Taburiente

   

 
In 1493, La Palma was finally conquered by the Spanish Crown on Santa Cruz holiday (May 3). 501 years later, a band called Taburiente is celebrating their 20 years' jubilee in Santa Cruz de La Palma.
 

La Palma

Taburiente - A TierraOn his way to Puerto Rico, French pirate De Palo halted in La Palma, using the opportunity to take over a defenseless settlement called Santa Cruz. Sir Francis Drake was less lucky in 1585: He had to turn back with his 30 ships and 4000 peasants.

At the end of the 16th century, Italian engineer Torriani documented the population of Santa Cruz as such: Portuguese, Spaniards, Flamencos (gypsies), Frenchmen, and some people from Genoa.

Unlike the other Canary Islands, La Palma has a historically multicultural and multiethnic base. The Spanish colonization (and government) lasting almost 500 years, however, allowed Iberian culture to dominate. Elements of Guanche music survived in but a few rhythms, sounds, and musical instruments. Ever since the late 17th century and especially in the nineteen-seventies, Latin-American music is having a strong influence on popular music of the Canary Islands. In the seventies, mainly the Nuevas Canciones, protest songs from Chile, Argentina and Cuba achieved this. Today, Salsa and Merengue from the Caribbean are taking their place.
  

Taburiente and their album 'A Tierra'

Taburiente is how the Guanches called a big central vulcanic crater of La Palma, 30 square-km large. The three musicians Luis Morera, Miguel Perez Acosta and Manolo Perez came together in 1994, formed a band and named it after this crater.

Following the international movement of New Folk music as a means to express political and social criticism, this three Palmeros aimed to create a new musical language from the roots of Canarian folklore. Taburiente's first album appeared in 1975, entitled De Canaria Somos (We are from the Canary Islands).

For more than 20 years, Taburiente has been experimenting with musical and technical means. Thus Luis Morera and his fellow musicians have become famous all over the Canary Islands.

WIth A Tierra, Taburiente returned to their traditional roots: acoustic, unplugged, with a female vocalist for the first time in years, with a conception absolutely tailored for lead vocalist Luis Morera and the chorus of Miguel and Jose. Canarian music like Sirinoque and Tajaraste are blended well with rock, ballads, Cuban Son and Reggae. There is also a lullaby, a Malaguena, and one song influenced by Arabian music.
  

More info on Taburiente - A Tierra