MEDINA AZAHARA [AKA: PASEANDO POR LA MEZQUITA]

In the second half of the Sixties an increasing amount of young musicians in the southern Spanish province Andalusia started to incorporate the traditional flamenco of their region in a wide range of musical styles, from rock, psychedelia, and jazz to jazzrock, blues and symphonic rock. Interesting proto-Rock Andaluz are Sabicas with Joe Beck (also featuring Tony Levin) and Smash. This culminated in the mid-Seventies into the socalled Rock Andaluz movement, speerheaded by the legendary and highly acclaimed trio Triana. Other fascinating Rock Andaluz bands/artists: Cai, Alameda, Quadalquivir, Mezquita, Iman, Azahar, Montoro, Mantra, Diego de Moron, Vega, Tarantos, Gualberto and Juan Martin (Picasso Portraits, with Tony Hymas, John Gustafson, Simon Phillips and Ian Mosley ). The main features of all these bands are the use of typical flamenco elements, from the art of the flamenco guitar and distinctive intense vocals to a strong Arabesca undertone in the keyboard - and guitar sound. Anno 2024 Rock Andaluz is still a vivid musical movement, with lots of interesting new bands, like Alhandal, Taifa, Alpesa, Qamar, Anairt, Sherish, Arabiga, Randy Lopez, Varekai, Vandalus, Zaguan, Saraqusta, Juan Antonio Vergara (Periplo project), Canastereo, Cangrejos, Sacristia and Sevilla Distorsion.

A special mention goes to Medina Azahara from Cordoba, rooted in the late Seventies but last year this very popular Rock Andaluz formation released their 21st studio-album, incredible. This review is a musical time travel, to their eponymous debut album (aka Paseando Por La Mezquita), from 1979, a Rock Andaluz classic. It gained a double- platinum status, which means sales over 200.000!

On their very first album Medina Azahara sounds like a harder-edged version of Triana, but with less obvious flamenco hints. The most important Rock Andaluz element is singer Manuel Martinez with his flamenco inspired vocals, on stage the huge and blond Manuel looks like a mix of David Byron and a Viking, very passionate. The most exciting composition is the first track entitled Paseando Por La Mezquita (a wonderful Morish building in their hometown Cordoba where the original band members met for the first time), the climate is very Morish influenced and the sensational catchy guitar riff turned into the Rock Andaluz anthem, it sounds like "the Smoke On The Water of the Rock Andaluz!". The beautiful songs En La Manana and Busco deliver captivating parts with flamenco guitar by guest musician Paco Cepero. The other tracks are a blend of Rock Andaluz (mainly due to the vocals), melodic rock and Neo-Prog (Mark Kelly inspired synthesizer flights), topped with excellent guitar work, from sensitive and howling to electric rhythm guitar that creates a flamenco atmosphere. This matches perfectly with Manuel his emotional vocals, and fuelled by a powerful rhythm-section.

A very interesting album for those progheads who are up to discover the fascinating world of the Rock Andaluz.