The well-known band from Aragon Biella Nuei, mythical in our country’s folk scene, has started up the second stage of its intercultural and multidisciplinary project known as Proyecto Vaivén. On this occasion, they are presenting an interesting recital in which they especially deal with the meeting points between the music of Al-Andalus and the popular music of its own oral tradition, in which numerous reminiscences live on from that music in the form of melodies, as well as the different musical instruments that will be used in the concert: the albogue (al-buk), dulzaina (gaitá), “vulture wing flutes,” the Arabic oud, darbouka, etc.

An excellent reason for holding this recital is the presentation of a set of drums from Al-Andalus dating back to the eleventh century. They were recently discovered in the San Pablo neighborhood of Zaragoza and, in and of themselves, better illustrate the musical and cultural co-existence that we hope to demonstrate through this show than any explanation we might provide.

Proyecto Vaivén is a musical movement that researches the rhythmic co-existence of diverse cultures, based on the comings and goings of musical genres. The project is an attempt to bear witness to the movement of peoples and types of music in one direction and the other, on a two-way path which unites Africa, Europe and Latin America, but also the mighty river that flows between ancient music and the popular music of oral tradition.

Also taking part in the concert is a rhapsodist who will guide the audience through poems by writers from Al-Andalus. It is a true melting pot of sounds and languages used to demand, for instance, a dignified place for these eleventh-century drums from Al-Andalus, so that they can be rescued from oblivion.