“Ritual” is Ana Alcaide’s sixth Album: a mystical journey, a hymn to the power of connection through the act of daily rituals. It was born from her personal encounter with the Iranian singer Reza Shayesteh and Persian poetry.
Ana Alcaide is a musician and composer from Toledo, Spain, who carries out research on ancient traditions and cultures. In June 2016 she is releasing “LEYENDA”, her fifth CD. An album that digs into the strength of the Femininity through the presence of the woman in diverse cultures and mythologies from a modern view, and which represent an important step in presenting her music.
She is currently on the Top 10 WMCE (World Music Charts Europe) as well as Transglobal World Music Charts. “Leyenda” is also on the top of some of the International radios around Australia, Canada, UK, USA or Europe. The album has received reviews from professional critics around the world. Songlines Magazine gave ‘Leyenda’ a 5 Star Review, Top of the World, and a track was on their cover mount CD.
Ana Alcaide got international recognition with her third album, ‘La Cantiga del Fuego’ that remained 5 months at the WMCE -‘World Music Charts Europe’ and was considered one of the best 2012 albums for specialized criticism. Beginning as a self-production, was released worldwide by the English label ‘ARC Music’ in November 2012.
Ana has played a pioneering role in the introduction and popularization of the nyckelharpa in Spain.
Rooted in ancient traditions yet resolutely modern, her compositions deftly blend musical styles from different cultures. From the inspirational backdrop of the city of Toledo, Ana writes and produces her songs, creates new arrangements and adapts the nyckelharpa to ancient melodies that originated in medieval Spain and have travelled throughout the Mediterranean region. But her personal and artistic evolution leads her to conquer new creative fields in the recent years.
In 2015 she starts the new recording series ‘Tales of Pangea’, in which she creates new music in collaboration with musicians from other parts of the world. The first release ‘Gotrasawala ensemble’, was recorded in Java island (Indonesia) after two years of musical and cultural exchange with local musicians and it was released by ARC in May 2015, being in the ‘WMCE’ from June to September 2015.
The Ritual – The diary of our life is written with the stories of our small daily gestures.
The greatness of a small daily gesture, a place to return to, the smell of musk on my clothes. Sufi mystical verses, sounds of fish patches, dissolving in the purity of a color. A meeting more than 15 years ago, a foreign city, an intimate and deep journey … The power of Ritual.
NMR (photo: press Ana Alcaide)
