Radio Tarifa:
Biographies
Faín S. Dueñas
Valladolid, Spain 1951
I learned to play guitar at age 9 in the school rondalla and played in groups from ages 12 to 14.
Until I was 25, I was heavily influenced by British and American rock.
Fed up with rock, at 26, I began learning flamenco guitar. Guitarist Manolo "el Sevillano" taught me my first falsetas in Madrid.
In the late 1970s, record stores began selling records of African, Arabic, and other music. For me, discovering these genres was very important.
I learned to play the derbuka and Arabic tambourine in 1983.
From 1983 to 1993, I played percussion professionally in Madrid with different groups and styles, while also working as an architect. 1986 Ramón Leal, jazz // Javier Ruibal with Gerardo Nuñez // Joaquín Ruiz Flamenco Dance Company in Japan // 1986 Seville Biennial Victor Monje "Serranito" flamenco // 1987 Joaquín Ruiz Flamenco Company and Javier Barón - Rio de Janeiro // 1988 Rafael Aguilar Flamenco Company with Antonio Canales - Milan // Javier Paxariño and Eduardo Laguillo - jazz // Recording of the album "Savane" Ali Farka Touré, African, London // Etc.
In 1984, I participated in several radio programs with Jose Miguel López on RNE Radio 3, contributing selections from my African music albums. (In the 1980s, traditional African music was still heard on national radio.)
I met Vincent Molino a year later, in a medieval music group, Ars Antiqua Musicalis, led by Ramiro Amusategui. That type of modal music, without chords, taught us the different musical forms that can achieve harmony without chords. These lessons I later applied to the first Radio Tarifa albums.
From 1993 to 2005, I produced, arranged, and directed the RADIO TARIFA project: four CDs and four different bands for concerts.
We toured around the world for 14 years.
After that, for 13 years, I produced CDs for various musicians in Madrid and Hamburg: CARAVANA (Joaquín Ruiz), TRANSIDO (Francisco Gómez Arnaiz), VIAGGIO Ode (nominated for the Schalplatten Kritik Preise, critics' awards in Germany), Colección de RITMOS FLAMENCOS para baile (Collection of FLAMENCO RHYTHMS for dance), TVRGALIUM (Merche Trujillo).
For years, I lived in Hamburg, Germany, where I played percussion in various groups and worked as a guitarist in flamenco dance schools.
Vincent Molino
Montpellier, France 1958
VINCENT MOLINO (Montpellier, France, 1958) – Musical Cursus
I began studying classical piano at a very young age, and later the organ, in Montpellier. I then discovered early music at the age of 14 when my brother Jean-François taught me the recorder and invited me to join the group where he played: “Les Musiciens de l’Euzières.” I was immediately fascinated. We toured in the south of France and Catalonia, and recorded an album. I played the flute, harpsichord, crumhorn, and Poitevin oboe. I also participated in several early music courses, particularly in Saintes with several teachers from Hesperion XX (Jordi Savall, Gabriel Garrido, etc.).
Later, I participated in the movement of rediscovering traditional music, which was very active in the 1970s. I played with "La Grande Bleue" (Mediterranean music).
In 1983, I moved to Madrid and, while playing in the subway, met Ramiro Amusategui, who invited me to form the group "Ars Antiqua Musicalis." With Faín, Ramiro, and Maximiliano de Elduayen, we played in street theater shows and toured several times in Spain, Morocco, France, and Italy. We also participated in the recording of the soundtrack for the series "Requiem for Granada," composed by Antón García Abril.
After a concert in Nador (Morocco), I bought my first ney.
I immediately connected, musically and personally, with Faín. Thanks to him, I discovered Andalusian and African music. He introduced me to great artists who play with him and are part of a booming Madrid music scene centered around flamenco and Mediterranean music: Tarik Banzi, Boujemaa Rasgui, Javier Ruibal, Gerardo Nuñez, Luis Delgado, Eliseo Parra, Javier Paxariño, etc.
With Benjamín and Faín, we formed a rumbas, sevillanas, and jokes group that performed in numerous bars on the outskirts of the city.
In 1992, Radio Tarifa was founded. We traveled the world with a team of great musicians, dancers, and technicians. And we lived intense adventures.
When Radio Tarifa shut down in 2006, I trained as a sound technician and set up a home studio to produce/record/compose/perform, partially or completely, soundtracks and albums for various projects:
Juicio a los Humanos (OST of the play - Onira Teatro - directed by Jose Piris - 2009)
¡Alevanta! / Mirando p’l este (CDs - Benjamín Escoriza - 2006/2010)
La Banda Morisca / Algarabya (CDs - La Banda Morisca - 2013/2016)
Rumbo a Babel (CD - Eva Medina - 2019)
Ocho Apellidos Marroquís (some tracks from the film's soundtrack - with Wafir Sheikheldin and Vanessa Garde - 2023)
Danzar estos estrellas (CD - Pilar Awa - 2023)
etc…
I also participate in several live music projects:
DemarAmar (world music) - Nahzun (early music) - Blues Cuscús (jazz)
Benjamín Escoriza
Colomera, Spain 1953-2012
He considered himself a lover of flamenco and rock.
In the 1980s, he sang rumbas and sevillanas, accompanying himself on the guitar.
Through Antonio Benamargo, he met Faín and Vincent in Madrid in the late 1980s.
He was able to sing the medieval music repertoire with them in the group Ars Antiqua Musicalis and compose lyrics on the fly.
He could also sing any Arabic, Sephardic, or other melody.
Always with artistry and dynamism.
When Faín was preparing the album Rumba Argelina, he thought of himself as a singer.
Benjamín caused a sensation among critics and audiences.
Later, during years of touring and concerts, he displayed his talent and charisma on stage with Radio Tarifa.
He sings and writes lyrics for three studio albums: Rumba Argelina (1993), Temporal (1996), and Cruzando el Río (1998), as well as a live album, Fiebre (2002).
In 2006, Benjamín created his own project with producer and arranger Gautama del Campo, recording two albums: Alevanta (2006) and Mirando pal Este (2010).
Benjamín died in 2012 from cancer.
In 2025, a new Radio Tarifa album was released, reviving an old recording, "La Noche," with Benjamín's voice and lyrics.
