Mexican Guitar Greats Mix Rock and Flamenco

Rodrigo and Gabriela 9 dead alive: Published on 16 Jan 2014 9 Dead Alive is the new album from Rodrigo y Gabriela. Buy on Amazon: http://smarturl.it/RyGamazon

Javier Encalada shares the latest news about RODRIGO and Gabriela, a Mexican acoustic guitar duo, whose music is influenced by a number of genres including nuevo flamenco, rock and heavy metal.

The duo, whose recordings consist largely of instrumental duets on the classical guitar, is set to perform at Bluesfest later this year.

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero grew up in middle-class families in Mexico City.

Their parents listened to flamenco, jazz and rock music and they were both also exposed to heavy metal.

The two met as teenagers and dated for many years and while their relationship ended in 2012 their musical partnership has endured.

Both are now back living in Mexico City but they began their career in Ireland where they lived for eight years.

Rodrigo and Gabriela have released five studio albums, three live albums and one EP but at Bluesfest they will be performing new music from their new album 9 Dead Alive.

The album has attracted widespread interest since it was released late last year.

"People like the idea that (9 Dead Alive) is a conceptual album, a tribute to different works and actions of people that had a tremendous importance on humanity's course," Quintero said.

The album includes songs inspired by Joan Agnes of the Cross (1651-1695), one of the precursors of women's Spanish literature, and Chilean poet, educator and feminist Gabriela Mistral (Lucila Godoy Alcayaga).

Mistral, who Quintero was named after, received the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1945. She is the only Latin American woman to have received the prize.

"People seem very intrigued by them," Quintero said. "It's really good because a lot of people are discovering these amazing Latin women in the English-speaking world through our album."