Son de la Frontera

Son de la Frontera (Sound of the Frontier) refers to Flamenco’s historic collision of North African and Roma (Gypsy) traditions, plus Spanish-and-African derived Latin sounds imported from the Americas and Caribbean. Deeply inspired by the legacy of Diego Amaya Flores del Gastor (1908-1973), the group got its start in del Gastor's hometown of Morón de la Frontera in 1995, with two of Diego’s descendants, Paco de Amparo (flamenco guitar) and Pepe Torres (baile & compás/ dance & rhythm), along with Raul Rodriguez (Cuban tres), Moi de Morón (cante & compás/vocals & rhythm) and Manuel Flores (compás/rhythm.) The distinctive sound of the Cuban tres was added to the ensemble after Rodriguez discovered the Latin instrument's dulcet tones through his mother, the renowned singer Martirio, who accepted an invitation to perform in Havana with Buena Vista’s Compay Segundo, and brought one home with her. Rodriguez eventually realized that flamenco falsetas (scales and arpeggios roughly analogous to jazz riffs) could be freely adapted to the instrument’s three sets of double strings. Thus, the final frontier was breached and Son de la Frontera achieved its musical destiny.

"Son de la Frontera, one of the most eloquent flamenco groups of the latest batch, lays its stakes on the direct route. The group comes charging in with rhythm and baile through bulerías.... the guitar and tres challenge each other, alegrías turn West Indian. The two instruments confront each other once more, tripling the fusion. Arab music appears in Arabesco, a zambra ... Moorish, mellow, cajoling. Teasing tangos, Cuban style. Olé to fusions!"
- Flamenco-world.com