...For the Kingdom of God, it is very interesting because the flamenco is full of rhythmical shades and feelings that reach the deepest place from the soul...
Alabastro
1998 were the beginning for the flamenco group “Alabastro”. Elsa Peña and her friend Rocío sing their incomparable music in the local churches from the south of Spain. Then Paco Peña, brother of Elsa, was invited by them to formalize the group, because they were in the need to add a guitar, percussions and a masculine voice that at the same time give a little counseling and contributed to them composing music. Paco on the other hand performed like soloist and composer in the church where they are congregated, Asamblea Cristiana en Jeréz de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain.
Also they joined forces with David in the guitar and Manuel for the flamenco box. They merged ideas and concerns, began to compose and play together. They were a natural complement, a blessing explosion for which heard them, God began open doors little by little to them. “We are of Jeréz de la Frontera, city call the Land of the Flamenco, since it is where the best flamenco artists had and has been born. Besides we breathing it in our land, we have gypsy blood and we come from an artistic family. We have known the Lord, How we are not going to offer Him our flamenco for His glory?”
In the year 2000 they recorded their first CD, “Como Un Sueño” that’s translated read “As a Dream”. Its main theme, titled just as this production, As a Dream, is a musical delight; impressive and sublime. This production was the accomplishment of their dream in God.
Soon in the 2004 had the blessing to record their second production title “Everything Has It’s Time” (Todo Tiene Su Tiempo). - “In this ocassion, Paco made the production, having a brilliant musicians like Pedro Pimentel (guitarist and composer), and David Navarro (sound technician). Together we obtained the results that we expected, to the level of our land, with flamencas guitars, palms, percussions; expressing the passion that we felt by God, showing the world the way, the truth and the life, and to give advice from our own life experience. The result was so good, that we have had the privilege to cross great part of our country and also the opportunity to travel by diverse countries like Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Puerto Rico and others. Where our music had the opportunity to shine, also we had the privilege that our music reached the lists of the Top Ten of different radio stations and to remain #1 for several weeks” - the group tells us.
It was in the second production that includes “the Flamenco” dance like part of the show. It is when it appears Carolina in the scenario like “bailaora”. This made them the pioneers in the Christian music complementing it with the flamenco dance. At the moment the group is Paco Peña (main vocal and composer), Elsa Peña (vocalista and composer), David Flores (guitarist) and Carolina (bailaora).
We asked Alabastro how flamenco music was originated, let me tell you my brothers and sisters, they are very well documented on the matter. This is the data that they provided to us. The first documented references of the existence and the practice of the “Flamenco” date from century XVIII (18). It is flamenco the most representative music of Spain, especially in the Andalusia Region. The flamenco does not have a defined origin but it is a fusion of rhythms that was developed by the arrival of the gypsy to Spain in century XV (15) and they settle down in Low Andalusia (Seville, Jerez and Cadiz).
Between his musical and cultural influences the flamenco has Arabic, Jewish, Hindu and Greek. “Is a soup of cultures, where the gypsy adds their peculiar lifestyle and interpretation of music; it is become which today we called Flamenco Music or Sings Flamenco” said Paco Peña. The flamenco word comes from the Arab words “felag” (farmer) and “mengu” (fugitive). According to some authors - flamenco it began to be used like synonymous of the gypsy Andalusian as of century XVIII.
“For the Kingdom of God, it is very interesting because the flamenco is full of rhythmical shades and feelings that reach the deepest place from the soul, and if in this case the content is the Word of God, personal testimonies or letters that praise and raise His name; flamenco becomes a very useful tool in the Kingdom. Since it does not concern music, but the sincere heart that lives what it express and sings”.
The origin of “Alabastro” name comes from (Mr. 14:3), the moment at which Maria breaks the expensive perfume alabaster, “We we want to be like that alabaster glass that contained the expensive perfume, which Maria broke on Jesus in an act of love and adoration”.
“Our main call is to put our gifts and the art to the service of God to bless the believer, to recover, to build and to touch lives that do not know God and to take them to the feet of Jesus, through the letters of the songs, the testimony and the anointing; that God spills all that in our country and outside our country, where God wants to use us”.
In 2007 their music was chosen, by the Azteca Network of Mexico, like main subject of the secular program “Jolones Mexico España”. In addition they have had the pleasure to share with international ministries like: Doris Machín, René González, Dante Gebel, Julissa, Samuel Hernandez, among others. But what it satisfies them more is to know that their humble voice is a bridge of salvation and restoration for many. “We will continue working ahead, where God places us, He never stopped surprising us from the beginning, and He will still going to”.
Now, Alabastro has a project in the oven that soon will be release on sale, its name still is in their prayers, and it’s being prepared for the international distribution. At the present time you can obtain their music through Internet by means of its distribution company Librería Los Olivos.
“We encourage those that really have the call to serve in the ministry of music, to make the difference, we must look for those that does not know the Lord, to know it. To stay humble, to imitate us as we imitate our paragon, the Christ… to be brave, honest, sincere, humble, to drink every day of the Word and, mainly, being obedient to the Lord."
“If it costs? … We know that it costs, a lot, but step by step, like it says in my country: Slow and steady! We are conscious that there is no other way for the success in any area of our life, but through God. The effort of every day is worth the trouble… and thinking that in the hands of the Lord is our time… we always must rest because everything has it's time! A flamenquito hug for all and thousand blessings.” It is the Alabastro's message for those new talents that are starting the way.
Paco, Elsa, David and Carol… from GTFN, many blessings and congratulations by your successes. For more information about the group Alabastro for contacts, hirings or invitations information you can visit their myspace page in:
