Here’s your chance to delve deeper into the life of Alejandro Sanz…
Netflix has begun streaming a new documentary about the 49-year-old Spanish singer/songwriter in the United States and Latin American countries.
The documentary, though, is still not available in Sanz’s native Spain.
Netflix had previously announced that Sanz: Lo Que Fui es lo Que Soy would be released last Saturday, August 18.
When it didn’t appear on the streaming site, Sanz’s followers were quick to proteston social media.
On Monday (August 20), the film’s sudden appearance on Netflix was quickly followed by fans expressing their relief.
The documentary captures Sanz’s journey from playing rock songs with friends on the streets of his neighborhood as a teen to playing flamenco guitar with Paco de Lucia, to recording the two biggest-selling albums in Spain and becoming one of Latin music’s biggest stars while remaining “a normal person.”
Shakira, Miguel Bosé and Juan Luis Guerra are among the many other artists who make appearances in the film.
Lo Que Fui es lo Que Soy had a theatrical premiere at the Malaga Film Festival on April 19, and showed in theaters around Spain. But Spanish viewers who have been waiting to watch it on Netflix are still waiting.
The 67-year-old Cuban jazz trumpeter, pianist and composer’s bullfighting song, “La Virgen de la Macarena,” continues its olé-worthy run on Billboard’s Latin Digital Songs chart.
Sparked by the 2003 track’s use an iPhone 7 ad, it currently ranks No. 2 on the chart, right behind right behind Shakira and Maluma’s hit “Chantaje.”
The Apple spot, “Dive,” was shot in Barcelona and features a virile man of a certain age who bears a winking resemblance to Pablo Picasso, who continued to seduce young muses in his senior years.
The week before the Apple ad debuted in early November, Sandoval’s “La Virgin de la Macarena” sold 5 downloads. In the commercial’s first week, the track sold 1,362 downloads.
The song had 35,000 Shazam tags in November, and a total of 6,000 downloads sold and 83,000 streams.
“La Virgen de la Macarena,” also known popularly as “the bullfighting song,” is a classic paso doble, a rousing piece of sonic bravura synonymous with the bullring. Written by Spanish composers Bernardo Bautista and Antonio Ortiz, it has been covered by artists including Paco de Lucia, Trio Los Panchos, Maynard Ferguson and Canadian Brass, but was first widely popularized through a recording of the piece by Mexican trumpeter Rafael Mendez.
The Virgen de la Macarena of the song is a statue of the Virgin Mary that resides in the cathedral in Seville, Spain. La Macarena has historically been closely associated with matadors and bullfighting. In 1920, the Virgen was dressed all in black to mourn the famous bullfighter Joselito, who died after being gored in the ring.
Sandoval’s version of “La Virgen de la Macarena” was included on his 2003 album Trumpet Evolution, an homage to great jazz trumpet players that also includes the Chet Baker classic “My Funny Valentine” and “’Round Midnight.” The album was released by Emilio Estefan’s Crescent Moon label.
“La Virgen De La Macarena” had its biggest week in the time frame ending November 24, when the song sold 2,200 downloads, a 96 percent increase from the week prior. It was streamed 23,000 times, an 84 percent increase from the week before.
The latest chart (for week of January 21) marks the track’s peak at no. 2 on the Latin Digital Song Sales chart, with 3,013 downloads.
The “Dive” ad currently has over 4 1/2 million views on YouTube, and thanks to Apple, new fans of “La Virgen de la Macarena” who may have never been anywhere near a bullring have discovered its brassy, dramatic appeal.
“I’m playing this song right before I do anything!” wrote one customer in the comments on the song’s Amazon Music page.
He may have fallen, but Javier Fernandez has managed to stay on top…
The 25-year-old Spanish figure skater, a two-time world champion, recovered from a fall on his first jump to take the lead in the men’s short program at the Trophee de France on Friday.
The four-time European champion, who was skating to “Malaguena,” performed by Paco de Lucia and Placido Domingo, fell on his quadruple toe loop attempt on the Palais Omnisports ice but stayed calm. He then perfectly delivered a quadruple salchow-triple toe loop combination and landed a triple axel.
Fernandez, who won the Rostelecom Cup last week in Russia, will go into the free skate Saturday with a 3.72-point lead over American teenager Nathan Chen. World and Olympic medalist Denis Ten of Kazakhstan was a distant third, 7.36 points back.
Fernandez, who said he needed to improve his short program after his second place in Russia, was happy with the adjustments he made.
“Although I still fell on the quad toe, I’ve improved my spins and steps,” he said.
Chen, already the first skater to perform four quadruple jumps in a free skate during competition in January at the U.S nationals, became the first to land a quadruple lutz and a quadruple flip in the same program.
“I’m not trying to make history, I’m just setting personal goals,” the 17-year-old Chen said after making a successful debut on the senior circuit.
The Trophee de France is the fourth event of the Grand Prix Series. Held in Bordeaux last year, the event was canceled after the first day of competition because of the terror attacks in Paris.
The Cup of China and the NHK Trophy later this month will be the last chances for ice skaters to qualify for the GP Final from Dec. 7-11 in Marseille, France.
Iberia Airlines is sponsoring a new scholarship in the name of the late Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer and producer at Berklee College of Music, open to guitarists from Spain or Latin America.
According to Berklee, Juan Cabezon Oppici of Madrid is the winner of the 2016 scholarship, which covers tuition, travel and board for a five-week summer program.
The Spanish airline will fund the scholarship in 2017 and “would like to establish this scholarship as a long-term offer for young talented guitarists.”
The new scholarship was announced at the same time as the first screening, in Madrid, of a new Iberia-funded documentary that features the last guitar owned by De Lucia in the starring role. In La Guitarra Vuela, the Spanish guitar master’s instrument, known as La Maestro, literally flies as a passenger on flights to nine countries — courtesy of Iberia.
The guitar reached the hands of over a dozen musicians, including Brazilian great Caetano Veloso, flamenco guitarist Tomatito and Portuguese fado singer Mariza.
The documentary was directed by Javier Limón and Jorge Martinez.
Iberia will screen La Guitarra Vuela on its flights starting July 1.
The 39-year-old Spanish singer-songwriter picked up three awards at this year’s Latin Grammys for his platinum hit “Bailando.”
Iglesias and his collaborators on the inescapable track, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona, took home the trophies for Song of the Year, Urban Performance and Urban Song during Thursday night’s live broadcast from Las Vegas.
Iglesias accepted his awards from Paris, where he was touring, and a taped performance of his hit song closed the show.
Meanwhile, Calle 13 – comprised of stepbrothers Rene Perez and Eduardo Cabra – picked the awards for Urban Music Album (forMulti_Viral) and Alternative Song (for “El Aguante”).
With the two wins, Calle 13 set the record for the most Latin Grammys with an astonishing 21 career wins.
“We are happy. We have 21 (Latin) Grammys and it is a dream. We never thought we would have this in our lives,” said Perez backstage to reporters after the show.
Other winners included Paco de Lucia – the iconic Mexican guitarist who died earlier this year – who won album of the year and best Flamenco album for Canción Andaluza. Colombian singer Juanes won best pop/rock album for Loco De Amor, Marc Anthony won best salsa album for 3.0, and Carlos Vives won for best contemporary tropical song and album.
Venezuelan singer-songwriter Mariana Vega won best new artist and legendary singer Joan Manuel Serrat, who performed, was named person of the year.
Here’s a complete look at this year’s Latin Grammy winners:
Record of the year: “Universos Paralelos” — Jorge Drexler, featuring Ana Tijoux Album of the year: “Canción Andaluza” — Paco de Lucía Song of the year: “Bailando” — Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona and Enrique Iglesias New artist: Mariana Vega
Contemporary pop vocal album: “Elypse” — Camila Traditional pop vocal album: “Fonseca Sinfónico” — Fonseca Urban performance: “Bailando” — Enrique Iglesias, featuring Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona Urban music album: “MultiViral” — Calle 13 Urban song: “Bailando” — Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona and Enrique Iglesias Rock album: “Agua Maldita” — Molotov
Pop/Rock album: “Loco De Amor” — Juanes Rock song: “Cuando No Estás” — Andrés Calamaro Alternative music album: “Romantisísmico” — Babasónicos Alternative song: “El Aguante” — Calle 13 Salsa album: “3.0” — Marc Anthony Cumbia/Vallenato album: “Celedón Sin Fronteras 1” — Jorge Celedón and various artists Contemporary tropical album: “Más + Corazón Profundo” — Carlos Vives
Traditional tropical album: “Grandes Exitos De Las Sonoras, Con La Más Grande, La Sonora Santanera” — La Sonora Tropical song: “Cuando Nos Volvamos A Encontrar” — Andrés Castro and Carlos Vives Singer-songwriter album: “Bailar En La cueva” — Jorge Drexler Ranchero album: “Lástima Que Sean Ajenas” — Pepe Aguilar Banda album: “Haciendo Historia” — Banda El Recodo De Don Cruz Lizarrag Tejano album: “Forever Mazz” — Jimmy González and Grupo Mazz Norteño album: “Amor Amor” — Conjunto Primavera Regional song: “De Mil Amores” — Marco Antonio Solís, songwriter (Marco Antonio Solís) Instrumental album: “Final Night At Birdland” — Arturo O’Farrill and The Chico O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra Folk album: “Raíz” — Lila Downs, Niña Pastori y Soledad Tango album: “Tangos” — Rubén Blades Flamenco album: “Canción Andaluza” — Paco de Lucía Latin jazz album: Tie: “The Vigil” — Chick Corea, “Song For Maura” — Paquito D’Rivera & Trio Corrente Christian album (Spanish language): “La Carta Perfecta – En Vivo” — Danilo Montero Christian album (Portuguese language): “Graça” — Aline Barros Brazilian contemporary pop album: “Multishow Ao Vivo – Ivete Sangalo 20 Anos” — Ivete Sangalo Brazilian rock album: “Gigante Gentil” — Erasmo Carlos Samba/pagode album: “Coração A Batucar” — Maria Rita MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album: “Verdade, Uma Ilusão” — Marisa Monte Sertaneja music album: “Questão De Tempo” — Sérgio Reis Brazilian roots album: “Amigo Da Arte” — Alceu Valença Brazilian song: “A Bossa Nova É Foda” — Caetano Veloso, songwriter (Caetano Veloso) Latin children’s album: “Coloreando: Traditional Songs For Children In Spanish” — Marta Gómez & Friends Classical album: “Verdi” — Plácido Domingo; Christopher Alder, album producer Classical contemporary composition: “Concierto Para Violín y Orquesta De Cuerdas” — Claudia Montero, composer (Claudia Montero) Recording package: “Wed 21” — Alejandro Ros, art director (Juana Molina) Engineered album: “De Repente” — Juber Anbín, Johnnatan García, Rodner Padilla, Eduardo Pulgar, Vladimir Quintero Mora, Jean Sánchez & Alexander Vanlawren, engineers; Germán Landaeta & Darío Peñaloza, mixers; Germán Landaeta, mastering engineer (C4 Trío y Rafael “”Pollo”” Brito) Producer of the year: Sergio George Short form music video: “Flamingo” — La Vida Bohème | Leonardo Gonzalez, Pablo Iranzo & Carl Zitelman, video directors; Debbie Crosscup & César Elster, video producers Long form music video: “El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco – La Película” — Café Tacvba | Gregory Allen, video director; Café Tacvba, video producers
