Elizabeth Zeder - Karl Smallman I seldom get excited when asked to review the recording of a cover version of a song of which I am particularly fond of the original. I am a staunch believer that original versions cannot be bettered. How can a cover version be better than what the composer originally envisaged for their music? Of course, there are exceptions, but few and far between. What is even more difficult is when the request for a critical ear comes from a friend, acquaintance or someone I respect. As I said, there are, occasionally, exceptions to the rule, one of which landed on my desk recently. Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Zeder, an American jazz singer based in Gaucín. Elizabeth has established herself among what is fast becoming a thriving music community in the Serranía de Ronda (Málaga), and so she had no trouble selecting suitable musicians to participate in the recording of her latest offering, a jazzy-pop-style version of Harvest Moon. The
Last year, the town of Utrera (Seville) marked the 100 th anniversary of the birth of La Fernanda de Utrera, who was born at 22 Calle Nueva on 9 February 1923, with a series of cultural initiatives. Flamenco recitals, exhibitions and tertulias about this outstanding flamenco singer and her sister, La Bernarda, took place at various locations in the town throughout the year. One of the most eagerly awaited of these initiatives was a documentary about these two divas that was to be made by La Filmahora, with the collaboration of Canal Sur television, and Utrera town hall, among others. [1] I had been contacted by the producer, Rocio Martín, who asked if I would like to participate, an offer which I accepted wholeheartedly. Rocío had previously contacted my good friend Luis El Marquesito to obtain information about the family, especially the line of Inés Peña Vargas, the mother of La Fernanda and La Bernarda, and the daughter of the mythical El Pinini, a singer whose family I ha