Oriental Flamenco, What A Blend!


On Wednesday, November 28th, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina hosted the concert, The Guitar of Fernando Perez: Original New Flamenco Oriental Duets, featuring Ayman Mabrouk on oriental percussions.

First, the artists were introduced by quoting Fernando’s words, which explained the goal of his career as well as that of the concert: “Inside of every person there's a treasure, inside of every culture there's a heaven, our differences make a beauty difficult to understand for many. The journey is inside, there's no need to travel far, find the treasure inside you and you'll find it in others, find heaven where you live and you'll find it wherever you go. Be understanding and you will see in our differences the most beautiful. Remember that the suitcase for the next Life is the size of your heart."

The concert then began with the song “Graciosa como Paloma” (Gracious as a Dove), a romantic theme composed by Fernando, which was very appetizing to the audience that filled the whole theatre. While Fernando explained more about his journeys to U.S.A, Hawaii and India, the intensity of the curiosity was increasing in the air, and people seemed to interact with the two artists, even before Ayman and Fernando started playing the second song, “Solea” – a tribute to God in moments of uncertainty. “It was wonderful, we felt so much at home, the night was like a gathering with friends sharing music and stories,” said Fernando.

After hearing some of Fernando’s Spanish compositions, all blended with oriental percussions on the hands of Ayman Mabrouk, it was time for some Indian music, “Pita Ji” and “Bhairavi” (both from Fernando’s latest CD about Indian music). “Pita Ji” –“Dear Father” in Hindi– is one of the songs Fernando composed when he was living in India, where he had to face the most difficult moments suffering from diseases, missing his family and having to deal with some other obstacles.

His interest in the Middle East was shown in his song “Luna Turca” –“Turkish Moon” in Spanish- which refers to the crescent on the Turkish flag... and the most beautiful moon ever seen in the sky. Fernando played his guitar, while Ayman accompanied him on the Spanish “cajon,” and the taste and feeling in each musical touch of this Alexandrian helped the audience travel to the remote and exotic places Fernando told them about. “Since I was a child I’ve loved percussion, and I started to play at a young age. Now I can say why people like this sound so much... because it follows the human heart’s movement… as natural as that, and because all percussion instruments are so ancient… you can find them in all civilizations, related to religion, to customs and traditions...” said Ayman.

“Samba” was another favorite of the audience, also written by Fernando. This piece made people break in claps of enthusiasm. And because every artist never forgets his “Maestro” (teacher), “Taranta” was the theme dedicated to Fernando’s first guitar teacher in Spain, Maestro Peralta. Still in the same Spanish mood, the concert continued with Granada’s song, the city of the Alhambra Palace, which was the Muslim capital in Andalusia several centuries ago. This song, as Fernando told us, expresses the joy of his country, a colorful land, a lover of music and the arts, and an inspiration to many composers and poets in history.



Following the same note, Fernando entertained his eager audience with other compositions of both Spanish and South American styles, all mixed with the oriental touch of Ayman’s percussions. Finally, after having cheered people’s hearts up, Fernando wanted to sum up with the song “Nahawand,” an arrangement of the composition by the Egyptian artist Fathy Salama, who is a good friend and work mate of Fernando’s.

“I decided to move to Alexandria about a year ago and this city received me with open arms, its people are now my people, my longings and dreams are spread all over its streets, and after Spain, here is the place I call home,” Fernando confessed, adding that one of the people who welcomed him with open arms was his friend, the Alexandrian musician, Ayman Mabrouk. “Here people really like music, they like the idea of hosting new foreign musicians. Of course, for a musician Cairo is a city with more possibilities for developing his/her career, but Alexandrians are thirsty for a musical movement,” he added.

Fernando closed his first concert by giving thanks to the warmth and hospitality of the Egyptian people, musicians, friends, and of course, the audience who in the end are the real reason for his concerts.

If you want to know more about Fernando, visit: www.mojorootsmusic.com