I was in guitar heaven last night - a Los Romeros concert

[Notes_Norton]

Yes I was in guitar heaven last night. Leilani and I went to see a concert by Los Romeros, the premier guitar quartet in the world. What a treat, to hear such great music played with such virtuosity. No amps, pickups, pedals, effects, just fingers guitars and a couple of microphones. Not only was each member "one with the guitar" but they played together as one guitarist with eight hands and 24 strings.

 

Even if classical guitar is not your thing, if you ever get a chance to see The Romeros, don't deny yourself. You will be amazed at what these people can do with acoustic, classical guitars.

 

The Romeros Website

 

Insights and incites by Notes

[stan 58]

Sounds great, but how do they turn it up? Stan.

[Notes_Norton]

Sounds great' date=' but how do they turn it up? Stan.[/quote']

 

Microphones. I saw them at the Kravis Center For The Arts, a huge concert hall, and had no trouble hearing the guitars or even the fingernails scratching the guitar for percussion effects.

 

 

I sat in the "nosebleed" section because in that hall, the upper deck has the best acoustics, paid only $15 per ticket and a half tank of gas to get there. Leilani and I were both thrilled. They played things on the guitar that would be technically impossible for me if I played for the rest of my life, but they never sacrificed the music for the technique. Truly amazing.

 

Notes

[davidg3333]

That would have been a great concert to see and hear. Hope they come out west.

[PP_CS336]

Yes I was in guitar heaven last night. Leilani and I went to see a concert by Los Romeros' date=' the premier guitar quartet in the world. What a treat, to hear such great music played with such virtuosity. No amps, pickups, pedals, effects, just fingers guitars and a couple of microphones. Not only was each member "one with the guitar" but they played together as one guitarist with eight hands and 24 strings.

 

Even if classical guitar is not your thing, if you ever get a chance to see The Romeros, don't deny yourself. You will be amazed at what these people can do with acoustic, classical guitars.[/quote']

 

Notes...I hear you, man. Many moons ago when I was attending Junior College in Orange County, NY, I was studying Classical guitar with a protege of Narciso Yepes (he was from Spain and she studied with/under him there when she was studying Classical guitar). She took some of her students (me included) to NY City to see the Master play at

Carnegie Hall. Wow! It's incredible all the sound a master can make come out of a nylon string, classical guitar with

just two hands, as you said with no amps, pickups, pedals, or effects.

 

I guess I didn't really appreciate as much then what I could do (and can't do any longer without a lot of practice).

That style of music, to play it consistantly well, is very demanding. It requires hours of practice daily, which as a family man and worker for a large corporation doesn't allow me for that type of time. It is a sacrafice to be able to

do something like that and keep up with it. I know first hand what it took and really admire someone who can continue to do something like they do. Some people may not consider these people artist, but let them try to do

what these people can do if they haven't tried it before. It don't come easy.

 

I'm glad you and your lady got to enjoy the show. I hope I can experience something like that again sometime soon. BTW, Happy New Year to you and much continued playing and listening musical pleasure to both of you.

[Steven Lister]

Even if classical guitar is not your thing' date=' if you ever get a chance to see The Romeros, don't deny yourself. You will be amazed at what these people can do with acoustic, classical guitars.[/quote']

 

+1

A reliable source of re-inspiration for me. Every electric player, regardless of style, should overwhelm the senses occasionally by listening to acoustic, classical guitar -- live if at all possible.

It jolts one back to really hearing the roots of what the guitar can do -- as an instrument -- without all of our amplified, funkified effects. Then working forward from those roots, one can soar to greater heights.

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-"

[MarxBros]

I have fond memories of seeing Segovia live. Breathtaking.

[davidg3333]

I have fond memories of seeing Segovia live. Breathtaking.

 

Me too and I saw him in the twilight of his career. I remember he was annoyed when the audience insisted on clapping between numbers.

 

Asturias, although done by many, is still best done by Segovia.

 

Great having the Alhambra as a backdrop.

 

I don't mean to hijack the thread - one more - Narciso Yepes on a classic 12 string guitar (or is it 10?)

[PP_CS336]

davidg3333, That's a 10 string classical guitar that Narciso Yepes is playing "Recuerdos del Alhambra" on. I mentioned in my note to Notes Norton, the originator of this thread, that my classical guitar teacher was taught

by Narciso Yepes and that she brought us to Carnegie Hall in NYC to see him perform. He used that guitar back

then on a few of the pieces he played. He's phenomenal. That piece is quite difficult to play (I was learning

it myself, at one time). He makes it look so easy.

[Notes_Norton]

Unfortunately, I never got to see Segovia, but I do have a couple of CDs. I also have some Carlos Montoya playing his wonderful brand of flamenco music. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to hear him live either.

 

To see and hear an accomplished artist on any instrument exhibiting technical prowess in servitude to the music (instead of having the music serve the technique) is an inspiration to me.

 

When I was in The Peoples Republic of China, I went to a Chinese live show, and didn't understand a word of the speech, but the music and variety acts were easy to understand.

 

During the middle of the show, a young lady played the erhu (a Chinese bowed instrument http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhu that sounds a little like a violin). The music was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.

 

Unfortunately, they didn't have a CD or Tape by her in the lobby, or at least as much as I can tell by looking at the covers (I can't read Chinese, nobody there spoke English, and my phrase book was inadequate to ask that question). But the memory is stored in my brain.

 

As others before me have expressed it, there are only two kinds of music, good music and bad music. I add that of course, good and bad are in the ears of the beholder.

 

If Los Romeros ever come back to my neck of the woods, I'll definitely be there.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

[MarxBros]

Unfortunately' date=' I never got to see Segovia, but I do have a couple of CDs. I also have some Carlos Montoya playing his wonderful brand of flamenco music. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to hear him live either.[/quote']I was lucky to see Montoya live 2 different times. Very enjoyable.

[tramber]

That would have been a great concert to see and hear. Hope they come out west.

 

If you click on MANAGEMENT on their web site you'll find their touring schedule. Here's a direct link --

 

Romeros 2008-2009 Schedule

 

Doug -

[davidg3333]

Hm, methinks this is a good reason to go to Bilbao. Now if I only had the money...