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Scene stories

● Reports with sources

Stories from the scene

Catalan rumba, the jams that never miss and the bars that keep the scene going. Told with linked sources.

History · Catalan rumba · 4 min

The ventilador was born in Gràcia

Catalan rumba was born in the mid-1950s in Barcelona's Roma community, with three hubs: Gràcia, Hostafrancs and carrer de la Cera, in the Raval. It blends flamenco rumba with rock and roll and Cuban rhythms.

The clan of Antonio González, El Pescaílla, claims from plaça del Raspall the invention of the «ventilador», the strumming that acts as both guitar and percussion. Peret, born on carrer de la Cera, took it everywhere.

Sources: The New Barcelona Post and Ara.

THREE HUBSGràcia · Hostafrancs · la Cera
Where Catalan rumba was born, in the mid-fifties.
Thursday · GràciaSoda Jam: nearly 500 Thursdays in a rowThe resident trio opens and then anyone who wants gets up. On October 22 it's number 493. Entry, €5.
Tuesday · Gòtic17 years of Tuesday blues jamsChino Swingslide hosts the Blues & Early Jazz Jam at Harlem Jazz Club. At 10:30 pm, €11.
Scene · neighbourhood rumbaWhy is there so little rumba in the listings?Because it's hardly ever advertised on the web. It lives in bars that talk about it on Instagram or at the door.