Vigüela showcase various regional styles within traditional Spanish music, all originating from their home-land Castilla-La Mancha, the southern part of the Iberian plateau. Their ninth album A la manera artesana focuses on how ‘artisanal creativity’ differs from the globalization of ‘handicraft culture’ which has become more about following templates and repetition, rather than unique original craftsmanship. According to the band’s founder, Juan Antonio, the style is more important than the repertoire – “Repertoire you can learn, but it’s the local style that makes it authentic.” This approach makes Vigüela quite unique and has gained them Spanish audiences in both rural and urban areas. For modern Spain, and the rest of world, this is a new and exciting style which has been previously unrecognized. Yet for the more rural Castilla-La Mancha audience, it has a moving nostalgic feel that resonates with the local culture.
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