Llan de Cubel

INTRODUCTION LLAN DE CUBEL are an Asturian folk music group, who take traditional Asturian music as a base for their work, giving it a new sound.
In order to do this, they use material collected in the archives of Asturian ethnographic research groups, which in turn is complemented by field work carried out by the members of the group themselves, without forgetting the most popular tunes known by all Asturians.
The set-up of LLAN DE CUBEL is based on two fundamental aspects: on the one hand, they are traditional musicians who know and habitually play the most characteristic instruments of Asturies, on the other hand, their interest in other traditions in Atlantic Europe has enriched their musical knowledge, especially the technical and harmonic aspects.
The LLAN DE CUBEL sound is acoustic. The basis of the melody and percussion is taken on by the Asturian instruments (bagpipes, fiddle, wooden flute, Asturian and square drums), while the harmony is supplied by the acoustic guitar and bouzouki (the latter also contributing to the solid rhythm base so characteristic of the group). The electric instruments (bass pedal and keyboards) are only resorted to for backing in specific sections of certain tunes. Although the style of the group is basically instrumental, they do include some songs among their tunes.
LLAN DE CUBEL’s repertoire stems mainly from the Asturian tradition of fiddle, flute, accordion and, above all, Asturian bagpipes (“gaita”): “alboraes” (dawn tunes), “marches y pasucáis” (marches), dances (such as “saltones”, “muñeires”, polkas, …), religious music (pipe mass), etc. Other common sources include traditional Asturian singing and “dances”: “tonada”, “vaqueiraes” (rhythmic mountain songs), “villancicos” (carols) and other songs (sea songs, working songs, drinking songs, …). With regard to their songs, although they include some traditional lyrics, LLAN DE CUBEL usually use contemporary texts which are always set to music with traditional Asturian melodies.
Since their formation in 1984, LLAN DE CUBEL have participated actively in the revitalisation process of traditional Asturian culture, popularising the latter especially in terms of music and language. Their work as a pioneer group of Asturian folk is recognised in the important publication “Historia de Asturias” in the section dedicated to the history of Asturian music. Today they are the most consolidated formation within the indigenous folk movement and as such an important reference point for new generations.

LINE-UP
Simon BRADLEY: fiddle
Elías GARCIA: bouzouki and bass pedal
Marcos LLOPE: flute and main vocals
Fonsu MIELGO: percussion, keyboards and vocals
Xel PEREDA: acoustic guitar and vocals
Flavio RODRIGUEZ: Asturian bagpipes and keyboards

BACKGROUND
LLAN DE CUBEL originated in the summer of 1984 as the result of the meeting of two groups of musicians: one from Uviéu and formed by Elias García and Fonsu Mielgo, a traditional duo of bagpipes and Asturian drum, joined by guitar player Susi Bello and percussionist Daniel Lombas; and the other from Cuideiru, made up of fiddle player Guzmán Marqués and flute player Marcos Llope.
As the result of their meeting in a festival, they decided to work together to create an Asturian folk group which they named after a mountain in the county of Cuideiru: LLAN DE CUBEL. We point out here that, at that time, there were only two established folk groups in Asturies (both of which disappeared years ago).
After a short running-in period, the group got under way in a more professional manner, encouraged by the reception they received at their public presentation in December 1984 at the II Certamen de Arpa Céltica de Uviéu.
Of the original line-up of the group, Elias García, Fonsu Mielgo and Marcos Llope are the current remaining members, having been joined by Flavio Rodríguez, Xel Pereda and Simon Bradley in 1993, 1995 and 1996 respectively. Other musicians who have been members of or collaborated with the group are the guitar player J.M. Cano and pipers H. Urquhart and X.N. Expósito.

CURRÍCULUM

RECORDS
ARPA CÉLTICA, SFA - 101, 1985 (with others)
DEVA, FA - 8701, 1987
NA LLENDE, FA - 8718, 1990
L’OTRU LLAU DE LA MAR, FA - 8734, 1992
LLAN DE CUBEL IV, FA - 8752, 1995
FESTIVAL INTERCELTIQUE DE LORIENT 25 ans, Virgin, 1995 (with others)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Their first LP DEVA, released in 1987 was a great success with the critics and commercially, and was considered Record of the Year by the President of the Government of the Principality of Asturies at that time, Pedro de Silva.
This favourable reception was only bettered with their second release NA LLENDE in 1990, for which they received the prestigious “Superventolín” prize for Best Folk Group awarded by the newspaper La Nueva España and Radio Nacional de España by popular vote. In mid 1992 the famous Scottish folk group THE TANNAHILL WEAVERS covered one of the tunes from NA LLENDE on their album THE MERMAID’S SONG.
The release of their third album L’OTRU LLAU DE LA MAR in December 1992, led to even greater success, obtaining, this time, three “Superventolín” awards: for Best Folk Group, Best Production and Best Other Instrumentalist. With this LLAN DE CUBEL can claim to be the Asturian group who have been awarded the most “Superventolín” prizes, even beating musical groups who are usually considered to be more commercial (pop, rock, jazz, etc).
In 1993 LLAN DE CUBEL won the prize for Best Folk Group of the Year awarded by Radio Nacional de España in Murcia, as a result of listeners’ votes.
In December 1994, coinciding with the group’s 10th Anniversary, the “Sociedad General de Autores de España” (Spanish Authors Society) awarded them an honorary Golden Disc for the work carried out in the field of folk music during the previous 10 years. This award also being acknowledged and supported by the Association of Asturian Writers.
In June 1995 they released IV, which has been considered their best record to date, both in terms of quality and maturity of style. In the summer of 1995, during a tour to promote the record, LLAN DE CUBEL were described as “the best folk group on the European scene”, by the organisers of the 40º Festival de la Zampogna in Scapoli, Italy.
In October 1996 IV was among the Top 10 Folk Records of the Year on Lee Blackstone’s programme, Radio WMUA, Amherst, Massachusetts.
As a result of LLAN DE CUBEL’s favourable reception and the success of their record IV in Great Britain, the Scottish label IONA RECORDS is releasing IV on a world-wide scale for 1997.
Today, several of LLAN DE CUBEL’s records are to be found among the most widely sold folk music records in Asturies.

REVIEWS
“…unmistakably Celtic hell-for-leather dance tunes.”
Sue Wilson
“…it is a sound that pleases as much as it tantalises.”
John O’Regan
“…swirling, highly energised tunes, vibrant marches and gentler songs and ballads superbly played by an excellent six-piece folk band.” Kenny Mathieson
“A great group of musicians.” The Tannahill Weavers

PERFORMANCES

ACTUACIONES
Among the many concerts performed by LLAN DE CUBEL, the following are of note:

XVII, XVIII, XX and XXIV Interceltic Festivals in Lorient, Brittany, France; 1987, 1988, 1990, 1994
Fêtes de la Mer, Saint Nazaire, Brittany, France; August - 1988
III Interceltic Festival of Oporto, Portugal; April - 1992
Recording for the Japanese TV channel NHK included in a programme on Asturies; summer - 1992
EXPO ’92, Seville, Spain; July, August and September - 1992
Tour of Italy 1993: Trento, Romano d’Ezzelino, Padova, Cassale Monferrato (Folkermesse), Verzelli, Savona (Musica nei Castelli di Liguria); July - 1993
Tour of Scotland 1994: Fort William (Ceolmhor Lochabair Celtic Music Festival), Glasgow (Mayfest), Aberdeen, Thurso, Dingwall, Ullapool, Edinburgh; May - 1994
Live performances and “specials” for BBC Radio Scotland, Glasgow; May - 1994, January - 1995 and January - 1996
Festival International de Romans, Valence, France; July - 1994
19èmes Rencontres Internationales de Saint Chartier, France; July - 1994
Interceltic Festival, Gwengamp, Brittany, France; August - 1994
Celebration of the “Day of Asturies” in Basle, Switzerland; September - 1994
Celtic Connections ’95 and Celtic Connections ’96, Glasgow, Scotland; January - 1995 and January - 1996
Festival Folk, Garrevaques, Toulouse, France; July - 1995
40º Mercato e Festival de la Zampogna, Scapoli, Italy; August - 1995
Live performance for BBC Radio 2, Glasgow, Scotland; January - 1996
Haapavesi Folk 96, Haapavesi, Finland; June - 1996
Tour of Italy 1996: Mondoví, Albenga, Turin, Vigonza, Fagagna, Venice, Monterosso, Imperia, Montalbana (Italian part of Switzerland), Sinio, Montegrotto Terme; July - 1996
International Festival of Ramo Grande, Cidade Praia da Vitoria, Terceira, The Azores; November 1996.
Alongside these performances, LLAN DE CUBEL, whose main objective is the popularisation of traditional Asturian music, have performed hundreds of concerts all over Asturies, participating both in cultural acts supported by the Government of the Principality and town councils, and in those organised by private bodies. They have also carried out this objective by means of their presence at the most important folk festivals in Spain (Madrid, Murcia, Segovia, Santander, Basque Country, Jerez, etc), and especially in Galicia (Santiago, Ortigueira, A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense, etc).

INFORMATION AND BOOKING
ASTURIES
GALICIA PORTUGAL
LLAN DE CUBEL
Apartado 212733080 UVIÉU/OVIEDO
ASTURIES
SPAIN
Tel: + 34 (9)8 5972323
+ 34 (9)09 479210
Fax: + 34 (9)29 475065
E-correu: llandecu@hotmail.com

REST OF SPAIN
Saul Rodríguez
C/ Carretas, 14 - 5ºG ofic.
228012 MADRID
SPAIN
tel: + 34 (9)1 5314315
+ 34 (9)1 5327155
Fax: + 34 (9)1 5324797

ITALY
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ETHNOSUONI
Vía Duomo 3
15033 Casale Monferrato (Al)
ITALIA
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+ 39 (0)338 395622
Fax: + 39 (9)142 71389

ELSEWHERE
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INGLATERRA
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DISCOGRÁFICA

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