American Negra

The dominance of rhythm in African and African-derived music is the pillar of this journey across piano pieces by Ernesto Lecuona and Louis Moreau Gottschalk, deriving from the combination of long melodic lines, often related to popular songs, with Caribbean and, in particular, Afro-Cuban rhythms. These are shown not only in the bass line, resembling drums and percussions, but in each rhythmic layer and in the melody itself. Each piece tells a story that evokes the spirit and energy of the composers’ native lands, Cuba and Louisiana, reflecting their historical and cultural landscape characterised by multifaceted influences. A vivid portrait of the Caribbean culture, in which dance has been used as form of expression since ancestral times, is rendered through this music, with those typical rhythmic patterns, such as tresillo, cinquillo and habanera, captivating and appealing to an European audience and loved by the American and Caribbean ones, unaccustomed to seeing their soul depicted in a music score.

Infusing rock fundamentals with elements of ska, reggae, punk, and Afro-pop since fronting Mano Negra ("Black Hand") in 1986, Chao's grown by continental leaps as a bandleader since then, as La Radiolina's mix of festival-rousing rock, defiant politics, and multilingual lyrics attests.

Various Artists - Duende: The Passion & Dazzling Virtuosity of Flamenco (1994) {3CD Set Ellipsis Arts CD3354}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.04 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 417 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 128 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1994 Ellipsis Arts | ELLI CD3354
World / Flamenco / Jazz / Latin / Western European Traditions / World Fusion

This three-disc set comes nicely packaged with a 48-page booklet. It provides an interesting introduction to the art, although it is heavily weighted toward the ultra-modern style. Indeed, some of the material isn't considered flamenco at all by its performers. The first CD focuses on individual singers, and includes a great soleá by La Niña de los Pelnes, a blazing bulerías by Terremoto, and tangos by Jose Menese and El Indio Gitano. But beyond that nod to tradition, the emphasis is on New Flamenco. There's a soleá by Camarón and a fandango by Duquende, who follows Camarón's approach. The remaining eight cuts – by Lole y Manuel, Susi, Diego Carrasco, and others – are hot off the press, figuratively or literally.