The pianist and singer are backed by the RTVE Orchestra

S.C., May 2004

'Tonadijazz' is born. Chano Domínguez and Martirio have managed for a new fusion to work out, that of jazz and Spanish folk song. 'Acoplados' "aims for a new reading of folk song from a different viewpoint, creating a new musical scene for it". With these words, the Huelva-born singer sums up the aim of the album at the presentation which took place at Madrid's Monumental Theater on May 18th, 2004. And it was on this same stage where the album was recorded last January, with the participation of the RTVE Orchestra and flamenco jazz musicians such as Perico Sambeat and Guillermo McGill. Together they perform a repertoire of twelve tunes of traditional Spanish folk song.

Martirio presents 'Aclopados' (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

'La bien pagá', 'Torre de arena', 'Ojos verdes', 'Yo soy esa'... They are age-old folk songs, the ones flamenco cantaores have often made their own, but they are presented entirely renewed on 'Acoplados'. And it is thanks to the fact that Chano Domínguez and Martirio have consolidated the fusion between jazz and Spanish folk song which they have been working on since 'Coplas de madrugá' (1997). Now it is in grand fashion, with the RTVE Orchestra, with a big band and with top flamenco jazz names as accompanists, among them, Perico Sambeat and Guillermo McGill.

Martirio says this record is "traditional and advanced at the same time". And coinciding with her is Pedro Piqueras, director of Spain's National Radio, whose music label RTVE Música has published the album: "It is a fascinating challenge capable of joining geographically distant expressions to pay tribute to folk song from a contemporary regard".

It could have happened decades ago, but it was not so. "If Spain's borders had been open in the '40s and '50s, musicians from all over the world would have come to learn our melodies and adapt them to their repertoires", explains the songstress. The fusion might have already been in the air, as Chano Domínguez relates: "Amongst my first memories is the figure of my mother doing the housework while she used to hum the music that was playing on her radio; Spanish folk songs". And at the same time jazz was heard on the soundtracks of Hollywood films, with those songs that came from the same place as folk songs and jazz; from the people. There is not so great a distance between Billie Holiday and Concha Piquer.

Chano Domínguez and Martirio

Martirio and Chano Domínguez are going to premiere 'Acoplados' live in a trio format on June 29th and 30th at Madrid's Spanish Theater. We will have to wait until September for them to offer the orchestra-backed version. As a sneak preview on Saturday, May 22nd, Spanish Television's Channel 2 is going to broadcast the recording of 'Acoplados' made at the Monumental Theater when the album was being made.

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