reviews
18 September 2005
Spanish flamenco meets Scottish hip hop in this engaging, off beat hour of music and dance. At its centre is mild-mannered Ricardo Garcia, bearded bespectacled and benign. Until,that is, his fingers begin to tease the duende of flamenco out of his acoustic guitar, in original compostions as stylistically diverse as rondena from Malaga and alegria of Cadiz.Then all the passion and colour of Spain pours into the spotlight around him. When fine featiured, nimble footed La Karena adds her staccato tattoo of heels, hands and castanets to percussioist Emad's cajon and darbouka drum rhythms, the illusion is complete. Sharing her limelight is Scots dancer Nico Major, who dresses like a gangsta rapper's henchman and moves with the facility of the Gloved One. He paws the ground with the aggression of a bull, however La Karena responds to the challenge with fancy footwork and a flounce of her hem. As she executes a nifty solo of on the spot taps and travelling stomps, he tenderly paints her picture in the same scarlet as her dress. It's funny, passionate and as nutty as fine jerez. As Garcia says more than once - OLE. -LP