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ROGER
SCANNURA |
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All of
my guitars are flamenco guitars. My main guitar was custom made by
William Laskin in 1987. It is made of Cypress wood aged 30 years and
has ebony tuning keys. I also have another custom Laskin with an inlay
of a candleabra and traditional tuning machines. The guitar also has
the patented elbow rest. Another one of my special guitars is a Conde,
given to me as a gift by Paco de Lucia.
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When
it comes to the time honored art of flamenco guitar playing, few players
currently on the scene are as fluid and fluent in the genre as Canada’s
preeminent guitar master Roger Scannura. As flamenco fans await Scannura’s
next recording, they are well advised to give a listen to his most
recent release, Noche Flamenca, from his group Ritmo Flamenco.
Having already released five acclaimed flamenco CD over the years,
Scannura is also on the faculty at the York University music department
up in Canada. Anyone expecting nuevo flamenco or anything overtly
commercial or flamenco guitar designed for easy consumption had better
look elsewhere. The opinion of this writer is not that the wide variety
of nuevo flamenco guitar CDs that have come out in recent years aren’t
worth a listen. Far from it. I think its great that guitar fans in
the 21st century can be exposed to the flamenco guitar genre in any
way, shape or form. It’s just that Roger Scannura & Ritmo
Flamenco are the real deal and with a sound that harks back deep into
the last century, they basically take no musical prisoners. Scannura’s
flamenco technique is simply stunning and on his latest CD, you can
hear Scannura performing a number of authentic flamenco techniques
and styles including Bulerias, Rumba, Solea, Silencio and many more.
Scannura is a living textbook on the flamenco genre and Noche Flamenca
will simply hypnotize you with it’s successful technique
Vs. content qualifications. Assisting Scannura on the eleven track
Noche Flamenca CD are Laurence Stevenson (fiddle, mandola),
Kevin Quevedo Smith (caja, djembe, dumbek) and Valeria Scannura
(taconeo, palmas, castanuelas). If listeners could go back in
time to Spain in 1909, this is the music they would hear. Pure flamenco
music with no pretense or desire to be commercial, Roger Scannura
& Ritmo Flamenca brings the guitar magic of old world Spain into
the 21st century with style and passion. Hear it for yourself. 
I
just released my is sixth disc titled Noche Flamenca, an homage
to Jerez, Spain and the improvised evenings that take place at flamenco
gatherings. It is also symbolic of the nomadic life of the gypsies
and the importance of family which gives their life continuity. This
is my most soulful disc to date however, the opening title "Noche
Flamenca' starts the album on a note of intensity with the raging
compass of the hard driven Bulerias. “Burning Bridges” is
a rumba played in the key of the flamenco Taranta which gives this
cut a deep Arabic flavor. “Leyena y Sola” (Soleares) is
the root of expression in flamenco and encompasses a wide berth of
playing styles. “En Malaga” is a live cut from a recent
tablao-style performance with dynamic castanet and violin accompaniment.
I dedicated several pieces to his family members like “Santuario
por Manuel” and “El Surco” flamenco dancer daughter,
Anjelica. Accompanying me on the disc are Laurence Stevenson playing
melodic counterpoint on fiddle and mandola, and my wife Valeria on
palmas and castanets.