Spanish musician and composer Hirahi Afonso (Gran Canaria, 1996) opted for the timple as his vessel to chart unexplored musical waters. Credited with breathing new life into the timple’s repertoire, this Canary Islands native is among a fresh wave of instrumentalists transcending the boundaries of Canarian music. He studied guitar in Barcelona, in mainland Spain, where he became aware of the sound of the timple that he wanted to transmit.
In his debut album, Memento, Afonso featured original compositions fusing traditional motifs with jazz and pop influences. Recorded across Barcelona and New York, Afonso collaborated with Pau Figueres on guitar and Daniel Farran on percussion. Noteworthy is Afonso’s collaboration with vocalists Silvia Pérez Cruz and Judit Neddermann.
Hirahi Afonso’s second recording is Lo Puro. Here, he fuses traditional Canarian music with flamenco and modern music influences. Guests include Valeria Castro, Rita Payés, Meritxell and Judit Neddermann, Vic Mirallas, Karina Pasian and the band Pärbo.
Discography:
Memento (2020)
Lo Puro (Satélite K)
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.