she is a beauty. Mor Karbasi plays at The Junction (Cambridge) on 16 November.

Kirill

21 junio 2008

La canción de la semana #132

...is Savia Negra from the album of the same name by Las Niñas, the band I discovered about a week ago. Las Niñas are Alba Molina, Aurora Power and Vicky Luna. They are young, good-looking and make fun music.


Kirill

14 junio 2008

La canción de la semana #131

This week's song is La Pantera Mambo performed by La-33, a salsa band from Bogotá, Colombia. I'm sure you all heard that song before... but not played like this. La-33 will be playing Centre @ St Paul's, Cambridge on 11 July.

Kirill

01 junio 2008

18 mayo 2008

La canción de la semana #129

If you, like me, feel that we did not hear any tango for a while, here is a cure: Nada performed by this amazing Argentine singer Inés Cuello. Check her web site for more tango.

Kirill

11 mayo 2008

La canción de la semana #128

This week's song Morena is taken from the album Deus et Diabolus of Al Andaluz Project. It features vocal of Mara Aranda, Sigrid Hausen, and Iman al Kandoussi (and I belive it's them at the CD sleeve!)

Kirill

20 abril 2008

La canción de la semana #125

I did not realise that so far this blog did not feature anything at all performed by Gipsy Kings. (La canción de la semana #9 was Bamboleo played by Fania All Stars.) An oversight to be corrected, especially as we're approaching our 125th song, which is called Trista pena. Gipsy Kings will be playing at Audley End (one of them picnic concerts) on 12 July 2008.

Kirill

13 abril 2008

La canción de la semana #124

...is Milonga del sol by Enzo Favata, a composer and saxophone player from Alghero, Sardinia. This composition is taken from his 1999 album, Atlantico.

Kirill

30 marzo 2008

La canción de la semana #123

This week's song is Olivenza performed by Acetre, a 'nu-folk' band from Extremadura. Read review of Acetre's 2007 album, Dehesario.

Kirill

23 marzo 2008

La Línea '08

La Línea — The London Latin Music Festival opens on Thursday 3 April with Ska Cubano!

Kirill

La canción de la semana #122

This week's song Te la dejo toda is performed by José Manuel Cobles aka Puerto Plata, a veteran of the guitar tradition of the Dominican Republic. It is taken from the 84-year old singer's debut (!) solo album Mujer de Cabaret.

Me preguntas por ella,
¿Yo que puedo decirte
Si a mí ya no me sirve
Y yo ya la olvidé?
¿Que te puede importar
Lo que vivió conmigo?
Hoy vive contigo,
Ya la conocerás

Te la dejo toda
Con todos sus defectos y sus modos
Conmigo ya su cuerpo no acomodo
Resultan sus caricias un estorbo

Te la dejo toda
De pies a la cabeza es toda tuya
No creas que te lo digo por orgullo
Lo mismo a otro más le diría.

Kirill

16 marzo 2008

La canción de la semana #121

Last.fm is a very cool internet radio. First, you do not have to register to listen to it. Second, if you do, it will track what kind of music you are listening to and will create personalised "radio station" for you. Third, you can share your tastes with your friends. (Well I am trying to do this last part with our blog anyway.) This week's song is A Dios Le Pido by the Colombian superstar Juanes.

Kirill

08 marzo 2008

La canción de la semana #120

I have never been a big fan of Gloria Estefan, but after listening to No Llores I am about to become... well at least the fan of her latest (all-Spanish) album, 90 Millas. (Yes it is Carlos Santana playing.) I hope you enjoy this music.

Kirill

02 marzo 2008

Flamenco Festival London 08

...starts tomorrow at Sadler's Wells and features stars of this blog such as Miguel Poveda and Concha Buika. Don't miss them live!


Kirill

01 marzo 2008

La canción de la semana #119

As usual, I was looking (without success) for something unrelated on the web when I came across the website of Seattle-based sax player Layla Angulo. Her band is cookin'! This week's song is La Noche del Tambor from Layla's album Live at The Triple Door.

Kirill

22 febrero 2008

La canción de la semana #118

The Renaissance song Din Din has been performed by many vocal ensembles — check YouTube, for example. I first heard this version performed by (then) all-female Afro-Belgian band Zap Mama. Incidentally, that is the only song in Spanish I heard from them, but I loved all their a cappella songs from this album.

Dindirin danya, dindirindin.
Je me levé un bel maitin,
Matineta per la prata;
encontré le ruyseñor,
que cantaba so la rama, dindirindin.
Dindirin danya, dindirindin.

Encontré le ruyseñor ,
que cantaba so la rama,
"Ruyseñor, le ruyseñor,
facteme aquesta embaxata,
dindirindin."
Dindirin danya, dindirindin.

"Ruyseñor, le ruyseñor,
facteme aquesta embaxata,
Y digalo a mon ami:
que je ya só maritata, dindirindin."
Dindirin danya, dindirindin.

Kirill

01 febrero 2008

La canción de la semana #117

Once again, Yasmin Levy was performing at The Junction in Cambridge. My, she and her band were fantastic! This week's song is Irme Kero from her new album Mano Suave.

Irme Kero madre a Yerushlayim
Komer de sus frutos
Bever de sus aguas
En él me arimo yo
Y en él m'afalago yo
Y en el Señor del todo el Mundo
Y en el Señor del todo el Mundo
Y lo estan fraguando kon el piedras presiozas
Y lo estan lavrando kon piedras presiozas
Y el Bet Amikdash lo vor d'enfrente
A mi me parese la luna kresiente
En él me arimo yo
Y en él m'afalago yo
Y en el Señor del todo el Mundo
Y en el Señor del todo el Mundo
Y el Bet Amikdash lo vor d'enfrente
A mi me parese la luna kresiente
En él me arimo yo
Y en él m'afalago yo
Y en el Señor de todo el Mundo
Y en el Señor de todo el Mundo

Kirill