Tuesday, June 12, 2012

If You Turn on the Radio, Love is 90 Percent of the Music.

     And with the above quote from Enrique Iglesias, I begin an introduction to the wonderful music of Spain. With strong connections to the foundations of classical guitar and flamenco music, Spain holds a rich musical heritage. However, to prepare for our trip abroad I have chosen to focus more on the popular music of the country.
                First, I must begin with Enrique Iglesias. While mostly Miami-based, this gorgeous singer was born in Madrid, Spain as the son of the famous singer Julio Iglesias.  He helped to introduce Spanish music to the United States, performing the first song in Spanish on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  He has also had success as a songwriter and has had some experience with acting. He appeared alongside Antonio Banderas and Johnny Depp in Once Upon a Time in Mexico and appeared on Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother. Above is the music video for Cuando me Enamoro featuring Juan Luis Guerra.              

      Next, there is a hot new artist in Spain, Pablo Alborán.  He released his first album just over a year ago, and since then has had enormous success in Spain. Today, he has 2 hits on Spain’s Top 20 and was nominated for 3 awards at the 2011 Latin Grammys.  I think he has a very unique and interesting way of singing. Also he is muy, muy guapo! Here, he is singing Perdóname. 
               
      Finally, I will mention Juan Magán. His sound reminds me of Pitbull, and in many ways I think his contributions add a similar style to the music he creates. He has collaborated with many famous artists such as Selena, Juanes, and Nelly Furtado. With 3 songs in the Spanish Top 20, he is a major pop artist. I first came across his name when he worked with Venezuelan artist Carlos Baute, one of my favorite singers, on the song Amarte Bien. 




3 comments:

  1. 1) Duncan Dhu was a Spanish group created in San Sebastián, Spain in 1984. Its original members were Mikel Erentxun (former singer in "Aristogatos"), Diego Vasallo and Juan Ramón Viles (former members of "Los Dalton").

    The group's style was based on an acoustic and simple pop-rock with a touch of rockabilly in great contrast with the more radical rock played in the area at the time.

    2)Demolition Arias was a post-punk band of the 80 Spanish, framed in the cultural movement known as La Movida . Their sound, raw, chaotic, sometimes melodic and sometimes cacophonous, was influenced by the post-punk , the punk and psychedelia , in addition to a component of absurd humor defined by some as Dadaist or surreal .

    3)David Civera

    4)ALEJANDRO SANZ

    5)LUIS MIGUEL

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  2. With the recent HBO portrayal of the young Ernest Hemingwway
    during the Spanish Civil War, I was reminded was a good writer he was--that was until I remembered the far better writer who made his reputation during the same time--George Orwell. Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia" remains the BEST English language
    comentary by a reporter who was immersed in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). It is also an Englishman's impressions of Spanish culture. Well worth reading.

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  3. In the June 2012 issue of the New Criterion there is an excellent article about the 20th century artist who was second only to Picasso in his influence on modern art--JOAN MIRO.
    Amazing that in the country of SPAIN, that experienced so much socio-politcal upheaval, it created the world's most vibrant artisitic environment.

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