Romero Sunday #3: Los Romeros Play Gerónimo Giménez’s ‘El baile de Luis Alonso’ at 50th Anniversary Concert

Hard to believe that next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the Los Romeros guitar quartet; remarkably, two of the original members, brothers Pepe and Celin Romero, are still going strong; their late father, Celedonio, and younger brother Angel, have been replaced over time by Celin’s son Celino and Angel’s son Lito. I saw them perform at La Guitarra California a few years ago and they were extremely impressive, playing together and in smaller configurations and solo.

Here, in a video shot at the 92nd Street Y in New York City in 2009 (on the occasion of their 50th anniversary), the quartet plays El baile de Luis Alonso, from a Romantic zarzuela (a popular theatrical form developed in Spain which combines dramatic singing, dance and spoken word) written in 1896 by composer Gerónimo Giménez (1852–1923). What a fun ride! —Blair Jackson