Editorial Reviews

Those who haven't spent a large amount of time steeped in Spanish music, for whom the general sound of flamenco may be the only immediately recognizable element of that country's music, might be surprised to realize how deeply Arabic traditions are embedded in Spanish culture in general and in its music in particular. You can actually hear it in flamenco if you listen for it: it's there in the dark, modal melodies, the complex rhythmic patterns, and the urgent energy of the singing style with its emotional intensity and often virtuosic use of melisma. Much of the program on this entry in the A Night In series is, understandably, given over to flamenco and its modern variants. On the more traditional end of the modern flamenco spectrum is Niña Pastori's somewhat overwrought but still thrilling "Los Hilos del Alba," on which her amazing voice is accompanied in the traditional style: by guitars and handclaps. There is a rather startling disjunction between her powerhouse performance and the track that follows: a guitar-driven instrumental by Manolo Sanlucar, a piece whose 1980s provenance is betrayed by the prominent use of truly cheesy-sounding Syndrums. The rest of the program follows a similar pattern; relatively tradition-based songs like Chonchi Heredia's bombastic "Calle Real" are juxtaposed with novelties like Rosario's reggae-based "El Beso (Contigo Me Yo)." The result is sometimes baffling, but generally quite enjoyable. Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

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