"Bulerias Turcas"

Radio Tarifa's fourth album is an inspired selection of 12 live tracks, all but one recorded in Toronto, Canada in 2002. This band has explored the modes, rhythms and melodies of Spanish and North African music like no other. A fascination with the history and cultural aftermath of Moorish Spain (7th-15th centuries) is central to this music, hence Radio Tarifa's inclusion in two of Afropop Worldwide's three "Musical Legacy of Al-Andalus" programs in 2004. But it is noteworthy that these musicians make no attempt to recreate or retrace history. Rather they take existing music, poetry and reality as their starting point, and create pieces that honor and playfully riff on the past.

Take the giddy opener, "Jota Beréber," a Castilian folk song that gallops to a 12/8 Berber rhythm, and works in long, satisfying oud and flute solos. "Elli Yeddi Haq Ennas" draws on 1960s chaabi from Algeria with the group's charismatic vocalist Benjamin Escoriza singing gruffly, soulfully, about the tragic life of the alcoholic. Two songs brilliantly contrast different aspects of Jorge Gomez's guitar work. On "Tangos del Agujero," he delivers spare, passionate flamenco with the band pared down to percussion, flute and bass. On "Bulirías Turcas," he kicks out fiery electric guitar work. A bulerías is among the most driving and festive flamenco forms, and this one, driven by bass and percussion and topped with fits of breathy flute by Vincent Molino, and wild guitar work by Gomez, makes for the most exciting track on the album.

But there are no weak tracks here. From "La Mosca (The Fly)" a naughty traditional song from Granada played with Berber folk instruments, to "Canción Sefardi," a beautiful, slowly unfolding piece that sets an old man's memory of his father to a 16th century Sephardic Jewish melody, Radio Tarifa's creations bend time, space, and culture with masterful confidence and depth.

"Nina" is a cool, waltzing love song to a Moorish queen. "El Mandil de Carolina" features oud and crumphorn with dark tonality and fierce rhythm distantly reminiscent of Balkan music. Elsewhere, there are hints of Latin American style and sensibility. "Ronda de Sanabria," a romantic, Castilian folk ballad, musters the moody weight and power of a dirge. Every song is a surprise on this the richest and best Radio Tarifa recording to date.

Contributed by: Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org