Barcelona Nights 2011 and 2003
The first track is the new Barcelona Nights, from this year’s album Santa Fe, and the second track is the older Barcelona Nights, from 2003 album The Santa Fe Sessions:
Speed Merengue
Email received:
Hello, I came across your speed merengue version of ‘Barcelona Nights’ and was intrigued by this new form of merengue. I understand you coined the term. I have seen many people using it recently. Is it a new trend?
I write about music scenes for the Guardian and would like to write about this.
Do you plan to make any more speed merengue?
No, not exactly a new trend. The email is signed John McDonnell, who does appear to write for the Guardian. Barcelona Nights, the Speed-Merengue version was released on the Rumba Collection in 1997. (((click on the link and then the green triangle to hear the song)))
When I discovered this type of very fast Merengue in the Summer of 1996, while playing guitar on Nestor Torres’ album Burning Whispers in Miami, this trend was likely already a few years old. That type of fast Merengue has interesting similarities to Drum ‘n’ Bass… double-time drums + half-time bass.
