The album, which was recorded in Cuba, is their first recorded collaboration with another groupof musicians; a thirteen piece Cuban orchestra composed of some of Havana’s finest youngplayers, collectively known as the C.U.B.A.On ‘Area 52′ Rodrigo y Gabriela revisit nine of their compositions and reinterpret them in a newand dramatic fashion, this is Rodrigo y Gabriela as they have never been heard before.The album was arranged by Rodrigo y Gabriela working closely with Switzerland based pianistAlex Wilson, who did the Cuban arrangements for the orchestra. He has worked with CourtneyPine, Ernest Ranglin and Mali Latino.
Recording took place during the summer at AbdalaStudios in Havana and later at Lumbini Studios in Ixtapa, Mexico. Guests on the album includeAnoushka Shankar on sitar, rock drummer John Tempesta (The Cult, White Zombie,Testament) on two tracks, jazz bass player Carles Benavent (Miles Davis, Paco De Lucia,Chick Corea) on two tracks, Palestinian group Le Trio Joubran and Samuel Formell Alfonso from Los Van Van.
The album is called ‘Area 52′. Rodrigo explains: “It’s an obvious reference to Area 51, it mustbe a fact that Area 52′s next door right? We felt it was the right time and place to deal withunknown ways to create music. It was an opportunity to experiment and dare to do things wenever believed we were gonna do”. He adds: “Of course, all the musicians we played with onthis album could be coming from another planet.Their technique and passion is almost beyond human understanding! We feel very luckybecause for us this exercise has been like a Master’s Degree for all we’ve learned from them”.
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