A tip from our friend Aqualung
Galician traditional music has seen a remarkable advancement lately. Yet, in most cases, people have tended to set their eyes and ears on sounds very much influenced by Celtic music and 70s folk music. However, the members of Camerata Meiga try to approach traditional music without any preconceptions. All influences are deemed valid. Much in the same way, the instrumental forces they use, the choice of repertoire and the resolution of rhythms are born of crossbreeding and of the breaking of any imposed boundaries between musical fields.
Galician traditional music has seen a remarkable advancement lately. Yet, in most cases, people have tended to set their eyes and ears on sounds very much influenced by Celtic music and 70s folk music. However, the members of Camerata Meiga try to approach traditional music without any preconceptions. All influences are deemed valid. Much in the same way, the instrumental forces they use, the choice of repertoire and the resolution of rhythms are born of crossbreeding and of the breaking of any imposed boundaries between musical fields.
Camerata Meiga started off as the natural development of a previous musical existence as Xeque Mate (Checkmate). They had recorded two albums under that name: Paisaxes (Landscapes, Clave Records, 1995) and Alén da lenda (Beyond legend, Ediciones Resistencia, 1997). Both recordings and the band’s live tours garnered applause from the critics and were very well received by the public.The result of the musical evolution of its members and their joining forces with three new musicians is this new vision of Galician music which goes by the name of Camerata Meiga.
The musicians in Camerata Meiga have an extended background in Music, written with a capital M, because they find no real differences in it, but just a mere convenient way of pigeonholing: folk, traditional, classical, pop, and so on.
Between March and May 1999 Camerata Meiga recorded their first CD for Ediciones Resistencia. It benefits from the collaboration of Portuguese singer Amélia Muge and Juan Alberto Arteche as producer. The title of the album, Habelas hailas, refers to a popular saying in Galicia: Meigas (witches) do not exist, but... «habelas hailas» (there are definitely some of them around).
Camerata Meiga’s live debut took place in January 1999 at the Ninth New Music Festival in León, followed by a show at the Jerez Folk Festival 99.
01 - Praza Do Ferro
02 - A Tentacao
03 - Brincadeira
04 - Ai La!
05 - Bailai Ben
06 - Camino De Prata
07 - Danza Do Entroido
08 - Da Follina Dunha Rosa
09 - Canto De Sereas
10 - Introduccion E Jota Do Obradoiro
11 - Marcha Do Pelegrin
12 - Adios Meu Menino, ¡Adios!
13 - Mare Vostrum
14 - Hora Meiga
José Amador: violin
Nacho Casas: sax and recorder
Víctor Gil: cello, mandolin, rebec and guitar
Carlos Iglesias: piano, accordion, guitar and Egyptian oud
Miguel Forneiro: marimba, keyboards, accordion, bagpipe
Rubén Giorgis: double bass
Tino Mojón: percussion