TRIANA (EL PATIO)

In the second half of the Seventies I became a proghead, visiting concerts from Yes, Pink Floyd, Camel, Rush and BJH. But in those years I also turned into an 'aficionado', a huge fan of flamenco music, visiting concerts from Paco De Lucia, Paco Pena and the annual Fiesta Gitana in my hometown The Hague, in The Netherlands. So imagine how exited I got when I stumbled upon Triana, the most legendary Rock Andaluz formation, just releasing their third effort entitled Sombra Y Luz, in 1979. I was blown away and very soon after bought their first LP El Patio (1975) and their second one Hijos Del Agobio (1977). Then I disovered (thanks to Spanish proghead Angel Romero) other great Rock Andaluz bands, from Cai, Guadalquivir, Alameda and Medina Azahara to Mezquita, Iman, Azahar and Vega.

The great and unique element in Rock Andaluz is the blend of the instruments of the world of progressive rock and the world of the flamenco, for me no other prog category delivers such a captivating, exciting and emotional blend of skills and passion! I have travelled through Andalusia (Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla) and done interviews with Rock Andaluz bands and Spanish prog bands with Rock Andaluz elements: the keyword was always Rock Andaluz, the musicians are speaking this word with passion and pride, because it is in their heart, it is part of their culture, everybody knows what it is about when you say Rock Andaluz!

After all those years Triana their first album El Patio is still my favourite one, for me the most exciting and compelling encounter between prog and flamenco. Just listen to the first composition Abre La Puerta.

It begins with glorious Mellotron choirs, piano and flamenco guitar. Then the very distinctive flamenco guitar blends with piano and soft synthesizer chords. A fluent and tight rhythm-section carries the music to a powerful acceleration with the typical flamenco vocals, expressive and a bit wailing. The rest of this song contains lots of shifting moods that range from mellow with flamenco guitar and Mellotron choirs to propulsive, with powerful drums and howling electric guitar, very moving, and to me every time evoking goose bumps!

The other six compositions deliver more thrilling 'flamenco meets prog'.

Like the beautiful shifting climates with typical flamenco elements: palmas (handclapping), rasgueado (quick downward strokes across all strings) and picados (quick runs on the guitar), along with tasteful keyboards (organ, synthesizers, Mellotron and piano) and fine electric guitar play.

Or awesome interplay between the flamenco - and electric guitar and a bombastic finale with rasgueado, organ and electric guitar.

Or powerful drums and a howling and biting electric guitar.

Welcome to the unique and exciting world of Rock Andaluz!

If you want to discover more Rock Andaluz, see my social comment.

Share this TRIANA review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to TenYearsAfter
• Report this review (#2170793)
• Buy TRIANA music online with PA partners
• Show all TRIANA MP3/Stream
• Go to TRIANA page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Triana (El Patio) page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for TRIANA related discussions