From 1998 to 2003 they
played at such venues as.....................
- Peña La Platería,
Granada 1998, 1999 ( This
is a flamenco club famous
for being the oldest in
Spain, it is a great privilege
to be invited to play there)
- Diá de los Derechos
Humanos Granada 1998,1999
( Human Rights Day)
- Festival para la Solidaridad
con los Pueblos del tercer
Mundo, Granada, 1999 (Festival
in Solidarity with the people
of the third world)
- Dia de la Mujer Teatro
Isabel La Católica,
Granada, 1999 ( Womens Day
festival at the Theatre
Isabel la Católica)
- Peña Flamenco de
Lepe, Huelva 1999
- Festival “Flamencos
Solidarios” Granada
2000
- Festival por la paz y
la tolerancia, Loja 2000
- Festival Flamenco de la
Zona Norte, 2000
- Festival por la Paz Granada
2000
- Gran Teatro de Huelva
2001
- Cartagena 2001
- Festival de Mestizaje
de Maracena, Granada 2001
- Feria de la Juventud,
2001
- Teatro de La Chumbera,
Granada 2002
- Avila Festival de Música
2002
- Finalistas del Concurso
Flamenco Alhama 2002
- Teatro de la Casa de Cultura,
Nerja, Malaga 2002
- Festival del Realejo,
Granada 2002
- Día de los Gitanos,
Granada 2003
- Teatro Isabel La Católica,
May 2003
- La Feria de Granada, June
2003
- Festival Flamenco de la
Zona Norte, July 2003 (
Part of the Festival of
Music and Dance of Granada
this concert attracted 6
,000 people)
- La Cochera, La Herradura
July 2003
- Centro de Interpretación, Sacromonte July 2003
In
2003 along with Harold Burgon and Katrina Edbrooke from Anadalamusica
Taller de Compás travelled to America and Canada performing
at the the World Music Festivals of Detroit, Chicago, Wisconsin,
Indiana and Toronto.
Festival Chicago 2003
9:45 PM Randolph Cafe,
Chicago Cultural Center
* Taller de Compas de
Almanjayar
This young group -- its members range in age from 14 to 21 -- originated
in the late 90s as part of a cultural project (sponsored by the
Gypsy organization Anaquerando) in Almanjayar, a depressed neighborhood
in Granada, Spain, with a large Gypsy population. Taller de compas
translates as "rhythm workshop," and on its superb debut
album, Cale-Cale, the group gives just that. Artistic director Jose
Luis Garcia Puche keeps the emphasis on flamenco rhythms, and aside
from a few cameos -- electric bass on the funky "Rap del Primo,"
piano on "Jam Session por Bulerias" -- the music consists
entirely of voice and percussion. Although the latter includes darbuka,
djembe, congas, cajon, and other instruments, flamenco's trademark
hand claps and foot stomps dominate, propelling a blisteringly soulful
trio of female singers. In its youth and minimalist instrumentation,
if not its musical style, Taller de Compas is strangely reminiscent
of New York underground funk legends ESG.
Taller de Compas blends energy, drive
Spanish ensemble offers unique mix of influences at World Music
Festival By Howard Reich Tribune arts critic Published September
19, 2003
The city's best music festival opened exuberantly on Wednesday
evening, a remarkable
feat, considering that
city officials--in all
their wisdom--had long
since pulled most of the
event's funding. A few
intrepid souls at the
Department of Cultural
Affairs, however, refused
to let the indispensable
World Music Festival go
under, so they raised
funds privately, enabling
a standing-room-only audience
at the Old Town School
of Folk Music to savor
the sonic eruptions of
Spain's one-of-a-kind
Taller de Compas. Though
little known in the United
States, this small but
ferocious unit of young
vocalists and percussionists
has become something of
an institution in Granada,
where it was founded.
Judging by the ensemble's
Chicago show, it's not
difficult to understand
why.The sheer energy,
innocence, muscularity
and rhythmic drive of
the sextet's work clearly
merits a broadly international
audience, as does the
uniqueness of its repertoire
and technique.
Essentially, the band
merges classic flamenco
rhythmic patterns with
ancient vocal chant while
interweaving Iberian and
Afro-Caribbean musical
influences.Yet the delivery
is simplicity itself:
Four male percussionists
fire off brilliant riffs
on mostly hand-held percussion
instruments while two
female vocalists--17-year-old
Carmen Jimenez and 14-year-old
Zaira Santiago--sing intricate,
melismatic phrases in
nearly perfect unison.The
result is a sound that
is born of the streets
yet thoroughly transportable
to the concert hall. To
hear (and see) performers
in their teens and 20s
celebrating folkloric
music with such verve
and commitment is to have
new hope for music that
flourishes outside the
juggernaut of the United
States record industry.
This is a sound, after all, that is too rough, too heartfelt, too
ethnic and too difficult to categorize to win the support of big-time
U.S. record companies. Yet for listeners who yearn to hear the exotic
sounds of foreign countries and culture, Taller de Compas proves
that major discoveries await on the other side of the Atlantic.
For those in the forum
who did not get a chance
to see Taller de Compas
de Almanjáyar in
their North American tour,
I can only say make sure
you get your tickets early
when they come again!
In an explosion of rhythm,
Taller de Compas treated
the Toronto audience to
an incredible show. Andres
dances from the heart
and had stolen more than
a few hearts (mine included)
before the night was over.
Carnen and Zaira sang
with conviction and with
a maturity beyond their
years, while the two young
Isreals demonstrated an
unbelievable mastery of
percussion.
With so much talent at
such a young age, I can't
imagine where they will
be in 10 years time. Anyway,
they "rocked the
joint" and they received
a standing ovation and
three encore calls. The
flamenco community here
is still buzzing about
the show and everyone
hopes they will come back
very soon!
Donna M
Toronto
For more reviews and articles see the following links.
http://129.79.22.9/lotus2003/friday/compas/Thumbs/Thumbs1.html
http://flamenco-world.com/magazine/about/tallerdecompas/taller.htm
http://www.deflamenco.com/agenda/verArticuloi.jsp?codigo=FLA%7C540
https://www.tarot.com/about-us/press/Taller_de_Compas
http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php?story=20030909212229420
|
The
group Taller de Compás de
Almanjáyar came out of a
social /cultural project organised
by the Gypsy Association Anaquerando
(which means ‘We are talking’
in Caló the language of the
Spanish Gypsy). The name Taller
de Compás means Rhythm Workshop
in Spanish and Almanjáyar is
the neighbourhood where they
live.
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