Download informative 'One Sheets' here in .pdf format
The music of Tarik & Julia
Banzi with their ensemble Al-Andalus (www.Andalus.com)
is a fusion of folkloric beauty and contemporary tension epitomizing
our situation in the modern world. Forging a new music that challenges
traditionalists and leaves the adventurous wanting more, the Banzi's
have given a holistic treatment to the oldest, continuous tradition
of art music, the extraordinary Andalusian heritage. Not since
multi-cultural, medieval al-Andalus (c.711-1492 a.d.) have casidas,
noubas, cantigas, Andalusian and flamenco dance merged together
with Judeo-Spanish, ladino songs to combine as living, breathing
art forms.
The evocative lyricism the Banzi's achieve in a pas de deux,
where the beauty of Tarik's oud plays off of Julia's guitar, where
the fierce power of Virtudes vocals and sweetness of Rasgui's
ney bounce off a long, bowed violin line of Chekara underscored
by arpeggiated harmonies of the guitar and punctuated by the darbuka;
these are the moments that made Tark and Julia Banzi catalysts
for new music, creators rather than players.
To see Al-Andalus play is a joy, and one that will make you look
at all art with a different eye, and music with a more readily
challenged ear. Al-Andalus's sonic genealogy draws from a rich
array of root sources -- Arabic, Castilian, Jewish, Romany, Jazz
and African to create a refreshing, contemporary, contemplative
music. Performing with the likes of Paco de Lucia, Yehudi
Menuhin & Michael Shrieve (Santana), teachers to the founders
of Radio Tarifa, Al-Andalus's music has cast a wide and
lasting web of infuence. Most of all, the Banzi's create
music that will turn your head around, touch your heart and your
soul.
