Nerja Rafael Riqueni

• 1 Jóvenes 08:15
• 2 Mareva 03:54
• 3 Rumores 02:24
• 4 El Loco 04:17
• 5 Vagamundo 04:18
• 6 Bulería del Alma 07:00
• 7 Camino de la Curiosidad 01:49
• 8 Con la Luz de tus Ojos 06:42
• 9 Carrerilla 01:34
• 10 Nana 05:08
• 11 Domalabara 02:44
• 12 Paloma 02:07
• Total Runtime 50:12

Info for Nerja

Rafael Riqueni has been developing original compositions for twenty years, halfway between contemporary Andalusian music, the classical repertoire of Manuel de Falla and Turina or Granados, and flamenco inspiration. He chose as his theme the story of the fortuitous discovery in 1959, in the south of Andalusia, of an exceptional group of prehistoric caves decorated by a group of young people. Like a sound tale, 'Nerja' takes us along in their footsteps with the magnetic Maria Moreno as a guide. With a strong personality and nourished by the purest tradition, the dancer is one of the revelations of recent years.

Nerja is Rafael Riqueni's new work, a descriptive fantasy based on the musical impressionism and closeness to Spanish classical music that have defined much of his career. Nerja takes the form of a tale, which tells the story of young people who discovered the caves in 1959 after a chance incident.

Writing a first chapter with Suite Sevilla in 1993, continuing with Parque de Maria Luisa in 2017, and completing this trilogy of contemporary Andalusian music with Nerja in 2022.

Rafael Riqueni, guitar
Salvador Gutiérrez, guitar
Manuel De la Luz, guitar
Gretchen Lee Talbot, cello

Rafael Riqueni
was born on August 16th 1962, on Fabié street in the Triana neighbourhood of Seville. At twelve years of age, he gave his first performances as a soloist, and at fourteen he won the two main national guitar awards: the Ramón Montoya Prize in the VIII Córdoba Competition, and first prize in the VI National Competition of Jerez. In 1981 he went on to win first prize again in Jerez.

In 1986, Riqueni published what would become the first chapter of one of the most praised discographies in flamenco and Spanish music history, Juego de Niños, where he introduces novel harmonic and compositional concepts that began to define his unmistakable style with classical music influences. His next album, Flamenco, earned a cult following among generations of guitarists. In 1990, he achieved critical acclaim with Mi Tiempo, where Riqueni also composed string arrangements that acted as an extension of his guitar. The next album was Suite Sevilla, in 1993, a conceptual work inspired by flamenco and conceived under the influence of Spanish classical music impressionism. In 1994, Rafael Riqueni published Maestros, where he paid tribute to Niño Ricardo, Sabicas and Esteban de Sanlúcar.

In 1996, Alcázar de Cristal became his last album for twenty-one years. After meeting Paco Bech, the 2014 Sevilla Flamenco Bienal became the stage for his long-awaited comeback, where his performance of “Amarguras” resulted in one of the most celebrated highlights of the festival. Rafael Riqueni received the Bienal’s Giraldillo a la Maestría Prize, “For his universal and unmistakably-Sevillian music, which places him among the greatest masters in guitar history”.

At the end of 2015, he premieres Parque de María Luisa at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, in a concert that becomes a historical success and receives unanimous critical acclaim. The seventh album by Rafael Riqueni, Parque de María Luisa, is published by Universal Music in 2017, marking the return of one of the greatest musical geniuses that Spain has ever produced, a record that evokes his memories from this emblematic garden of eden in his city. Also in 2017, Rafael Riqueni gets the XXXI Compás del Cante Prize, while main newspapers and music press declare Parque de María Luisa masterpiece and the best flamenco guitar album in recent history.

In January 2020, Rafael Riqueni premieres a new album, Herencia, at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville. After an international tour, he receives the Guitarra con Alma Prize at The XXXIV Festival de Jerez…

This album contains no booklet.