At its third concert in west Africa (earlier concerts were in Cabo Verde and Ghana), Spanish music duo Fetén Fetén delivered a fun evening of connection and top-tier collaboration.
For Diego Galaz and Jorge Arribas, their music is about celebrating heritage – intertwined with the message of sustainability, while valuing connection as the basis for collaboration.
In celebrating their Spanish heritage – the duo, whose major instruments are the violin and the accordion, kickstarted the concert with traditional Spanish tunes – fox trot (Fox Trot Para Maceo), pasadoble (Pasadoble Huesudo), jorta, lambada, and pieces like Danzantes de Burgos, Danzas de Burgos, and Vente Hacemos Merienda Cena.
The concert took an interesting turn with the duo’s introduction of unique and relatable Spanish instruments – such as the cowbell and the trumpet violin; crustacean looking plates, frying pan and spoons, strung canary bones, a saw and a violin strap – these were all used to enhance, and rearrange traditional Spanish tunes as well as introduce their own compositions, like ‘Vals Para Amelia’ – originally composed by Galaz for his mother but which he dedicated to the audience’s mothers and grandmothers.
The duo also performed with its own-fashioned instruments. Arribas took the lead here performing short Spanish tunes with a plastic bagpipe and a camping chair flute – whereby he made a hole to blow air into the chair. He also managed to make instruments out of local-made plastic broomstick and dust pan.
And all the while, the audience is peppered with little facts about the Spanish musical culture and history, including the fact that Spanish ancestors had to play music with spoons and frying pans to distract their hunger pangs. Such anecdotes lent an intimate and genuine connection with the diverse Nigerian and expatriate audience who could relate to the stories at different points in history.
The highlight of the concert is Fetén Fetén’s collaborative pieces with a local pop act and a traditional dance troupe. Often, the cusp of artistic tours are the collaborations that they inspire, particularly with local artistes. However, the connection isn’t always guaranteed. Fetén Fetén’s chemistry with local Afro Alternative artiste Ruth Mahogany on her song ‘Waiting For’, and two musical arrangements with the NCAC Dance Troupe was natural and electric.
The first piece Jorta del Wasabi with the troupe is very classically inspired. I have never seen the troupe display such nuanced performance, as in the Horta piece infused with Naija tune, a Japanese style, accompanied by Galaz’s violin and Arribas’ accordion. It radiates elegant and quiet stregnth on the drums, in contrast to the troupe’s usual displays of unbridled power. Indeed, drums can create airy-slow music that warms the heart.
The troupe got to cut a little loose on the evening’s last piece – a potpourri of Spanish Jorta, Lambada with African tunes, drums and Afro sax. This was the most afro-centric piece of the night that got the audience on their feet and dancing, particularly when the saxophonist played popular Nigerian 80s afro Rn’B during his solo, his riff-off performance with Galaz’s violin, and the solo takes – of all the parties, from the drummists to the saxophonist, the accordion and the violin, but here Fetén Fetén let the troupe to shine.
With Mahogany, the duo had the best chemistry. With the sole regret being that there is no record of that collaborative take on mahogany’s ‘Waiting For’ in her new album released in April.
One is inclined to agree with a local audience member at the concert who declared, “this is the best Spanish act brought to Nigeria, and the best performance by the NCAC troupe.
Overall, the digitalized stage backdrop enhanced the performances and concert experience.
But there is a genuineness of emotion, and honesty radiated by Galaz and Arribas, that resonated with the audience. You can feel they are having fun, connecting with the artiste and the audience via their interactive, conversational performance.
It is a testament of their professionalism, well-travelled and seasoned background in the music-making craft.
“We think music is important but so also is the relationship. We try to connect with the people. Because if we play without that connection, it would be terrible. So, it is not just the music, it is also the things that come with the music,” said Galaz.
Indeed, they proved that in this concert.
