El Naán – La Danza de Las Semillas (El Naán, 2017)
La Danza de Las Semillas (Dance of the Seeds) is the new crowdfunded album by Spanish band El Naán. The ensemble got together in 2009 inspired by the traditional music of the Iberian Peninsula as well as Cuban music and other global influences. El Naán is based in the Cerrato region of Palencia province, a depopulated area in northern Spain.
On La Danza de Las Semillas, the seven musicians deliver a superb mix of contemporary Spanish folk harvest songs and lullabies, Afro-Cuban chants and rhythms, folk-rock, and more.
El Naán uses a wide range of musical instruments, incorporating entrancing Spanish frame drums, numerous unconventional percussion instruments from various musical traditions, mesmerizing shepherd flutes, sound effects of wolves and storms, bouzouki, whistling, saxophones, electric guitar, and expressive male and female lead vocals and choruses. The band uses modern musical arrangements that borrow from jazz, world music and rock influenced by groundbreaking Spanish folk music artist Eliseo Parra.
The lineup includes Carlos Herrero on lead vocals, bouzouki, Cuban tres, and pandero (Spanish frame drum); César Díez on bass; Adal Pumarabín on drums and percussion; Javier Medíavilla on electric guitar and backing vocals; Héctor Castrillejo on flutes, backing vocals, percussion; César Tejero on alto, tenor and soprano saxophone; and María Alba on lead and backing vocals, percussion. Guest: Jorge Arribas on accordion.
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.
