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.
Advertisement
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