Heavyweight classical guitarist Sharon Isbin explores how the Spanish guitar tradition grew from its humble beginnings to become an iconic part of the musical landscape in her latest release, "Alma Espanola."
A collaboration with vocalist Isabel Leonard, "Alma Espanola" documents the Spanish tradition of cante jondo or "deep song," in which the very landscape of the country is manifested in the music- whose genesis can be found in the Spanish tradition of wandering balladeers, who would sing and play guitar to no accompaniment.
"It was always in context of the lyrics, the music, the meaning, the character," Isben explains of her collaboration with Isabel Leonard. "[It's] just as if you were an actor or an actress rehearsing a show for an audience of a play, and you have to get into the spirit of it."
Listen to the entire interview with Of Note's Katy Henriksen in the streaming link above.
