The Jacaras ensemble was established in 2009 and comprises the graduates of the Instrumental Faculty of Karol Lipiński Academy of Music and other prominent Wrocław musicians. The leader of the ensemble is Piotr Zaleski – Guitar Professor at the Academy. Since 2013 the group has also cooperated with a mexican born singer Julieta González-Springer – the graduate of the Geneva Early Music Centre. In its repertoire Jacaras includes Spanish baroque dances from 17th and 18th century guitar tablatures arranged for the contemporary set of instruments. Some of the dances like tarantella, fandango or folia played an important role in the history of music and are still known today. A few dances were preserved in local communities (canario), but many other passed into oblivion (mariona, cumbee). The common trait of all the dances is an extraordinary and varied rhythm which later in the 19th century became the basis for the style of music today known as flamenco. The rhythm was emphasised not only by the use of castanets, tambourine but also by the specific strumming technique (rasgueado) or even by banging the body of the guitar. The dances consisted of a set of improvised variations. Variation technique was often used by guitarists and so it is not surprising that the first variations ever to be published are Luys de Narvaez’s Diferencias for guitar from 1538. Many dances show the influence of Spanish, Indian and even African culture.
Ensamble members :
Piotr Zaleski
director, timple canario, vocals
Julieta Gonzalez-Springer
vocals and castanets
Łukasz Oleszek
guitar and vocals
Mateusz Ławniczak
guitar and vocals
Łukasz Figiel
bass guitar and vocals
Jakub Persona
percussion instruments
