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?

La canción de la semana #895

Why, I was sure that I had already posted this clip by Laritza Bacallao some 10 years ago... But no. Her performance during yesterday's Gala Drag Queen in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria made me check it out. Anyway, it's never too late to share a good carnival song: Que Suenen Los Tambores!

La canción de la semana #894

...is El Ofendío by La Muchacha & El propio Junte, featuring Isabel Ramírez Ocampo aka La Muchacha (vocals, guitar), Miguel Velásquez Matijasevic (bass) and Camilo Bartelsman (drums, percussion). This song appears on the trio's 2023 album Los Ombligos.

El Ofendío Ay, sabe que vengo ofendido Me mataron al parcero con la bala de un fusil Ay, sabe qué me ofende más Que sean dos los que he tenío que enterrar Oscurecía tengo la ruta Entre toas las bocas muecas que se fuman la bazuca Y no es muy larga la triste historia Pero sirve que se quede en la memoria Llegué en la noche a las cinco esquinas Iluminadas por el fuego de la riña Y de las llantas que se queman pa calentarme Todos los rotos que dentro del pecho me salen Y me gritan por los ojos, ojos con hambre Hambre que calman los sancochos de las manos de las cuchas Y los socios y de toas las ñeras Que me sustentan esta lucha, compañera Ay, ay Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay Ay, sabe qué, sigo ofendido Porque siguen disparando con el cañón del fusil Desde los techos y supermercados Con los mismos aparatos de la muerte financiados por el estado "Nos están matando", gritan las paredes Gritan campesinas, campesinos, indígenas y palenqueras Las putas y travestis, las chirretas, las rebeldes Mamas, hijas, taitas, pa que escuchen las pichurrias dirigentes Аy, ay Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay, ay, ay Аy, ay Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay, ay Ay, ay Ay, ay, ay, ay

La canción de la semana #893

...is La quietud de la Huaca by Manongo Mujica featuring the voice of Gabriela Ezeta. This is the closing track of Mujica's concept album Ritual sonoro para ruinas circulares.

Based on the rereading of the famous tale by Jorge Luis Borges "The Circular Ruins", the Peruvian composer, percussionist and painter, Manongo Mujica, takes a new look at some of his great obsessions: the desert on the coast of Peru and the pre-Hispanic ceremonials found there. For years the impressions of these places have mobilized a very personal aesthetic, arising from understanding the desert as a space for inner listening, and the ceremonial centers or huacas, as the representation of a mystery.