Barcelona Guitar Trio is a music group formed by Xavier Coll, Alí Arango, and Luis Robisco, who present a new musical residency at La Perla del Born. The show reviews the most emblematic compositions of Paco de Lucía with a staging where a constant dialogue between disciplines coexists: the three guitars merge with the percussion of Lucas Balbo and the dance of Jose Manuel Álvarez and Carolina Morgado.
A tribute to the music of Paco de Lucía
Barcelona Guitar Trio usually performs in emblematic venues such as the Palau de la Música Catalana, but in this show at La Perla del Born, the reduced capacity means the audience is a few meters from the artists. This proximity allows appreciating details that are often lost in large theaters: the speed of the fingers, the vibration of the guitar's wood, the dry sound of the heel tapping on the wood, or the complicity established between the bailaor and the percussionist when the rhythm accelerates.
The show pays homage to the figure of Paco de Lucía, but goes a little further: not only will the repertoire be enjoyed, but, on a technical level, the master's art is also respected. This is thanks to the fact that the sound design of the hall and its sound system are under the responsibility of Pepe Cervera, who accompanied Paco de Lucía himself for years as a sound technician on his tours. Cervera brings to the project a great knowledge of the work of live flamenco guitar and ensures that the acoustics of La Perla del Born offer exceptional clarity.
For many, Paco de Lucía is the greatest flamenco guitarist of all time and one of the most influential and revolutionary musicians of the 20th century. Before his appearance in the music world, flamenco guitar was subordinate to cante and baile in a secondary accompanying role. But the Andalusian master changed the rules of the game: he endowed the instrument with unprecedented expressive autonomy, never-before-seen technical speed, and a harmonic richness that opened flamenco to the world.
In addition, Paco de Lucía dared to fuse the genre with other styles, collaborating with jazz icons such as John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, or Chick Corea. He was also a pioneer in incorporating new instruments into the traditional ensemble, as was the case with the Peruvian cajón, which he introduced after a trip to Lima in the seventies. Songs like Entre dos aguas or Almoraima endure as essential themes of contemporary flamenco.
La Perla del Born, a new cultural space in Barcelona
The Born neighborhood adds a new cultural space for flamenco and live music. At number 42 Flassaders street, a few meters from the Picasso Museum, La Perla del Born has opened its doors. It is a venue that is committed to offering intimate and high-level shows that revolve around Spanish guitar and contemporary flamenco.
La Perla del Born is born with the desire not to be a conventional tablao. The project is promoted by Óscar González, music producer and responsible for the Maestros de la Guitarra series. Son of guitarist Manuel González, the promoter has more than 25 years of experience in the show production sector in the Catalan capital and more than two decades of collaboration with the Palau de la Música.
Now, the venue has incorporated the show of Barcelona Guitar Trio, a group that has been claiming and disseminating the figure of Paco de Lucía for years. The group now presents itself in a proximity format to offer a more direct and authentic experience. But the venue's program does not end with the tribute to the guitar master: the space also hosts Born Flamenco, a show based on singing, guitar, percussion and dance that has the artistic direction of the bailaor and choreographer Jose Manuel Álvarez.
The space also functions as an art gallery. Currently, they have a temporary exhibition dedicated to the work of Ana Palma, a photographer very recognized for capturing the moments of artists on and behind the stage.
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