I have long been a fan of this wonderful instrumental group from Castilla in Spain, and they are playing near my house next week on the last stop of a U.S. tour -- lucky me! But for those of you who don't know them or aren't so geographically fortunate, I've just discovered that the Kennedy Center archives performances in RealAudio. This one's an hour long, and it's wonderful.

The current La Musgaña lineup features cittern/hurdy gurdy, flute/tabor & pipe/gaita, fiddle, and accordian. The performers play traditional music, medieval to modern, from various parts of Spain. Founding member Quique Almendros, a tabor and pipe god, suffered a tragic stroke in 2004 and has not recovered, but the two remaining 20+-year members Jaime Muñoz and Carlos Beceiro, joined by new fiddle and accordion-playing members, keep the spirit of the band -- and the music -- alive.

Here's a link to the Kennedy Center site: blicky. Do a search for La Musgaña (be sure to include the tilde) to get to the concert, which took place on January 24, 2007.

Enjoy!

Claire