Posted by Shane, Senior Home EditorOne of my favorite pastimes is to lose myself while researching new music on the web. I've been a fan of flamenco and classical Spanish guitar since I was a child, when my dad would play simple Spanish folk songs for me on his guitar. During one search a while back, I read about a woman mysteriously called "Martirio" (martyr, in Spanish). There was a stunning portrait of a beautiful Spanish woman ... with her trademark eccentric hair and big sunglasses, her look is Frida Kahlo meets Patti LaBelle meets Billie Holiday meets '20s noir actress.
Before I had heard a note, I was intrigued. Her music proved equally fascinating: very Spanish, but with jazz, pop, flamenco, and a bit of everything else all woven in, for a lush and hypnotic sound. This could go terribly in the wrong hands, but in Martirio's, it's magic. Last week, I saw her perform for the first time, at Joe's Pub in New York. Although she sang for a small audience, her ambience would have overflowed Lincoln Center.
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