28 diciembre 2017

La canción de la semana #575

...is Dos Caras by the Cuban singer Yaite Ramos Rodriguez, aka La Dame Blanche, featuring Mexican artists Celso Piña and Serko Fu. La Dame Blanche was performing last month at the WOMAD Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

22 diciembre 2017

La canción de la semana #574

...is La flor de la canela by Chabuca Granda, beautifully performed by, wait a minute, Flor de Canela. If you happen to be in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 18—20 January 2018, don't miss them!

Flor de Canela
    Núria Balaguer: vocals
    Marta Bautista: bass
    Xerach Peñate: drums
    Paula Vegas: keyboards

01 diciembre 2017

La canción de la semana #571

...is Maldigo del Alto Cielo by Violeta Parra as performed by Sofía Rei. This beautiful rendition appears on the Argentinian singer's latest album, El Gavilan (Tributo a Violeta Parra).

26 noviembre 2017

La canción de la semana #570

Malvaloca is a project by the guitarist José Luís Sánchez "El Piru" and the singer Aina Espinosa. This week's song is Cabellos de acero blanco from the duo's debut album, Oliva y naranja. Here, El Piru and Aina are accompanied by Matthieu Saglio (cello) and Ulises Pistolo Eliza (throat singing).

04 noviembre 2017

La canción de la semana #567

...is Sentimiento by Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo. This song appears on Loé Loá: Rural Recordings Under the Mango Tree.

29 octubre 2017

La canción de la semana #566

Once again, I come across a cover version which is way better than the original: Colombia-raised, Canada-based Lido Pimienta's take on Rihanna's Work. Camellando is Barranquilla slang for "working". Read more here.

22 octubre 2017

La canción de la semana #565

...is Sólo Para Mí by Vinila Von Bismark, featuring La Mari of Chambao. This is the first single from Vinila's new album, Motel Llamado Mentira.

15 octubre 2017

La canción de la semana #564

...is El Corazón del Sapo by the Madrid-based The Machetazo. The members of this quintet studied jazz at Musikene (Conservatorio Superior de Música de País Vasco), San Sebastián, but it was New York where they decided to form a band. This theme appears on their album 1290 Prospect Place.

The Machetazo: Jorge Castañeda (piano), Daniel Juárez (sax), Nacho Fernández (guitar), Darío Guibert (double bass) and Mikel Urretagoiena (drums).

23 septiembre 2017

La canción de la semana #561

I learned about the Cuban drummer Yissy García from a video by Havana Cultura. This week's song is Mr. Miller performed by Yissy & Bandancha.

16 septiembre 2017

La canción de la semana #560

...is Johnny Winter's Self Destruction Blues, performed by Deaf Dogs. This blues-rock band hails from Cantabria and features Marco Pardo (vocals and guitar), Paco Gómez (guitar), Pitu Magaldi (bass) and Antonio Pérez (drums). Deaf Dogs play in El Cazurro (Liencres) on Thursday, 21 September.

03 septiembre 2017

La canción de la semana #594

...is No a la guerra by two bands from Barcelona, La Pegatina and Che Sudaka. This song was recorded on occasion of the 10th anniversary of La Pegatina's debut album, Al carrer!

05 agosto 2017

La canción de la semana #590

...is Afiches by La Lunfardita, the band from Madrid who fuse Argentine tango with gypsy swing.

La Lunfardita are:

  • Carol Dubois, vocals
  • Simon Gumbo, guitar
  • Jesús Peñaranda, accordeon
  • Alejandro (Pollo) Ollero, double bass

30 julio 2017

La canción de la semana #589

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album, El Poder de Machín, Amparanoia released El Coro De Mi Gente — sort of "The Best of Amparanoia", every song featuring a guest artist. And, man, what artists! From Aterciopelados to Chambao to Manu Chao to Marina Abad to Sargento Garcia — not to mention the title track featuring Macaco!

22 julio 2017

La canción de la semana #588

...is Señorita performed by Chick Corea and Béla Fleck. On Monday, 17 July 2017, I was lucky to see and hear this fantastic duo performing live in Jardines de Viveros, Valencia.

02 julio 2017

La canción de la semana #585

Continuing with jazz: this week's song is Diga Diga Doo by the wonderful Valencian Le Dancing Pepa Swing Band. I was lucky to see their performance two weeks ago at the Mar i Jazz festival.

25 junio 2017

La canción de la semana #584

Yesterday I went to see Gran Canaria Big Band playing in the gardens of Palau de la Música de València. Now on their 20th anniversary tour, GCBB were presenting Jazzethnic, the program based on fusion of modern jazz and Canarian folklore. OK, perhaps that doesn't sound terribly exciting but believe me, it was a magical night that any jazz lover (even of the Canarian folklore-hating variety) would enjoy. A lot. I also learned, much to my surprise, that GCBB has its roots in Valencia.

This week's song is Chipude by José Antonio Ramos as interpreted by GCBB, with invited timplista Germán López.

19 mayo 2017

La canción de la semana #579

A weird, unsettling and mesmerising Paraguaya by Juana Molina, from the Argentine "folktronica" artist's new (weird, unsettling and mesmerising) album Halo.

28 abril 2017

La canción de la semana #576

Finally! Following a few days of cyberspace riddles (Mi gente! Adivinen cómo se llama mi nueva canción! or ¿Ya saben cómo se llama mi nuevo sencillo?), Lila Downs has revealed the amazing new song, Peligrosa, from her forthcoming 10th studio album — to be released next month, woohoo!

12 abril 2017

La canción de la semana #574

Los Hijos de la Montaña is a collaboration between Sergio Mendoza, of Orkesta Mendoza fame, and Luz Elena Mendoza, a singer of Y la Bamba, an indie folk pop band from Portland, Oregon. (They are not related to each other). This week's song is Amor de lejos from their eponymous album.

02 abril 2017

La canción de la semana #572

...is Madres by young and incredibly talented Cuban singer, composer and bandleader Daymé Arocena. Daymé's new album Cubafonía is out now.

03 marzo 2017

La canción de la semana #568

Fantasía para un gentilhombre (1954) by Joaquín Rodrigo is based on music of the 17th-century Spanish composer Gaspar Sanz. The fourth movement of Fantasía is called Canario. I really like the Emerson, Lake & Palmer's version of this composition, which appears on the band's 1978 album Love Beach.

25 febrero 2017

La canción de la semana #567

Hotel California, arguably the most famous recording of the Eagles, was released forty years ago, and was covered since by almost everybody. Here's a Spanish-language version (bar "such a lovely place" which was probably deemed untranslatable) by Gipsy Kings!

18 febrero 2017

La canción de la semana #566

...is Me parece perfecto by La Mambanegra, a "break salsa" band from Cali, Colombia. The band's debut album, El Callegüeso y su Malamaña, is to be released by Movimientos Records on 3 March 2017.

12 febrero 2017

La canción de la semana #565

Maite Hontelé has been already featured on this blog, and for a good reason: she is so good! Last night, she was performing once again in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and this time the weather was just perfect.

This week's song is Perdón, another famous bolero by Pedro Flores. This version, sung by Oscar D'León, appears on Maite's 2013 album Déjame Así.

03 febrero 2017

La canción de la semana #564

I'm sure you heard Safari by J Balvin, featuring Pharrell Williams and BIA. Last year, it peaked at no. 1 in Mexican and Spanish charts and I guess by now everybody has a right to be utterly sick of it. Its catchy kizomba-like rhythm and ridiculous Spanglish lyrics easily lends itself to parody, such as Ella es robusta by Werevertumorro.

21 enero 2017

La canción de la semana #562

Exactly three months ago, when Lila Downs posted this song on YouTube, I hesitated to add it to this blog. Frankly, I was hoping that within a month it won't be relevant any longer. But, alas, it is, very much. With Women's March on Washington and Sister Marches under way, I can't think of a better soundtrack for this day.

Lila Downs — El Demagogo

15 enero 2017

La canción de la semana #561

I just love Postmodern Jukebox. It seems that these guys can make a gem out of almost any song (including creations of Rihanna, Biebs and Britney Spears). Como La Flor is the PMJ's tribute to Selena, featuring the Venezuelan singer Mayré Martínez. According to the blurb, this is "el primer video de Postmodern Jukebox grabado completamente en español", and I hope it's not the last.

    Mayré Martínez: vocals
    Desiree Hazley: violin
    Lauren Baba: viola
    Artyom Manukyan: cello
    Aaron McLendon: drums
    Adam Kubota: bass
    Scott Bradlee: piano

07 enero 2017

La canción de la semana #560

¡Feliz año nuevo! Let's start the new year with Este bar by Tenerife-based five-piece Nicotine Swing. This song appears on the band's new album, named simply Nuevo.