f you're white and dumb like me, you probably know nothing of the Rumba Flamenca which used to be performed at the end of every Flamenco show. It's the most popular of all the 'palos,' with Roger Scannura finding himself as master of the Nuevo Flamenco movement. Nuevo Flamenco is a combination of 'the passionate gypsy roots of rumba with Afrocuban rhythms.' More than that, it's highly erotic, exotic, either in sugar formula (the high-paced 'Sharia') or diet (the wailing ballad of 'Val Paraeso' is a good example).
The quartet of players:
Roger Scannura - flamenco guitar
Valerie Scannura - vocals, palmas
Kevin (Quevedo) Smith - percussion
Laurence Stevenson - fiddle, mandolin, keyboard
Alvaro Oyarce - vocals, guitar, palmas
The cd may be a short 33 minutes, but time flies when you're flying on the wings of the instrumental 'Val Paraeso,' a delightfully crisp new age kind of Latin, with Roger on lead, the occasional sound effect (birds, ocean) spraying through, joined in by mandolin and vague rhythm. A worldly court of pristine pleasantness.
Yes, speaking of World music, quite a bit of other continents get thrown into Roger's most original mix. 'No Puede' is one such violin-laden creature, with a Mexican style, a gentlemanly European quality, and melodic Spanish cadence, complete with duel-sex harmony breaking in upon the relaxation.
There is magic in store for everyone who wants a taste of the OTHER Latin, the kind that is more authentic, the sort that isn't burning up the charts, but that Is setting fire to everyone it comes in contact with.
f you're white and dumb like me, you probably know nothing of the Rumba Flamenca which used to be performed at the end of every Flamenco show. It's the most popular of all the 'palos,' with Roger Scannura finding himself as master of the Nuevo Flamenco movement. Nuevo Flamenco is a combination of 'the passionate gypsy roots of rumba with Afrocuban rhythms.' More than that, it's highly erotic, exotic, either in sugar formula (the high-paced 'Sharia') or diet (the wailing ballad of 'Val Paraeso' is a good example). 