Acetre is one of the most experienced groups in the Extremadura (western Spain) contemporary folk music scene. Acetre was formed in 1976 and has gone through different stages. In recent years the ensemble has developed a creative musical work focused on two fronts: the reworking of traditional music and composing new songs and pieces in which there is always an ethnic element.
Group members carry out careful research and selection of old songs and tunes that they collect from the rich ‘extremeña’ oral tradition, enriching them with new arrangements.
Acetre is based in the Spanish border city of Olivenza in Badajoz, which links band members historically and geographically to Portugal. That’s why their concerts feature traditional styles from Extremadura such as perantones, rondas, tonadas festivas, pindongos or alboradas extremeñas along with Portuguese verdegaios, fado, corridillos, etc., which provide a virtual bridge between Extremadura and the Portuguese tradition.
In 2000 Acetre composed the music for the soundtrack of the animated film Marina, la princesa del fondo del mar (Marina, Princess of the Seabed). Other soundtracks followed after that.
In 2016, Acetre celebrated its 40th anniversary with a series of special concerts.
The lineup in 2021 included Antonio Leyras on bass; Víctor Asensio on flutes, clarinet and gaita extremeña (Extremaduran flute); Ana Jiménez on vocals and bouzouki; Mamen Sánchez on vocals and percussion; Vicky González on drum set, percussion and vocals; Paco Croche on saxophone and percussion; Laura Ferrera on violin and vocals; Inés Romero on accordion; and arranger and composer José-Tomás Sousa on acoustic guitar and keyboards.
Discography:
Extremadura en la frontera (1999)
Ramapalla (1987)
Acetre (1989)
De malteseria (1994)
Canto de gamusinos (1999)
Barrunto (2003)
Dehesario (2007)
Arquitecturas Rayanas (Nuba Records/Karonte 2011)
Edipo Rey, soundtrack (2015)
A la Casa de las Locas (Acetre, 2021)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.