(Language Lab
Holdings)
This following is an introduction to the materials available at the
Language Laboratory (SWC 203) that deal with the musics of Spain and Spanish
America. These materials can be
consulted in the Lab or checked out overnight.
We have also included selected websites on related topics.
Flamenco
Generally considered the national music of Spain, Flamenco emerged in Andalucía in Southern Spain in the 18th Century. It is an original blend of Romani (Gypsy), Moorish, Sephadic and local Andalucian musical cultures with the Roma playing a predominant role in its development.
Materials available at the Language Laboratory (SWC 203):
Flamenco (CD-ROM) (English)
This is an encyclopedia in English devoted to Flamenco.
La Noche Flamenca (DVD) (Spanish with English subtitles)
A live performance filmed in a “tablao” (=Flamenco club)” in Sevilla featuring dancers José Galván and Pastora Galván.
“Flamenco” (VHS) and “Sevillanas” (VHS)
Two films by renowned Spanish director that feature the very best flamenco singers, dancers and guitarists. Highlights of “Flamenco” include songs by El Chocolate, Agujetas, José Mercé, Carmen Linares and Fernanda de Utrera; “Sevillanas” contains a memorable performance by the late Camarón de la Isla.
El Chocolate “Mis 70 años con el cante” (CD)
Antonio Núñez Montoya, better known as “El Chocolate” is one of the foremost exponents of “cante jondo”, the flamenco vocal style. When this CD was released in 2001 it was hailed as a brilliant expression of the purest and deepest flamenco tradition. El Chocolate is one of the featured performers in Carlos Saura’s film “Flamenco” (see above).
Websites
Flamenco
Flamenco World (Spanish-English)
http://www.flamenco-world.com/indice.htm
A bilingual (Spanish-English) commercial site, Flamenco World’s store offers an exhaustive selection of CDs, videos/DVDs, books, instructional materials, musical instruments, Flamenco clothing and accessories. It also contains photo galleries, interviews and articles which make it an invaluable online source for information on Flamenco. Finally, at Flamenco World the visitor can listen online to complete versions of hundreds of songs and download (descargar) two dozen songs. Here is the link to their history of flamenco in Spanish: http://flamenco-world.com/what/ques.htm
Vocabulario de términos flamencos (Spanish)
http://personal1.iddeo.es/pflamencaacr/vocabu.html
Interview with “El Chocolate” (Spanish)
http://www.flamenco-world.com/artists/elchocolate/echocolat.htm
Spain
El País (Spanish (there is also an abridged English version)
Spain’s leading newspaper for news on current events, society, the arts, sport, etc.
Tu Gueb: El Portal de Gazeta Universitaria
http://www.tugueb.com/ (Spanish)
A website geared towards Spanish students.
Andalucía
As indicated above, Andalucía is the birthplace of flamenco. Here are a few sites to help you explore this fascinating region of Spain:
Web oficial del Turismo Andaluz
Andalucia.com (Spanish-English)
http://www.esp.andalucia.com/home.htm
Andalucía en la Red (Spanish)
Andalucía TV Producciones
http://www.canalsur.es/Informativos/EmisionesDirecto/atv.html
Live Real Audio television from Andalucia
The Roma
Fleeing war and persecution in Northern India, the Roma migrated across Asia and Europe and arrived in Spain in significant numbers in 1447. They were instrumental in the development of flamenco and remain among the foremost practitioners of the art. Here a few sites to learn about this often misunderstood and persecuted people:
Los gitanos en España
http://www.unionromani.org/histo.htm
Romani.org Home Page
Here is some more music from Spain:
Manu Chao
Manu Chao was born to Spanish parents in France which he grew up. He was the leader of the influential French group Mano Negra and then went on to multi-platinum success as a solo artist. Most of Manu’s songs are in Spanish.
Official Home Page
Lyrics to Manu Chao’s songs (Spanish, French, English, Arabic)
http://www.raffiniert.ch/lmanuch.html#e2
RadioChango
http://www.radiochango.com/espanol/artistas/manu_chao.php3 (Spanish)
In Spanish, this site has a wealth of information on Manu Chao. It also has some rare downloadable Manu songs and Real Audio concert performances for on-line listening.
Estopa
Lead by brothers José Manuel and David Múnoz, Estopa has achieved both an interesting synthesis of Flamenco and rock and a sizeable following among Spain young people.
Estopa, Página Oficial
http://www.estopa.com/home.htm
News, photos, biographies, lyrics and short samples of their songs. Of special interest is "Estopario" which is a glossary of Spanish slang that appears in their songs.
Radio Tarifa
This award-winning group blends in fascinating way the different musical traditions (Rom, North African, Sephardic, etc.) that came together to form Spanish music. Radio Tarifa will appear in concert at the Cleveland Museum of Art on September 27, 2002.
http://www.clevelandart.org/educef/viva/html/6490825.html
Radio Tarifa, Página Oficial
Bilingual site (Spanish-English) with their musical philosophy, interviews, photos, etc.
SPANISH
AMERICA
Música cubana
The contact between Spanish and African influence has produced an original and very rich musical culture in Cuba. This section focuses on the music of Cuba and its offshoots such as Salsa and Latin Jazz that have had success throughout the Americas and the rest of the world.
Materials available at the Language Laboratory (SWC 203):
Buena Vista Social Club (VHS) (Spanish with English
subtitles)
The musicians (Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo, Eliades Ochoa and Rubén González) who record and perform under the name “Buena Vista Social Club” were stars in Cuba during the 1940s and 1950s. However, they had faded from the limelight until Ry Cooder traveled to Cuba in 1996 and recorded “Buena Vista Social Club”, which became an over night international sensation. This film by German director Wim Wenders documents Ry Cooder’s return to Cuba and Buena Vista Social Club's first tour of the United States.
Classic salsa (vintage 1974) filmed before an audience of 70,000 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). This concert brought salsa back to its African roots. Cecila Cruz sings “Guantanamera” and her signature tune “Quimbara”. The other songs are sung by members of the Fania All-Stars.
Documentary filmed by Spanish director Fernando Trueba that features Latin Jazz. greats Tito Puente, Cachao, Bebo and Chucho Valdes and others.
Roots of Rhythm (DVD) (English)
Three-hour PBS documentary that traces the history of Latin
music from its origins in Spain and Africa to its developments in the Americas.
A must for anyone interested in the roots of Latin music.
Websites
Buena Vista Social Club
Website devoted to the "Buena Vista Social Club" film and the musicians that appear in it..
Descarga (English)
http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db
Descarga is the Latin America equivalent of Flamenco World;
for all your Afro-Cuban, Salsa, Latin Jazz and Merengue needs and inquiries.
This online store carries CDs, videos/DVDs, books, instructional materials and
musical instruments.
Latin Jazz Network (English)
http://www.latinjazznet.com/news.htm
Excellent guide to Latin Jazz.
Afro-Cuba Web (Spanish-English)
This site contains an endless supply of articles on
Afro-Cuban culture and music.
CUBA
El Portal de Cuba (Spanish)
This site contains volumes of information about Cuba.
Lonely Planet: Cuba (English)
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/caribbean/cuba/
A tourist guide to Cuba with succinct sections on its history and culture.
Afro-Cuba Web (Spanish-English)
This site contains an endless supply of articles on Afro-Cuban culture and music.