Alan Lomax - The Spanish Recordings: Aragon and Valencia

Alan Lomax was lucky in his visit to Spain in 1952. He caught the regions at a time when the past was still carefully preserved, before the 20th century had infiltrated, if you like. Nowhere did that seem to be more the case than in Aragon and Valencia in the north of the country. He was able to capture ronda songs, quinto songs, and, of course, the jotas which were the staple of Aragonese folk culture, whether from Jesus Gracia Tenas, a skilled and stunning singer who'd won many jota competitions, or "No Puedo Pasar el Ebro," whose two vocalists remain unidentified. Read More