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Fascinating figures in music.

Fascinating figures in music such as Carlinhos Brown, Bebo Valdés, Antibalas, Arrested Developement, Lhasa and Los Lobos are set to fill the Tena Valley with culture and music for the fourteenth edition of Pirineos Sur. Like last year, there will be a coproduction with Cartagena’s Sea of Music Festival, which will see two of the world’s leading instrumentalists come together - Austria’s Joe Zawinul & the Zawinul Syndicate and Arto Tuncboyaciyan & The Armenian Navy Band.

As always, the festival plans to showcase new musical creations which have developed in different parts of the world during the past year. Big name artists and new themes will mix with lesser known performers with something different to offer. Huesca’s most prestigious event is also one which is closest to the pure concept of roots music, with a wide range of artists from the US, Mexico, Argentina, Equitorial Guinea, Armenia and Africa’s Sahel region.

The festival also has numerous other attractions, including workshops, world markets, cinema and children’s activities. Local government culture representative José Miguel Pesqué says that Pirineo Sur was originally created with the aim of promoting the Tena Valley, Upper Aragón and different musical styles from across the world. According to him, it has been more than successful in this regard and the focus now is on improving infrastructure and services to make it even more attractive.

The idyllic surrounds of the Lanuza reservoir.

The celebrations will take place in one of the most beautiful areas of the Aragonese Pyrenees, the Lanuza reservoir. Set in an natural auditorium, a floating stage with a 3,500 person capacity looks onto the shores of a beautiful village. The area has previously hosted some of the biggest figures in world music. There will also be concerts in the marquee installed in Sallent de Gállego’s sports centre by the local town hall.

Pirineos Sur Programme:

July 8: Chango Spasiuk (Argentina), Ray Lema (Congo) & Chico César (Brazil)
July 9: José Mercé (Spain), Pascual Gallo and los Gitanos de Aragón (Aquitania/Aragón)
July 15: Antibalas and Arrested Development (USA)
July 16: Lhasa (Canada) and Astrid Hadad (Mexico)
July 17: Marcovich and Carreño (Mexico)
July 18: Handsome Family (USA)
July 21: Los Lobos (USA/Mexico) and Cañones y Mantenquilla (USA/Spain)
July 22: Klezmatics (USA) and Kroke (Poland)
July 23: Calexico (USA) and Amparanoia (Spain)
July 24: Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Sindícate (Austria) and Arto Tunc-boyaciyan & The Armenian Navy Band (Armenia)
July 25: Sorel Diabaté (Equitorial Guinea)
July 26: Oojami (UK/Turkey)
July 27: Hanino (Morocco)
July 28: Couscous Party (Aragón), Andrés Levin with Hierbabuena (USA), Baaba Mall (Senegal) and Les Nubiens (France), among others
July 29: Madredeus and Cool Hipnoise (Portugal)
July 30: Carlinhos Brown (Brazil) and Bebo Valdés (Cuba)

Note: from emagazine