Al-Andalus is also available to buy as a pdf download. https://dbbpublications.gumroad.com/l/AlAndalus

Simon Garcia writes: "When I received the commission from David Heyes to write a piece for double bass trio in an Arabic style for Bass-Fest 2014, the first word that came to mind was 'Al-Andalus'. The name more generally describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims between 711 and 1492.

The legacy of Al-Andalus continues today in what we know as Spain, my home country. Many of the words in use today in the Spanish language are of Arabic origin (in addition to Latin and Greek languages) plus numbers and many advances in science (astronomy, mathematics ...), agriculture or architecture and the essence of Arabian music still lives in musical genres such as flamenco.

Al-Andalus was a state where Muslims, Christian and Jewish people lived in harmony throughout centuries and many of the descendants of those citizens are living today where was the old Al-Andalus.

With this piece I want to pay tribute to those people and for this I wrote a "Samai" - a very elegant Arabic dance with a time signature of 10/8 (10/4 in this piece) and musical form like a Rondó.

Al-Andalus was premiered at Shouwberg Almere (Netherlands) on 26 August 2014 by Dan Styffe, Hagai Bilitzky and Simon Garcia. It received its UK premiere at Wells Museum (Somerset, UK) on 28 September 2014 by David Heyes, Joe Prindl and Matt Green.

Bassist and composer Simon Garcia was born in Mugardos (Spain) in 1977 and graduated in double bass from the Conservatorio Superior of Salamanca. He has worked as a double bassist in the Royal Orchestra of Galicia, having also performed in many orchestras throughout Spain, and is the bassist in the Symphony Wind Orchestra of A. Coruna. He has collaborated with many musicians and ensembles, particularly in the field of contemporary music, and has recorded and performed on many commercial recordings and for television and radio broadcasts.

Simon Garcia has composed more than twenty works for double bass, ranging from two to six players, alongside transcriptions of these pieces for various chamber ensembles. His music has been performed in Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, Denmark, Spain, Japan, Italy, Austria, Germany, Canada, USA and UK by The Bass Gang, Bass Instinct and Il Quint-etto amongst others, and some of his music was used as teaching material in the 2011 ISB Year of Collaborative Music.

Simon Garcia's music is lively, jazzy and rhythmic with great forward momentum and drive. Accessible for players and audiences alike, he writes colourful music of distinction and energy, employing the entire range of the double bass.

Simon Garcia was a Featured Composer and guest soloist at Bass-Fest 2013 (3-7 August, The Silk Mill, Frome, UK), when 10 of his works were performed, including the premiere of Time Capsule for double bass octet.