Ismael Serrano

Have any of you heard of him? What do you think? I've been a fan since his first CD came out and he's been doing pretty well now mainstream and was curious to what people's opinions were about him.

HEARD of him? Why, I LOVE HIM!!! (hehehe... but not in the romantic/physical sense though ) In fact, you can download/listen to one of his new songs, "Eres", for free (you do have to register first, but can put in a false email address) in MP3 format @ http://es.artists.mp3s.com/artists/370/ismael_serrano.html

His official website @ http://www.IsmaelSerrano.com . In fact, a message board member turned me on to him several months ago and now I can't find enough about it. I've also posted my comments about him in the lonnnnnng thread, " Ten Great Songs In Spanish (Add Yours!!) " along with a direct link to my favorite of his song, "Km.0", about the Puerta del Sol of Madrid. Mmmmm.. I love that song... so smooth and easy and passionate about Madrid.. You can hear the RealAudio, 43 second song-clip from his site HERE as well the lyrics:

Km.0 by Ismael Serrano

Madrid, deshabitado como mi colchón
el verano en que me hice mayor,
y ella que ya no llama.

Tanta ciudad y tan poco por hacer,
gente que sueña su siesta y que
mira por la ventana.

Gente que miente por un trozo de calor,
que reza por que pare el ascensor,
atrapado contigo.

Madres que pieden a sus hijos al nacer,
buscando entre tus piernas lo que ayer
han dado por perdido.

Kilómetro Cero,
respira en el centro de la ciudad
el alma que se pierde al escapar.
Kilómetro Cero,
comienzo de los días que han de venir,
la lluvia que se derrama por ti.

Bares en los que la calma y la cerveza
salvan nuestra vida, y mi cabeza
soñando estar bajo tu ropa.

Promesas que se dicen en la cama,
luces que se clavan en tu espalda,
deja que yo te vista ahora.

Bajo unas ruedas mi mala sombra arrojaré,
quizás así interprete ese papel
en el que soy tu abrigo.

Mujeres que quizás hoy no puedas pagar
cuestionan con sus labios la verdad
de que aún seguimos vivos.

Kilómetro Cero,
respira en el centro de la ciudad
el alma que se pierde al escapar.
Kilómetro Cero,
comienzo de los días que han de venir,
la lluvia que se derrama por ti.

Kilómetro Cero,
respira en el centro de la ciudad
el alma que se pierde al escapar.
Kilómetro Cero,
comienzo de los días que vendrán,
la calma que nos trae tu tempestad.

I'm the one who turned Madridman on to Ismael Serrano. We are going to see him at Palau de Musica in Barcelona on June 1. He'll be in Madrid at Teatro Albeniz from May 28-30 as well, though tickets are probably going fast. He's the most popular of a wave of new singer-songwriters in Spain (cantautores). Other great ones include Tontxu, Antonio de Pinto , Paco Bello (currently in the duo Doctor Grillo ), Carlos Chouen. These four play in Madrid at least once a month in places like Libertad 8 and Galileo Galilei . Ismael Serrano's concerts can be found Here .

Jejej! Glad that I'm not the only one!
I do get moved by his music and the lyrics. So true to life and growing up, falling in love, getting older. Very poetic. You know his mentor was Serrat? Many people say he sounds too much like him, but I don't care. He is the voice of our generation like Serrat was of his time! (and still is). I have an autograph of his on one of his postcards that a friend of mine who goes to school with his younger brother got for us. It was signed for another friend, but she asked me at the time to hold it for her and now we go back and forth about it! jjejeje! Currently its mine! ;P

I got to see him also in concert one time in the Plaza Mayor for one years San Isidros festivities kick off! I almost cried!

Love Serrano! Sad to say it's hard as **** to find in the States - I bring his CDs back I'm in Spain. A friend is sending me the one that was released a few months ago (that's a slow friend - I asked for the CD before it was released and I think my friend waited until it went on sale! ) Is it as good as his other CDs?

I haven't heard the latest one yet... but check out the 40 Principales website . I saw they had something on him the other day, or try Ismael's website, they have clips.

As far as trying to get CD's from there. Blockbuster Music can special order music for you. (At one time I looked into getting an Antonio Flores CD- but then got it through a friend). Some of the other big Music stores will do it too! Look into that for future music purchases. I too bring back from Spain... and find also that I generally get better prices from FNAC than el corte inglés .. and there's the added convenience of having the books in the same place too! One stop shopping! More time to stroll around and visit with people!

Oh, Ismael Serrano! I listened a bit, and suddenly I'm a fan!

I've been off the board for many months now, and while it's true that I never did make a proper report after my visit to Spain last year (so sorry!) I have the good fortune to be able to visit Madrid again this year!! My daughter and I are leaving in 9 days (!) and I'd love to be able to get tickets to see Ismael Serrano. Assuming that any are still available, is a phone call the only way to obtain them? I can't find a web site for Teatro Albeniz, only a phone number, and while I'm competent in Spanish, I find phone conversations somewhat daunting. I wouldn't have any idea if I were buying good seats or not. Do they even sell them over the phone? Where would I pick up these hypothetical tickets anyway? What do you all advise? We arrive in Madrid on May 27th, and the tickets will surely be gone by then.

This board is the best! I learned so much last year that I was able to use on my trip (my first visit in 30 years), and when my daughter insisted only a couple of weeks ago that we should return, this is the first place I came for information. I promise to do better about reporting my experiences.

josie
embarrassed to have kept quiet so long :o

NO WAY! Just tuned into TV Andalusia and they have one of his videos playing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT! And he's keeping up with the good stuff!

Espe3 - are you right - El Corte Inglés &/or FNCA is always where I go to pick up CDs. Selection and price are both good. I'm also a sucker for the photogrpahy book section at El Corte Ingles - it's sort of that last minute stop before trying to cram stuff into a suitcase to come home.

Well, I decided to try calling the Madrid number listed on Serrano's website to see if it's possible to get tickets to one of his upcoming concerts (it's the CajaMadrid number, listed on his site as 902 488 488). My international dialing skills have obviously suffered from lack of use, because I kept getting the message that my call could not be completed as dialed.

I'm using a calling card with some free time on it, so I dialed 1, 34 (country code), 1 (city code) and the above number. What am I doing wrong?

To think I was hesitant to call because of foreign phone fear, and I'm not even able to get far enough to say a word!.

josie

Oh my god I LOVE HIM!!! I've never heard him before, but just listened to 'eres' I think, and he's wonderful!!

NOW I have to figure out HOW to get his music here!!

-GG

Yep! Ismael Serrano....great lyrics, and VERY attractive! (I know, I know, I'm being VERY shallow!)

MMan, have you watched the movie Kilometro 0?, the song you like belongs to that soundtrack.

Saludos,

p

Josie, you're missing the 9. I looked at the concert list and if you're calling about the concert in madrid, call: 011-34-902-488-488.
I can't find the number you may be talking about. Tell me where it is and I'll tell you how to call! I hope you get to go!

Oh, thanks for the help, Espe3! I found the phone number on Serrano's web site ( http://www.IsmaelSerrano.com ) under the section about concerts. It says CajaMadrid, 902 488 488. Apparently this number is for the Spanish equivalent of Ticketmaster? I'm at work now, but I will try calling again tomorrow morning before coming to work. I hope there are at least two decent seats left. Of course, I have no idea how to tell over the phone whether the seats are decent or not. Oh well, it'll be an adventure!

josie

Hey, Pim, shallow is ok!! Do you know where I may find some more pictures of him?!?

Does anyone know if amazon.com carries his stuff? I'll have to definitely look for him next time I'm in NYC at the Virgin Megastore, they have a large World Music section.

Hasta pronto-

GG

pim wrote: No! I haven't seen it, but then I haven't been able to see many movies from Spain apart from the biggies. Nor have I seen the video for "Eres" yet. I'll have to watch more of those great nighttime music videos on AndaluciaTV.

Ok, so maybe I'm gullible today, but you're joking, right, MM?? You don't actually GET Andalucia tv, or are you just toying with all of us Span-o-philes? (It's been a long day...)

Either way, if you find Kilometro 0, can you let me know? I'm going to go look for it and other Ismael stuff now!!

Buenas noches!!

GG

GranadaGirl, 247 posts here and you don't yet know about MadridMan\'s Spain Radio, TV, Music, & Movies page which carries direct links to the internet broadcasts of Spain's TV stations (all which are available) like Antena3 (national), CRTVG (Galicia), ExpansiónTV (finance/business), ETB from País Basco, AND AndalucíaTV ??? On the latter you can watch Andalucía tourism programs on the weekends/morning, talk shows, news, sports, AND music videos at night. I love the Andalucía tourism programs which tell about different regions, the people and landscapes, and all with beautiful, typical background music. I just love these programs. They take me there..... to Spain. Mmmm..

The music videos are showing RIGHT NOW as I type this!!!!!!! And you won't see any of those crummy English-language music videos either! These are ALL SPANISH and mainly ALL SPAIN music videos. Enjoy!

Yet another edit/update: I JUST finished watching Rosario's "Agua y Sal" video. Nice.. slow.. sweet.

Well, thanks to Espe3's help I was able to reach the box office in Madrid where Ismael Serrano tickets are on sale. The woman I spoke with talked a mile a minute (seemed faster in Spanish, of course), and it was a real struggle to understand her. But there *were* still tickets available. I chose Tues night the 28th, the first of the 3 nights he'll be performing in Madrid. I asked which would be the best seats, and she said the 1st floor. I asked if they had a good view, and she said she didn't know, she wasn't familiar with the theater. The tickets were 15 euros each, so I decided to take them. I wondered how I would pick them up, but she said I could get them before the concert at the ticket window as long as I had my passport and credit card. I gave her my credit card number, then she wanted a phone number, and I was able to give her the number of the Spanish cell phone I'll have the use of during my trip. It sounds like such a simple conversation as I write it, but I must have said "que dice?" and "no entiendo" about every other word. But I was getting tickets! This was actually easier than I thought, but then...wait...what was she saying? It seemed like there was some problem, but I couldn't figure out what it was. The poor woman, she was having a hard time figuring out the simplest way to explain it (which didn't include speaking any slower ) She wanted my name? I began to spell it...no, that wasn't it. Who was buying these tickets? I was, the card was in my name...no, not that either. Turns out that to buy those tickets over the phone I needed to have a credit card from a Spanish bank! Arrgh! After almost 10 minutes of struggling with my rusty Spanish, I'm undone for lack of a proper credit card. I protested that by the time I arrived in Spain there would be no tickets left. She agreed.

Oh well...visiting Spain is a learning experience, and in this case the learning started before I left. I wonder, in Spain do people without tickets go early to concerts like this and wait in line until just before it starts to see if any unclaimed tickets are put on sale? Maybe I'll just look for his CDs.

At any rate, I'll still be in Madrid...that's the truly important part.

SO CHEAP!!!?? But what??! YOU HAVE to have a credit card from a Spanish bank so you could not buy them? That's ridiculous!!!

Oh what an ordeal!
Josie, do you want me to get the tickets for you?, we can meet when you arrive here and I'll give them to you if you want.

pim, you would do that for me? How wonderful, thank you so much! Yes, oh yes, I would like that, shall I contact you offlist to make the arrangements?

Sure! OK.

WooHoo & Hooray ! Finally got La Traicion de Wendy, Serrano's newest CD - good - very good though not my favorite one.

WHAT?! Well don't keep us in suspense! HOW did you get it???? And WHICH IS your favorite of his CDs?

I'm about to leave for the airport, to eventually turn up in Madrid. And if all goes well, I'll be able to make a report next weekend on one of Ismael Serrano's concerts!!

josie,
hoping everything is packed...

Josie,

You will, I've got your tickets for next Friday!!!

Have a nice flight, see you soon!

Paloma

Whoo hoo!

Thanks so much pim/Paloma!!

Yes, I'll see you soon

josie, really excited now

AND a big thank you to Madridman, because without his board, this wouldn't be happening. (Where's the icon for applause?)

Hi, josie!!

It's so great to "see" you around the board again--I have often thought about our evening of pictures and Spanish food at El Meson here in Mpls!

I am delighted to hear that you're going back with your daughter again--be sure to keep us posted about your travels!

Tara

Hi Tara,

Yes, that dinner was fun, wasn't it! Now we'll have an excuse for another one.

Gotta go, but I'll be reporting in on this trip.

josie

Fri. night my daughter and I went to the Ismael Serrano concert at Teatro Albeniz in Madrid. Maravilloso! The seats pim got for us were terrific, with an excellent view. Ismael performed for almost 2 hours, and then was called back for several encores. Unfortunately he didn´t perform the only song I knew the words to (because they were posted here): Km 0. Still, it was a fantastic experience, and I´m definitely going to pick up his CDs before I come home. (Corte Ingles has a 21% sale going on now, too. )

Josie!! Thanks SO MUCH for the report!!! Wow. I wish I could have gone to that. MAN, I WISH I could have gone to that!!!!! I know that Caminante was in Spain during that concert and think he too planned to attend. But did he...?? You all could've gone together! I know he was in Barcelona for the Paco Bello concert and he was nice enough to pick up Ismael Serrano's last 3 CDs for me.. can't wait for his return and his mailing.

How was Teatro Albeniz? I've never been there. Is it nice? Is it an old theater or one of the modern ones?

And I can't believe he didn't sing Km.0!!! What a bummber! Maybe he's tired of signing it already. Mmmmmm.. what a nice song that is. But did you take advantage of the El Corte Inglés sale on CDs to get those CDs?

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip too. Glad you had a nice time at the concert. Isn't pim the best? That was nice of her to pick up those tickets for you.

Saludos, MadridMan

We saw Ismael Serrano in Barcelona on Saturday night. He played for a loooong time. It was great!!!! The friends who got us our tickets told us they were ninth row, but didn´t mention it was ninth row of the second balcony. It was in the incredible Palau de la Musica which is a sight to behold on its own. We left at about the third encore because we thought it was the end, but we missed 20-30 mins more of the concert The new album is fantastic!

We saw Paco Bello y Raul Hernandez (Doctor Grillo) in Madrid on Friday. That was a great show in a small bar in Chueca (Buho Real). We got to meet the artists afterwards. They would like to come play in New York if they can find places to play. Two great concerts. The trip is going great but we head back to the US tomorrow

Caminante, did Serrano sing Km.0 at YOUR concert?? I'm guessing NOT. What a shame.

He didn´t play Km. 0 while we were there. But he played so many awesome songs, and the crowd was great!!!!

Sounds like some GREAT concerts, caminante/Josie! I'm curious, does Ismael Serrano play guitar while singing or does he just sit in front of the microphone and sing with the musicians behind him?

Let´s see if I can remember all those questions!

Yes, Ismael Serrano does play guitar while he sings. His band is great too. I especially enjoyed the keyboarding that accompanies many of the songs.

Teatro Albeniz is not new, it´s tucked away on c/Paz, a narrow old street just off of Puerta del Sol. Walking down it in the daytime you wouldn´t think anything much ever happened there. Oh, man, would I love to have seen Serrano in the Palau in Barcelona. That has to be one of the most beautiful buildings I´ve ever seen. I swear, the next time I come back to Spain I´m going to go back to Barcelona and try to go to an organ concert there. (It was being restored last year)

Yes, pim is the greatest, she met my daughter and I at Maceira to give us our tickets and we have also dined with her and a friend at the new restaurant, Nudel Bar. (I never imagined I´d ever be eating with chopsticks in Madrid!).

No, I haven´t bought the Serrano CDs yet, but tomorrow and Wed. are our shopping days since we return on Thurs. so I´ll be picking them up then.

Did I answer everything? Oh, and a funny thing about our seats at the concert--we were in a row of 6 seats, seated there were 3 mothers and three daughters.

Time to go for the daily afternoon helado.

Hey Josie, (Amy), and MMan; thanks for the 'piropos' but it was MY pleasure to meet you guys.

Now, a little explanation about WHY I would suggest to Josie and her lovely daughter to join me and my friend for dinner at a CHINESE restaurant!
It's a new place for basically Chinese noodles and rice, opened only about 10 days ago and owned by a friend of mine, Jill, that I sort of knew through this site. (I met her at a friend's party, but I recognized her as being one of the attendants at the December MMan's party whose pic I'd seen posted). So I hope that makes it OK MMan???

Anyway, LOOOVED it and I recommend it to anybody who misses these "noodle places", that are so common in London, for instance; here, this one's the first. Also, for people who want cheap but very tasty and filling!(¿?) food, and very friendly service!!!

Wow! I've gotten so out of topic, SORRY!!! :o

I'm back in the US

One more thing about Ismael Serrano's band (to move it back on topic) is that it features Javier Bergia on percussion. Bergia is a great singer / cantautor in his own right and he and Serrano sang one of Bergia's songs during the concert in Barcelona.