Flamenco Drums in Jerez de la Frontera

In December, Jerez de la Frontera is the stage for one of the most typical customs on the cultural and festive scene of Andalusian folk expression, the zambombá drum festival. Since the eighteenth century on the night before Christmas Eve, friends, neighbours and relatives get together in the patios and courtyards of the houses and farms. Everyone gathers round the bonfires and they sing Christmas carols and dance spontaneously while wine, anise, punch and Christmas cakes are passed round. The main instrument is the zambomba drum, which gives the festival its name.

The instrument, the zambomba drum, is usually hand made from an earthenware pot covered with skin, - usually goat skin, or muslin. In the centre of the drum a long cane pieces the skin and it makes a deep sound when played, it is the basic rhythm and beat of the Christmas carols. Other improvised instruments accompany the zambomba drum like mortar, tambourine or a bobbled bottle.

The Zambombá drum festival differs from the other flamenco festivals, it is a festival where everyone participates, while at other flamenco festivals and parties there is a separation between the artists (singers, guitarisrs and dancers) and the public, at the zambomba festivals everyone takes part singing and dancing or playing one of the instruments. In this way it loses its individual character of flamenco song and becomes more of a flamenco type sing-a- long.

From the hundreds of zambomba festivals that take place in Jerez every Christmas, we can mention a few, with special mention for those that are organised at the many flamenco clubs in Jerez, on Saturdays in December leading up to Christmas is when most of the zambonas take place.

Menu

Interesting

When and where?

Location

Contact data

Map

How to get there?

What is there nearby?