In 2003, the venerable Afro-Cuban pianist Ramon "Bebo" Valdés teamed with the modern Spanish flamenco singer Diego "El Cigala" Salazar for an incredible fusion of pan-Latin styles on their Grammy Award-winning album LÁGRIMAS NEGRAS. Directed by Spanish director Fernando Trueba (BELLE EPOQUE, CALLE 54), BLANCO Y NEGRO EN VIVO presents a visual companion to LÁGRIMAS NEGRAS with a 19-song live performance recorded in Mallorca in June 2003, as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the album.
The new album 'Dos lagrimas', continues along the lines of his previous encounter with traditional latin music, but this time without Bebo Valdes. The piano sounding on this new album is that of veteran octogenarian musician Guillermo Rubalcaba, another living legend of traditional Cuban music. The 'group' also includes French accordion player Richard Galiano, Reinaldo Creagh - singer of La Vieja Trova Santiaguera -, and renowned Cuban percussionists Changuito and Tata Guines. Also collaborating are other Cuban musicians such as trumpet player Manuel Machado and contrabass player Yelsy Heredia, Catalan pianist Jaime Calabuch Jumitus, Jerez-born guitarist Diego del Morao and Madrilenian percussionist Sabu Porrina.
As a leading star among contemporary cantaors, Diego el Cigala has gathered some young shining lights to support his performance in this spendid, cheerful album. Guitarists vary with track: Paco de Lucía and Tomatito are recognized for their pioneering innovations in jazzy flamenco nuevo; Diego Morao (son of Moraíto Chico) and Manuel Parrilla (son of Juan Parrilla) come from great musical families in Jerez de la Frontera; and Josemi Carmona is the son of Pepe Habichuela.
Diego Ramon Jimenez Salazar (Madrid, 27 de diciembre de 1968), mas conocido como El Cigala, es un cantaor de flamenco espanol de etnia gitana y nacionalidad dominicana desde 2014. Es "Diego" resultado de una disputa familiar producida por su padre y su tio en la pila bautismal; y "el cigala" apodo que recibio de los hermanos Losadas, guitarristas. Crecio cerca de la zona del Rastro, en el barrio de Embajadores de Madrid. Sobrino del cantante flamenco Rafael Farina, a los 12 anos gano un concurso de flamenco y el primer premio del certamen al mejor cantaor de Getafe. En 1997 publica Undebel, su primer disco en solitario, donde colaboran entre otros Tomatito y Paquete. En el 2000,
This album pairs one of the greatest flamenco singers of today, cantaor Diego El Cigala, with one of Cuba's finest Afro-Cuban pianists, Bebo Valdes. With Valdes (father of the great Chucho Valdes) born in 1918, there's a 40-year age difference between the pianist and the singer, but they do a fine job crossing generations and oceans to discover the commonalities between Caribbean and the Iberian music, coming up with a romantic marriage of the two cultures using rumbas, guajira, sons and boleros. Lagrimas Negras has won Latin Grammy Award of 2004 for Best Traditional Tropical Album.
Triana is the most legendary progressive rockband in Spain. Formed in 1974, the band were known for blending elements of progressive rock and flamenco music to make a style known as Andalusian rock or flamenco rock. "Quiero Contarte" is a triple album paying homage to Triana featuring, on the one hand a selection of the most emblematic songs from the 7 recorded albums by the legendary Andalusian rock band on two of the CDs. On the other, a CD featuring the album "Tributo a Jesús de la Rosa". This CD, produced by Gonzalo García-Pelayo, features 17 cover versions of their songs and played by famous modern spanish musicians (andaluz bands Alameda & Medina Azahara among them).