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A Unique International Blend of Flamenco, Jazz, and World Music: The Arrebato Ensemble; The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Sydney, 27.11 2008. (ZT)


The Sound Lounge at Sydney’s Seymour Centre was the venue for an interesting and enjoyable concert on Thursday Nov. 27. An intimate environment, The Sound Lounge provides tables and chairs from which patrons may also enjoy a restaurant meal while listening to the concert.  Accommodating around one hundred people, on this occasion it was filled to capacity.

The Arrebato Ensemble comprises percussion, finger-style guitar, cello, bass and saxophone. Additional instruments including harmonica, flute and another guitar appeared in several items. The Spanish word arrebato means ‘a sudden and intense burst of emotion; a feeling of fury or ecstasy.’ The style of music is not easy to define however: ‘a unique international blend of flamenco, jazz and world music’ is what they played on this occasion.  While much of the music is based on traditional flamenco forms and rhythms, and named accordingly, it is musically quite divergent from traditional flamenco. Like fado, flamenco is a music form that is in constant evolution. What we hear today is significantly different than the same genre of three decades ago.

The informal nature of the evening was complemented by the fact that no programme was issued. Commentary was given before each item providing details about the music and special features, e.g. rhythms, of which to be aware.  There was also no interval and the concert continued uninterrupted for the entire one and a half hours.

The Arrebato Ensemble is a group of musicians who individually are highly capable, and collectively make some delightful and entertaining music. One challenge in such a concert, particularly without interval, is to avoid a propensity to sameness. Patrons not familiar with the subtleties of emphasis in flamenco rhythms may find one item merging into another. This was admirably avoided by varying the pace with a combination of duets between different instruments and the incorporation of a flamenco dancer for one item. These were some of the most enjoyable components and a highlight was the tarantas for guitar and cello.

It was also obvious that in an intimate environment, five acoustic musicians did not have to be so reliant on heavy amplification. The contribution of each individual instrument was less discernable and the sound undesirably more homogenous. Fortunate to later acquire their CD, I confirmed these impressions. The CD is well made and provides excellent recording balance between the instruments.  The guitar is not overwhelmed by more vociferous instruments, and one may more specifically identify and enjoy the detail of what each musician is contributing.

The Arrebato Ensemble will again be concertising in 2009, and release of a new CD is planned. Both are enthusiastically recommended to aficionados of fine music.

Zane Turner


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