Blues, the ultimate frontier. To boldly go the place few vacationers have gone earlier than, to go looking out and discover blues tradition all through the galaxy. As we speak the spirit of discovery brings me to hunt the blues in Spain, at La Puerta del Sol (the Solar Gate), a bustling plaza within the coronary heart of Madrid, the capital. Home to six million “Madrillenos,” it’s a good-looking metropolis, the third largest in Europe (behind London and Berlin), with broad boulevards, spectacular palaces and monuments, elegant nineteenth century “regency” structure, nice art, good meals, and pleasant of us
It is Saturday evening in “la ciudad grande,” and expatriate Vancouverite Smilin’ Jack Smith (initially a New Yorker from Staten Island) has agreed to point out me round city. Since emigrating a decade in the past, he has grow to be a stalwart member of the native music scene. Tonight he has the evening off, and we’re driving into city to test issues out. “They’ve made me apply for my Spanish drivers’ licence,” Jack says. “I used to resume my old one again home each 5 years, however los autoridades ultimately caught up with me, they usually’re making me begin firstly.” The “L” within the rear window of his two-door Seat (pronounced see yat), primarily a Spanish-made Fiat, insures that our freeway top-speed stays low, including an additional couple of minutes on to the commute from his picturesque village some 50 kms north-west. And, after all, no cocktails this night for my not-so-young driver in coaching.
Parking underground within the coronary heart of town, we take the steps to road degree, and enterprise forth on foot to seek out the blues in Spain’s capital. Madrid’s historic downtown core is an intriguing paella of neighbourhoods, linked by congested thoroughfares, winding lanes, and bustling pedestrian malls providing each city distraction conceivable: theatre, cinema, trendy boutique resorts, eating places, galleries, tapas bars, pubs, nightclubs, and outlets and services of all types. We have not eaten but, so first it is La Moderne in Plaza del Angel (Metro: Sol, or Antn Martn), a favorite of each the pre- and apres- theatre crowd, and seemingly the perfect tapas joint on the town 호이안 카페.
Fueled up on cheap snacks and several other “tubos” of Mahou beer (pronounced “Mao”) for the fortunate passenger (me), we’re lastly able to roll. A short stroll throughout the historic Plaza Main, straight previous the famend Thyssen-Bornemicza Gallery (Titian, Goya, Degas, Renoir, Rothko, et al) results in the Cafe Central, Madrid’s premier venue for up to date jazz. A high-ceilinged room, distinctly old-fashioned, but nonetheless pleasant and casual, it options primarily native artists, often augmented by touring worldwide expertise. But it surely’s too crowded tonight, and the jazz is waaay too cool, so we solely grasp round for one drink, escaping simply earlier than the quilt cost kicks in.
Subsequent cease is Cafe Populart in Calle Huertas (Metro: Antn Martn). Providing stay music each evening of the week, it too contains a related mix of native and worldwide jazz, however leans towards extra conventional “dixieland” and “swing.” Free entry, however dear drinks, so we as a substitute wander just a few blocks over to La Coquette in Calle Hileras (Metro: Sol, or Opera), a tightly packed subterranean blues bar, accessible solely by a slender, wrought-iron spiral staircase. Tonight the grotto-like room contains a native SRV1 clone, gamely pumping an appreciative youthful crowd. Proprietor Pepe is especially happy to see Jack, graciously refusing payment for our (my) libations. However we will not keep lengthy (just a few tunes solely) as Jack has business elsewhere and, frankly, El Stevie* on stage is beginning to get on my nerves. *Globally ubiquitous Texas blues guitarist and singer Stevie Ray Vaughn (1954-1990).
Our subsequent (and ultimate) cease for the night entails a prolonged drive. On the way in which again to the carpark we cross the busy Chocolateria San Gines (Pzo. San Gins 5. Metro: Opera), one in every of a number of such institutions within the space. The Spanish love their sizzling chocolate, and no romantic night in town is deemed full and not using a go to. However funky old Smith is hardly my idea of a sizzling date, and we have time to make, so we rapidly transfer on.
Pulling out of the downtown core, we cruise alongside Paseo del Prado, previous the famed Prado Museum (Metro: Atocha), and the Reina Sofia Gallery (Santa Isabel, 52. Metro: Atocha) the place Picasso’s Guernica is housed. Turning proper on Calle Alcala, a significant thoroughfare dissecting Madrid diagonally east- west, we head for the Beethoven Blues Bar, situated in Ciudad Lineal, a late nineteenth century city development. (Carolina Coronado 27. Metro: Quintana) The environment there’s relaxed, like a neighbourhood pub. Smith is well-known to the group, having entertained them many instances, and the DJ acknowledges our go to by taking part in just a few tracks off his newest CD. Jack chats privately with the supervisor about future engagements, whereas I wander about nursing a beer and assembly folks. A giant stage dominates, with a pool table arrange on the dancefloor (no stay leisure tonite). Classic 8×10 promo “glossies” cowl the partitions: Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Albert King distinguished amongst many. And posters, like Albert Collins stay at Antones in Austin TX, the 1962 American People-Blues Pageant in Hamburg, and bulletins of upcoming performances by native luminaries. The clientele is pleasant – laid again blues loving Spanish of us, and fairly just a few converse respectable English. Certainly, it seems like home. One could be very a lot reminded of Rohans Rockpile, a Seventies period Vancouver nightclub on W. 4th Ave.
The blues are discovered alive and nicely in Madrid, but it surely’s now nicely previous 2:00am, time to barter the drive again to Smith’s quaint village within the hills about 45 minutes northwest of city. Heading in direction of the freeway, or “autovia,” we pace by the Palacio Real, the Universidad Central (based within the thirteenth century by Sancho IV of Castilla), and Las Ventas – the Roman Coliseum styled nationwide bullring.
Quote: “The Romans had the blues. So did the Greeks, the traditional Egyptians, and the Mesopotamians too. Hell! Even the God damned caveman had the blues!” Willie Dixon, 1971
