Buika--Afro-Spanish Singer (Who's more than just one of NPR's "50 Great Voices")

I did a few posts over the years re singer Buika, the daughter of parents from Equatorial Guinea who was born in the Spanish island of Mallorca. NPR named her one of their 50 great voices a little while back and now she's touring the US. Over the course of five albums, Concha Buika, as she is also known, has used her raspy croon for Spanish-lyric songs that incorporate flamenco, Spanish torch balladry, Nina Simone-like jazz, Gypsy melodies, Mexican ranchera dramatics, American R&B, and Cesaria Evora-style Afro-Portuguese morna.

She recorded her 2009 album in Havana with pianist Chucho Valdes. It's a tribute to ranchera singer Chavella Vargas. I like it alot.

Anybody else listening to her (in addition to the few others who have mentioned her in posts on the Afro-Latin thread)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr950lF-zy4&feature=related

She worked for a year or so in Las Vegas as a singing wig-wearing Tina Turner impersonator

I didn't make it to her DC area gig last night though.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-08-03/news/29862451_1_concha-buika-flamenco-artists-cindy-byram

And then she had to decide to retire at age 39. Ugh

Maybe she will come out of retirement

There's plenty to savor in this film — not least a dusky-voiced performance by singer Concha Buika

She's in the new Almodovar movie "The Skin I Live In"

Maybe her retirement is already ending:

Corea will collaborate with a group of Flamenco and Spanish jazz artists for three nights dubbed “Chick’s Flamenco Heart.” The Nov. 18-20 shows include singer Concha Buika, three veterans of Paco de Lucia’s band (guitarist Nino Josele, bassist Carles Benavent and flautist Jorge Pardo) and drummer Jeff Ballard.

That's gonna be at the Blue Note in NYC

Was up in NYC and saw her perform with pianist Chucho Valdes and his band at Carnegie Hall Saturday night (a sold-out gig). She was billed as his "special guest" (he backed her on an album). She came out after an hour of Chucho and his band and did 2 songs with them. She was barefoot and thanked the audience in a shy manner, and noted how much she enjoys the freedoms America has to offer versus some countries she has been in. She came back and did a 3rd song as an encore. She did some jazzy scatting and wailing that you don't hear in her recorded catalogue. I liked her vocals best when she was more restrained--like Nina Simone singing in Spanish.

She's gonna be in Washington DC at the reopened and transformed Howard Theatre in June

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIxEyKX_FoU

Buika's voice is heard 1:21 into this Anoushka Shankar song on Anoushka's Traveller cd from fall 2011

Not the greatest track, but I still love her voice

Looking forward to seeing her at the Howard Theatre in W. DC on Friday

She's gonna be in NYC on the 24th

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2012/06/22/a-little-bit-enfant-terrible-a-chat-with-afro-spanish-singer-buika/

A mostly great early show Friday night at the Howard.

BUIKA RELEASES NEW CD
"LA NOCHE MAS LARGA" (THE LONGEST NIGHT)
Out June 4 on Warner Music Latina

CD Features 5 Buika Originals + Abbey Lincoln, Jacques Brel and Billie Holiday covers
+ special appearance by Pat Metheny on "No lo se"

So far, it's just me on this thread.

http://www.npr.org/2013/05/26/186256848/first-listen-buika-la-noche-m-s-larga

NPR's got her new cd. Jazzier they say. Haven't listened to the link yet

Well, I'm looking forward to hearing it.

I'll check it out. Thanks, Steve.

Afro-Spanish Singer's New CD
"LA NOCHE MAS LARGA" (THE LONGEST NIGHT)

#1 AMAZON WORLD and #1 AMAZON LATIN JAZZ
+
#1 iTUNES WORLD and #2 iTUNES LATIN

No wonder she's ignored here. She needs an Afrobeatz remix

She's back in D.C. Wednesday June 12th. I'm gonna see her again.

And today I watched her at NPR record a Tiny Desk Concert.

She's too jazzy these days to crossover I must admit.

Jon Pareles of NY Times put the 2019 Santana w/ Buika album in his top albums of the year list. It’s called Africa Speaks.

I listened to the first 4 songs. Buika’s voice is strong and loose but Carlos’ guitar solos are formulaic and don’t always work with her melodies.