Cajóneros

Carlos (Chile) and Oriol (Barcelona, Spain) playing cajón on the streets of Sevilla.

Flamenco Dancing

Bernardo of Anarko Flamenco dancing bulerias, while Oriol and Carlos accompany him on the cajón.The crowded streets are a result of Semana Santa (the week preceding Easter).

Impromptu Flamenco

I met some really cool musicians here in Sevilla, and here they are improvising an impromptu Flamenco song while we were sitting around at a café. Pictured from left to right are Marina, Tyson, Oriol, and Carlos.

Tomatito

Last night, I was fortunate to buy the last available ticket for a Tomatito show. When the show started, he came out alone, and brought me to the point of tears with his musical finesse. After the first song, his musical companions joined him – 2 singers, another guitarist, a percussionist, and a dancer. These guys really knew how to put on a fantastic presentation, and they managed to do it without uttering one word (save lyrics) to the audience. It was certainly awesome to see one of my (many) guitar heroes performing live.

Here is a video clip of the encore, which was interrupted by an usher telling me I couldn’t film. Oops.

Scent of Orange Blossoms

For me, the most pronounced thing about Sevilla is not its numerous attractions, sights, tapas bars, and multicultural diversity. It is something far more subtle, and takes some time before it actually sinks in. Sevilla simply smells delicious. Currently, it is Spring here, which means the sour orange trees lining the streets are blooming.