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  Javier Ruibal
Sahara (Riverboat Records,
2003)
The Sahara Desert has been coming up a lot lately with world music recordings
and now, Sahara comes up as the title of flamenco artist Javier Ruibal's first
international release. Javier is one of Spain's best kept secrets and he has
been enticing his fellow Spaniards with his poetry and musicianship since 1978.
Influenced by poets Federico Garcia Lorca and Alberti as well as, various
popular styles of music, Javier composes songs that blend Caribbean, Arabic and
flamenco rhythms and vocals. The songs are heavy on vocals and guitar, light on
percussion (African, Latin, flamenco and Arabic) and embellished by string
arrangements, horns and other exotic instruments that act as a backdrop for
Javier's sensual vocals. There is an old fashion element to his music that
favors verse-chorus-verse and recalls the days when women would swoon to the
tunes of Latin crooners and judging from the liner notes that were provided by
David Flowers, a younger generation of women are learning to swoon to Javier's
poetry and vocals.
Javier's songs are inspired by beautiful women and his poetry is mentioned
often on the CD cover and press release, but unfortunately the bard's words are
not included with the CD. The songs on Sahara derive from two Spanish releases,
Las Damas Primeras (released in 2001 on 18 Chulos Records) and
Contrabando (released on PDI in 1997). The track, La Flor De Estambul
features Javier's poetry set to a famous piano work by Erik Satie. The highly
recognizable piano piece has appeared on several European film soundtracks, but
now the instrumental composition has been embellished with poetry. The opening
track, Isla Mujeres appeared on BBC Radio host Charlie Gillette's World 2002 CD.
The tracks, Toito Cai Lo Traigo Andao and Vino y Beso mix salsa horns with
flamenco vocals. Dame Tu Boca and Bella En Lisboa portray Spanish and flamenco
guitar with flamenco vocals. Aurora meanders into Arabic territory that
continues on other tracks.
Numerous Spanish musicians have been marrying Caribbean and Arabic music with
flamenco. And a variety of stellar talent exist within this style of music.
Javier stands out because he creates an intimate relationship with each of his
listeners and he delivers his songs with integrity and passion. You can tell
that he respects the characters of his songs even if you don't speak a word of
Spanish. And like his mentor Lorca, Javier sings about the landscape and people
of his homeland and sometimes beyond. And as quoted by Charlie Gillette, "I
like Javier very much....It's from the heart, down here and places you don't
want to know about. His voice. I don't understand the words, but I feel the
emotions." And well, that about sums it up. buy Sahara.
(Compliments of Cranky Crow World
Music).
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