PERIPLO : NAVEGANDO POR LOS MARES DE MI INTERIOR

Periplo is an amazing, unique and ambitious project by Juan Antonio Vergara, the prime mover of the Spanish website/mailorder-service 5Lunas, dedicated to the cultural movement Rock Andaluz. In 2016 he released his first book (162 pages) entitled Periplo : Navegando Por Los Mares De Mi Interior, featuring personal emotional experiences (with his wife, two children, family, money, dignity, work and music) . This book is supported by a double CD that contains 30 tracks, inspired by the Periplo story, and performed by a fine selection of 50 musicians, mainly from old and new Rock Andaluz bands (from Smash, Cai, Azahar, Qualdalquivir, Alameda and Mezquita to Taifa and Mendigo) and Spanish prog bands (like Storm and Bloque), an incredible bunch of Andalusian talent, experience and passion! When I stumbled upon 5Lunas, a few months ago, I got in touch with Juan Antonio, he told me proudly about his 'magnum opus' Periplo. Of course I was highly interested, as a huge aficionado of the Rock Andaluz since I listened to early Triana in the late Seventies.

The 30 tracks on the 2-CD Periplo deliver not only many Rock Andaluz sounding songs, but also other musical genres.

Examples of the variety on CD-1:

Old School symphonic rock with hints from Pink Floyd and Camel in the wonderful Obertura Inesperada: first spacey synthesizers flights and moving guitar play, then tender piano, blended with sensitive electric guitar and soaring keyboards.

Folk meets Heavy Prog in In La Raiz De Mi Destino: guitar player Juan Delola plays both virtuosic flamenco guitar runs (with handclapping) as a heavy electric guitar solo.

Rock Andaluz in Empujado Al Precipicio (with an 'Arabesca' undertone, by Mezquita members), Galopando Por Mis Deseos (delicate sequencing, bombastic keyboards, powerful Fender Jazz bass, and in the end spectacular synthesizers runs) and Mis Besos En Esta Canci'n (intense flamenco guitar, blended with spacey syntheiszer flights, and passionate vocals by Alameda legend Pepe Roca).

Neo-Prog in Date Coraje: first a flashy synthesizer solo, then a fiery guitar solo with powerful bass runs, it sounds as the 'Andalusian Pendragon'.

Swinging bluesrock with a catchy beat and the distinctive mouth organ in Perro Callejero.

An electronic climate with wonderful work on keyboards by I'aki Ega'a (Iman) in Isla Del Amor.

A folky duet between flute and guitar in the first part of Descendiendo De La Ca'ailla.

The compelling eclectic track Mar De Fondo Andalusi features a spacey intro, then mellow organ, hypnotizing percussion and moving guitar work (evoking Eric Clapton), and finally a Morish sounding synthesizer solo, wow!

Examples of the variety on CD-2:

Rock Andaluz in Dibujando Sue'os (from twanging acoustic guitar to fiery electric guitar and mouth organ, topped with Randy Lopez his excellent flamenco inspired vocals), Mirada Al Infinito (great blend of flamenco guitar and palmas with a howling electric guitar, embellished by the singer of Triana tribute band Zaguan), So'ando Con La Luna (strong 'Arabesca undertone', and a spectacular synthesizer solo by Juan Antonio Vergara himself) and Algazara (flamenco guitar intro and outro by Juan Delola, in between a compelling atmosphere with senstitive electric guitar and a synthesizer solo, with castagnettes, wow).

Ethnic prog in Isla De Los Sue'os (hypnotizing percussion, then sensitive electric guitar and djembe), Tetralog'a (first sitar and tablas, halfway a heavy eruption with a wah-wah drenched guitar, then a spectacular Moog solo, and finally Spanish guitar) and Al Abordaje (sitar-like sound, blended with tablas, theatrical female vocals and finally a Peter Frampton-like talk box).

A Romantic ballad with warm vocals from the Cai singer in Encontrar La Vida.

Jazzrock in La Gaviota, El Cangrejo Y Yo and Singular (by several Quadalquivir members).

Santana-like guitar with propulsive ethnic percussion in Buscando La Semilla Del Amor Eterno.

An electronic atmosphere in Futuro (dreamy with a celestial female voice) and Reflexiones (first sequencing and spacey synthesizers, then an exciting blend of electronic, Rock Andaluz and psychedelia with a distorted Steve Hillage-like guitar solo, wow)

Blues in Doble Caracola: wonderful bluesy guitar and piano, along cheerful synthesizers flights and excellent passionate vocals with a strong flamenco undertone by the Mendigo singer.

Romantic Spanish guitar in the instrumental Una Simple Oraci'n.

WHAT A CAPTVATING MUSICAL JOURNEY BY THESE ROCK ANDALUZ MUSICIANS, NOT ONLY PLAYING THEIR BELOVED MUSIC BUT ALSO BLUES, ROCK, FOLK, ETHNIC, JAZZROCK AND ELECTRONIC, WITH PASSION AND SKILLS, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!