Tuesday, June 16, 2020

An overlooked cover tune LXIV

Yesterday, I praised WSIE for playing Rodrigo y Gabriela's "Diablo Rojo."  In digging deeper, I learned that the duo also covered Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven."  I never imagined one of the most-played classic rock tunes in history being reinterpreted as a flamenco guitar number, but it works pretty well.  When tackling such a well-known tune in a different genre, it's wise to treat the melody as a springboard for exploration instead of a sacred text.  Jazz players do this frequently, and the flamenco players on this track were wise to do the same.