Spanish Guitars - David Moreno

 

Aires Moriscos

Spanish Guitars

David Moreno

Recorded in Mexico City

David Moreno photos by Ysunza Nieto of Mexico City

Capitol Records T10045

From the back cover: David Moreno is a guitarist's guitarist – a native of Spain who has performed with unqualified success throughout Europe, and who has more recently been living in Mexico.

He is 29 years old, and unlike his idols, Segovia and Don Regino Sainz de la Maza of the Convervatory of Madrid – whom he claims is the "second best guitar player in the world and easily the most obscure," Moreno's sharp Iberian mind leans to the mechanical.

That's why this refreshing collection of Moreno performances is simply entitled "Spanish Guitars." It is in the plural because David believes he can produce better, more interesting and artistic music, by overdubbing himself of certain selections.

"The effects are much more musical," he says. "First I record the selection straight – as written –   but then I run the original 'master' tape again and embellish and augment the first performance with colorful additions. "The selections take on new and far more vivid colors. And Moreno's sounds are unlike the sounds achieved by any other guitarist in the world.

Moreno comes from a family in the obscure little village of Gijón, Spain, comprised of  non-musicians. Neither of his parents or several brothers have musical inclinations. But at 4 years of age, little David was learning to master the requite – a small, Spanish guitar.

At the close of the Civil War in Spain, in 1937, David and his family moved to Madrid. There his father died. David promptly earned his first pesetas - exactly 50 - doing an "in person" show at the modest "La Latina" Theater.

The years passed, and as all musicians must, Moreno traveled extensively. There were periods when he accompanied dancers, and eventually he covered the U.S.A. and South America as a featured musician in Carmen Amaya's troupe.

Moreno now exults in his Mexian residence, and his hard-won independence as a soloist rather than a lowly accompanist for noisy flamenco dancers and singers. But even now, a favorite of Latins throughout the world, he still doesn't read music.

"I don't really know anything about music," he confides. "Everything I play I play by ear. If it is classical I hear it once, then perform it my own way, sometimes with two guitars recorded in harmony with each other. I also compose. It isn't really vital for one to read musical notation. The heart – el corazón is far more important."

Los Sitios de Zaragosa

Cuatro Sevillanas

Aires Moriscos

La Cumparsita

Ojos Verdes, A. Vargas Heredia and La Bien Paga

Malaguena

Jotas Aragonesas

Tanguillo-Las Hijas de Don Juan Alba

Alegrias

Asturias y Galicia