Sevilla - Music of Spain II is the long-awaited sequel to Grace's debut album, Granada, the first in the Music of Spain series. Both albums contain works by composers such as Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Francisco Tárrega, but with Sevilla, Grace has included music by Joquín Rodrigo (composer of the famous Aranjuez Concerto), Manuel de Falla and the lesser-known Catalan Joaquín Malats.
“2009 is an important year for the guitar”, said Grace. “It is the centenary year of the deaths of both Albéniz and Tárrega, the great Rodrigo died 10 years ago in 1999, and 1909 was the year in which Andrés Segovia gave his debut recital in Granada. I wanted to celebrate all these events, so earlier this year I re-released my debut album Granada with a special limited-edition box cover, which includes a bonus track. A Spanish Celebration sold out two performances at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, and with the release of Sevilla, I think I've succeeded in making 2009 a commemorative year.”
Sevilla - Music of Spain II is Grace's fourth solo album, which he has recorded under his own record label, Stringwise Records. His previous album, Café Latino, went to number one on the Classic FM Top 20 South African Chart Show and earned him a SAMA nomination for Best Instrumental Album.
Go to www.jamesgrace.co.za and www.at.artslink.co.za/~hilton/index.html for further information.
