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34 RECENT FLAMENCO ALBUMS - ESSENTIAL LISTENING LINK TO FLAMENCO ALBUMS WEBPAGE LINK TO SPOTIFY PLAYLIST Spain is surely one of the most musical places of them all and Flamenco is a cultural jewel of Spain. Originating in Andalusia, southern Spain, in the 18th century, flamenco emerged as a unique art form deeply influenced by the region's diverse cultural heritage, blending Romani, Moorish, Jewish, and Andalusian folk traditions. Over time, flamenco evolved into a globally celebrated performance art, encompassing singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), and dance (baile), accompanied by rhythmic hand-clapping (palmas) and finger-snapping (pitos). Its ability to convey deep emotions and narrate stories of struggle, love, and resilience has made flamenco a powerful symbol of cultural identity. For much of its history, flamenco thrived as a subculture among society's underprivileged, serving as an outlet for the poor and oppressed. This marginalization likely influenced its initial lack of instrumental accompaniment, as the impoverished performers could not afford guitars. Instead, flamenco developed as a familial tradition, shared during intimate gatherings such as weddings, christenings, and secret parties, where its techniques and styles were passed down through generations. It wasn't until the latter half of the 19th century that flamenco began to transition into a public performance art. The rise of the café cantante (precursors to modern flamenco tablaos) in Andalusia, and later Madrid, marked a significant turning point. This period, known as the Golden Age of Flamenco, also saw the introduction of the flamenco guitar as a standard instrument. The master luthier Antonio de Torres Jurado revolutionized its design to suit flamenco's dynamic needs, enhancing its volume to compete with the powerful voices of the cantaores (singers) and the percussive footwork of the bailaores (dancers). He achieved this by enlarging the guitar's body and using lighter woods, such as cypress, instead of rosewood. By the early 20th century, however, the popularity of the café cantante waned, and flamenco transitioned into larger venues like theaters and bullrings during the era of Ópera Flamenca. The Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and the subsequent Franco dictatorship posed significant challenges to flamenco's survival. The Catholic Church condemned the art form as immodest, and informal performances were prohibited. In the 1950s, however, the Franco regime shifted its stance, recognizing flamenco's potential as a cultural symbol to attract international tourism. A marketing campaign promoting Spain as the land of exotic flamenco dancers proved highly successful, drawing millions of visitors and fueling an economic boom in the 1960s. By the time Franco's dictatorship ended in 1975, flamenco was deeply embedded in Spain's national identity. In 2010, UNESCO declared flamenco an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its rich history, emotional depth, and cultural significance. From its humble beginnings as a voice for the marginalized to its status as a global symbol of Spanish culture, flamenco remains a testament to the resilience and creativity of the human spirit. Musical Structure and Styles Flamenco music is characterized by its intricate rhythms, expressive melodies, and improvisational nature. It comprises various palos (styles), each with unique rhythmic patterns, themes, and emotional tones. Common palos include the melancholic soleá, the festive alegrías, the dramatic seguiriya, and the lively bulerías. The singer (cantaor) plays a central role in flamenco, delivering soul-stirring lyrics that often explore themes of love, death, poverty, and the human spirit. These lyrics are deeply poetic, rooted in oral traditions, and typically sung with raw intensity. Guitar Spanish virtuoso Paco de Lucia can largely be credited with awakening the world to the mysterious power of the strong and proud emblem of Andalusia that is the flamenco guitar. A payo (non-gypsy) from Algeciras, he revolutionized the instrument at the end of the twentieth century and aside from his own illustrious career, inspired a new generation of gifted artists, who have carried flamenco into the 21st century.Flamenco guitarists employ techniques like rasgueado (strumming), picado (plucking), and golpe (tapping the guitar body) to create intricate, percussive soundscapes. The dancers (bailaores or bailaoras) add a visual dimension, using their body movements, footwork, and facial expressions to interpret the music's emotional depth.

SunNeverSetsOnMusic invites you to sample the magic of Tanjazz again this year - imagining the atmosphere inside the Palais des Institutions Italiennes - and between sessions, a great meal of seafood, pasta and pizza with a bottle of Terres Rouges at the Casa d'Italia. Tanjazz is the annual festival of Jazz in Morocco's northernmost city of Tangier. The lineup of performers goes to new high level this year as it brings the music of Northern Africa and Andalusian Spain together with the improvisational dynamics of Jazz. Omar Sosa | Maalem Majid Bekkas - The festival will open with an unprecedented collaboration between Cuban music maestro Omar Sosa's Afro Cubano Quarteto and Maalem Majid Bekkas' Afro Gnaoua Blues Trio. Mulatu Astatke - the father of Ethiopian jazz, a percussionist and arranger at heart, who will revisit the most famous titles from his discography. Hoba Hoba Spirit - a multilingual mainstay of the Moroccan scene of the past two decades, blending gnaoua and rock Maalem Hamid Al Kasri - One of Morocco's best known Gnaoua Masters, fusing jazz, reggae, rock with Guembri rhythms. Keziah Jones - Nigerian singer-songwriter, the master of "Blufunk" - a fusion of blues, funk and African rhythms Gypsy Kings - originally formed in France, they rose to global fame playing a blood-stirring blend of Catalan, rumba, flamenco, salsa and pop. Urban Folklore - a Moroccan group known for its rearrangements of jazz standards mixing progressive rock with rhythmic rhythms with exotic sounds Nirek Mokar - the French pianist nicknamed the "Little Prince of Boogie" is a talented musician who captivates all audiences with his style of blending swing, blues and rock’n’ roll. Lazcar Volcano - French artists mixing ancestral songs (Maloya, Samba, Son Cubano) with urban rebellion (Hip Hop, Afro Beat, Funk). Roberto Fonseca & La Gran Diversion - Buena Vista Social Club (Cuba) virtuoso and former pianist bringing the lively nights of the 1930s Cuban Cabin to the stage. Sugarpie & the Candymen - another French band, led by the radiant voice of Lara Ferrari, have been enchanting Europe for over 10 years with a warm blend of jazz swing and rhythm’n blues. Wax & Boogie - a quintet from Barcelona led by singer Ster Wax and pianist David Giorcelli, accompanied by Drew Davies on saxophone, passionately revisits the boogie of the 30s, the swing of the 40s and the rhythm'n blues of the 50s. Léon Phal - a rising-star French-Swiss saxophonist LINKS TO TANJAZZ 22nd EDITION, 2024 PREVIOUS FESTIVALS TANJAZZ 22nd EDITION, 2023 The festival was cancelled in 2023, following the devastating earthquake in Al Haouz province, south west of Marrakesh, in central Morocco. TANJAZZ 21st EDITION, 2022 The Festival was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. TANJAZZ 20th EDITION 2019

This month we journey to Taiwan to capture the best music we could find from the past couple of years. Having lived in Taipei for a few years, we have great affection for this island of striking contrasts, whose diversity of cultures and environments is reflected in the music. Our playlist ranges from the serenity of Debby Wang's and Chien Chien Lu's vibraphonic jazz to the intense wall of sound of Dharma's death metal Buddhist chanting - with experimental, folk, soul and much more in between We hope you're as surprised and entertained as we have been, Link to the SunNeverSetsOnMusic Web Page Read extracts from reviews of each album and link to the original source Link to the Youtube Playlist One track from each album, with a video or audio subject to availability. Link to the Spotify Playlist All albums are included in full. Play the entire album or set Spotify to "shuffle"

As our 2024 World Tour of music continues, we're in Australia to capture the best albums released there in the first half of 2024. It's an impressive output, with more than 40 artists featured. Classy albums came from a few "household-names" - Peter Garrett, Crowded House and Jessica Mauboy - each incrementally refreshing their familiar brands. But the standouts, the most challenging and interesting new releases, came from less famous acts - Hiatus Kaiyote, The Dirty Three, Emma Vollard, Audrey Powne, Max König, Mildlife, Maddison Carter and Yirinda. All these albums are likely to make it onto our end-of-year lists. But these are the cream of a very rich mix. So check out our full list - there's fabulous music throughout. Here's a few ways to do so: Link to SunNeverSetsOnMusic Web Page Read extracts from reviews of each album and link to the original source Link to Spotify Playlist All albums are included in full. Play the entire album or set Spotify to "shuffle" Link to YouTube Playlist One track from each album, with a video or audio subject to availability.

This month's stopover on Sun Never Sets On Music's 2024 World Tour is to sample the music of Israel & Palestine, . May songs of peace be soon heard again across the Holy Land. Direct Link To Albums & Reviews Direct Link to Spotify Playlist Direct Link to YouTube Playlist

SunNeverSetsOnMusic's world tour of music continues to it's 5th destination, as we swing back to Morocco to check on some of the artists scheduled to appear at the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, which is held within the ancient walls of that mind-blowing city, in late May each year. The festival attracts established and emerging world class artists every year, who play to awed audiences whose musical experience is invariably broadened thanks to by the enlightened organising committee's broad definition of the "sacred" in world music. Abderrafia Zouitene, President of the organisers, "Foundation Esprit De Fes", writes: "The peaceful coexistence of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity has forged a dynamic and diverse society in Andalusia, known as the “Golden Age,” envied by the world. This era exemplifies the heights of achievement possible when diverse faiths unite in tolerance and understanding. This ethos of peace and mutual respect continues vibrantly in the Kingdom of Morocco, with Fez standing as a stellar example." Link to SunNeverSetsOnMusic web page Link to Spotify Playlist Link to YouTube Playlist Artists who have appeared in previous years include: Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Bjork, Ben Harper, Paco de Lucia, Ravi Shankar, Sabah Fakhri, Kadhem Saher, Mounir Bachir, Asmaa Lamnawwar, Wadi Al Safi, Julia Boutros, Sheikh Yassin Al Tuhami, William Christie, Barbara Hendricks, Jessie Norman, Jordi Saval, Tereza Berganza, Montserrat Figueras, Jean-Claude Casadessus, Arch Shepp, Randy Weston, Youssou N’Dour and Salif Keita. This years performers, in order of performance, include: Alain Weber (Director, France), Artists from Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, India, Spain, Egypt, Italy, Armenia, France, and Morocco - Opening Performance: "Creation - Zyriab Or The Fifth String” Manu Théron (Director, France), Women’s Choir Of The Occitan Countries, Artists from France, Spain, Italy, and Monaco - "Madelena" Sami Yusuf  (UK) - "Sami Yusuf In Concert" Vincent Moon (France) – "A Cinematographic Ritual" Naïssam Jalal (France / Syria) – "Healing Rituals" Creation Yatra: Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Sufi voices of Desert Slide, The Divana Ensemble, Anwar Khan Manganiyar (Rajasthan, India), Justin Adams (UK), Cherifa Adil Jebbari, Hamadcha Brotherhoods (Morocco) - "SAFAR - From the Palaces of Rajasthan to the Gates of Andalusia" Loup Barrow (France), Flute J.A Jayant (India) - "Crystal Winds" Khadija El Afrit / Ensemble Musiqât (Tunisia) – "Istikhbâr" Flute J.A Jayant (India) – "The Art Of Carnatic Flute" Trio Three Lines Isabelle Courroy, Marine Sablonnière, Henri Tournier (France) - "Trio Three Lines" Constantinople Ensemble: Kiya Tabassian, Ablaye Cissoko, Patrick Graham (Montreal, Canada) - "Traversées: Between Africa and Persian Music. Griot Words and Sufi Poetry" Wang Li and Wu We (China) - "Les Harmoniques Du Ciel, The Harmonics of the Soul" Scuola Cantorum Basilensis Ensemble (Switzerland) - "Sacred Music Recital" Franzy, Davide, and Cibran (Galicia, Spain) featuring Amazigh singer Cherifa Kersit (Morocco) - "Galician Musical Roots" Young Musicians European Orchestra (Morocco) - "Stabat Mater" DuOuD (France) and Mahmoud Gomaa (Egypt) - "Goma Tribe" Treibhorn (Switzerland) - "Treibhorn" Asif Ali Khan, The Ensemble Santoo Khan Qawwal & Party (Pakistan) - "Asif li Khan, Master Of Qawwali" Vicente Amigo (Cordoba, Spain) – "The Master Of Cordoba – Flamenco Guitar" Accademia Del Piacere And The Artean Ensemble (Spain) - "Romances" Conductor Pascal Horecka, Gospel Philharmonic Experience, Contemporary Orchestral Ensemble (France), Kim Burrell (USA) - "Gospel Philharmonic Experience with Kim Burrell & the Contemporary Orchestral Ensemble" Tariqa Saqualiya (feat. vocalists Samaa and Madih), Tariqa Hamdouchiya (feat. Noureddine Bennouna), Tariqa Tijaniya (feat. Mouhcine Naourach), Tariqa Aissaouiya (feat. Saïd Guissi – Abdellah Yaakoubi, Adnane Nafie, Abdessamad Hadef) (Morocco) - "Sufi Nights"

This month Sun Never Sets On Music visits Morocco, as we tour the globe in search of the best music worldwide. Morocco has a special place in SunNeverSetsOnMusic's heart - after all, we spent a few good years living there and we were enchanted by the architecture, the music, the culture and the wonderful people of this timeless land. For this month's playlist, we have collected our favourite music from some of the many musical streams that are heard in Morocco. Selections range from Amazigh (Berber), Andalusian (Arabic Iberian) and Chaabi (Popular Music) to Gnawa (Desert Blues), Malhun (Poetry), Sufi (Devotional Trance) and more. ​ The scope of Moroccan music is breathtaking and we have most likely missed many "essential" artists, if not entire genres. Nonetheless, we hope you enjoy our selections and we look forward to the next stop on our world tour. Link to Web Page Direct Link To Spotify Playlist

It's February - the month of Carnival in Brazil! So Stage 2 of SunNeverSetsOnMusic's virtual world tour takes us to Brazil, as we continue our search of the best new music from around the world With its roots deep in indigenous heritage, overlaid by centuries of African and Portuguese influence, we find Samba (the pulse of Carnival!)and a vibrant new music scene that is thriving despite its relative linguistic and geographical isolation. Internationally, Brazilian music is probably best known in the work of of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gilberto Gil, Joao (and Astrud) Gilberto and Sergio Mendes. At home, Brazilians would add the names of Roberto Carlos, Chico Buarque de Hollandia, Marisa Monte, Gal Costa, Jorge Ben Jor and Elis Regina. And the top ten best-selling artists domestically includes Carlos, Nelseon Goncalves, Angela Maria, Rita Lee, Tonico & Tinoco, XuXu, Benito di Paula, Nelson Ned, Raca Negra, Chitaozinho & Xororo. The genre groups that these artist represent is an indication of the breadth of popular taste that is unique to Brazil, that includes Samba, Sertanejo, Brega, Pagode, MPB Rock & Children's music. Helping us find our way wepay tribute to the wonderful https://musicainstantanea.com.br/ - the Pitchfork, Rolling Stone or NME of Brazil - which gave us great insight into the music. Esperamos que você goste de nossas seleções! Vejo você em breve! We hope you enjoy our selections! See You Soon! Link to Web Page Link Direct To Spotify Playlist

In 2024 SunNeverSetsOnMusic invites you on a virtual world tour in search of the best new music from around the world. Our first destination is Japan, where we find a new generation of Japanese artists who have embraced the century-old Japanese love of jazz and are bringing a fresh approach to everything they do - world-aware and ever-informed by their Japanese heritage. This vibrant, inter-connected music community, includes expatriate artists who have set up bases in Europe, North America and Australia. We hope you enjoy! See You Soon! 楽しんでいただければ幸いです。 また近いうちにお会いしましょう！ Tanoshinde itadakereba saiwaidesu. Mata chikaiuchini o ai shimashou! Link to Web Page Link Direct To Spotify Playlist

In addition to their "mainstream' careers in pop, jazz and classical music, some of the most prolific and innovative contemporary composers are also hard at work in the parallel universe of computer games. Here are some of our favourite albums in this genre, released in the past year. 2023's Best Game Soundtracks Final Fantasy XVI - 祖堅 正慶, Soken Masayoshi The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi, and Tsukasa Usui, with Hajime Wakai Under the Waves - Nicolas Bredin Alan Wake II - Fried Music, Various Finnish Artists Starfield - Inon Zur Planet of Lana - 古川 毅, Takeshi Furukawa Hi-Fi Rub - Masatoshi Yanagi, Various Artists Baldur's Gate 3 - Borislav Slavov Lies of P - Yeakun Yoo Octopath Traveler II - 西木 康智, Yasunori Nishiki

We hear some of our best music at the movies and on TV and they often expose us to music that we'd otherwise never hear. Here is our selection of the most outstanding soundtracks from the past year. 2023 Year's Best Film Soundtracks BEEF - Bobby Krlic Rye Lane - kwes. Saltburn - Anthony Willis, London Contemporary Orchestra Kagami - Ryuichi Sakamoto Killers of the Flower Moon - Robbie Robertson The Boy and the Heron - Joe Hisaishi Oppenheimer - Ludwig Goransson Maestro - Leonard Bernstein Marbie - Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt Poor Things - Jerskin Fendrix Ferrari - Daniel Pemberton The Killer - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Past Lives - Christopher Bear, Daniel Rosen A Haunting in Venice - Hilda Guðnadóttir The Boys in the Boat - Alexandre Desplat The Crown: Season Six - Martin Phipps Cassandro - Marcelo Zarvos Big George Foreman - Marcelo Zarvos May December - Michel Legrand Master Gardener - Devonte Hynes Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One - Lorne Balfe Knock at the Cabin - Herdís Stefánsdóttir Infinity Pool - Tim Hecker Asteroid City - Various Artists Polite Society - Tom Howe, Shez Manzoor Nitin Sawhney - What's Love Got To Do With It?

Happy New Year everyone! As we do every year, we've combed our monthly playlists for the past 12 months for all the five star reviews (almost exactly 100, as it turns out) and created our "BEST OF" playlist for 2023. It's an impressive lineup that we're sure we'll come back to throughout the coming year(s). We hope you do too! Click to connect to 2023 YEAR'S BEST ALBUMS playlists Click to connect to 2023 YEAR'S BEST ALBUMS playlists