Del alma

Alquimia 

Pa'ki Pa'ka

This is the story of a Swedish guitarist who was invited to a baptism in Granada, which turned out to be a huge celebrity party in the flamenco world. The world’s most celebrated Swedish Flamenco guitarist. Born in 1975 (Gothenburg, Sweden), Robert “Robi” Svärd´s interest in the guitar awakened at an early age. At the age of four he strummed his first chords on this instrument which was to captivate him until the present day.

In 1992, Robi left Sweden to continue his music studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia, under the guidance of Gregory Pikler. During his many years in Australia, Robi developed into a skillful musician and artist, becoming the recipient of numerous prizes and awards including the nomination for “The Young Achievers Award 1997”, and being invited to perform on numerous occasions at the Sydney Opera House and the many TV and radio performances.

In 1998 Robi moved to Seville, Spain, to study flamenco, where he was quickly recognised for his rhythmic and technical ability earning respect from the “flamencos” of Seville. During his four year stay Robi performed with and appeared on the recordings of  some of the most popular musicians and dancers of Spain, including Rafael Amador of Pata Negra, El Pechuga, La Cabra Mecánica. The album “Vestidos de Domingo”, by La Cabra Mecánica, featuring Robi, was nominated for a Grammy,


Robi released his 3rd album “Del alma” on Asphalt Tango Records in May 2022.

The worlds most acclaimed Swedish Flamenco guitarist 

Robert 'Robi' Svärd 

Debut album from the new guitarist making waves in flamenco - Robert 'Robi' Svärd - it is a thing of beauty!

Debut album from the new guitarist making waves in flamenco... it is a thing of beauty!

This is the story of a Swedish guitarist who was invited to a baptism in Granada, which turned out to be a huge celebrity party in the flamenco world. And it just so happened that he himself was one of the party’s most esteemed guests. His own role models courting him, wanting to meet and shake hands with him. It was like a dream. How did he end up there?

The fact is that guitarist Robert 'Robi' Svärd unleashed something during the recording of his debut album, "Pa’ki Pa’ka". His music has already caused many of flamenco’s most prominent musicians to gasp for breath. It has something to do with his fingers, which dance like light as feathers on the strings, making the harmonics glitter like sequins. But it doesn’t stop there. Even if his skill is impossible to miss, it is never boastful, it doesn’t beg for admiration; no, it is just there, making space for love – the love of music. Sometimes it coincides with the love of life, but it can also be that which makes life bearable and beautiful. Such is flamenco and, even in a chilly country like Sweden, the glowing heart of a musician can set the music on fire.

Robert 'Robi' Svärd is a classically trained guitarist who won multiple awards and was highly sought after as a young talent in Australia, where he got his education. When he chose to focus on flamenco in Sevilla, the best musicians and dancers soon started to book him on a regular basis. It’s as if all of those quite complicated rhythms, the dynamic expressions, the intricate finger movements – all of it seems to come easy to him.

So when Robert 'Robi' Svärd posted a video of his own song on Facebook a couple of years ago, it was really no coincidence that it suddenly had a vast number of shares. Neither was it a coincidence that one of flamenco’s hottest singers, Alfredo Tejada, approached Robert about singing with him. Nor that he was invited to record his album in the legendary FJR Estudios de Grabación in Granada together with the very best musicians in the flamenco world, including Nani Conde (Pata Negra) and the percussionist Miguel 'El Cheyenne', who later invited the Swedish music phenomenon to his daughter’s baptism.

This is the story of a Swedish guitarist, and it starts right here

Flamenco, Robert Svaerd, Spain, Guitar, Asphalt Tango Records, Gypsy music, Rumba

Ideally, UNESCO world cultural heritage should not only be appreciated everywhere, but also cultivated far away from its place of origin. Flamenco, which has long since become a cosmopolitan art form, has its offshoots everywhere, even in faraway Japan or Cuba. Robert "Robi" Svärd has been a key contributor to the Swedish "branch" of this originally Andalusian music and life culture. Born in Gothenburg in 1975, the guitarist acquired a taste for his instrument in early childhood. After a long period of study and living in Sydney, Australia, he ended up in the epicenter of flamenco, Seville, Spain. Now back home, Svärd has forged a key link between Sweden and Spain as a musician and operator of a flamenco school. Through his label, his connections also extend to Germany. His third release in six years once again proves Svärd to be a stylistically confident and sensitive instrumentalist and composer. His well-versed, pleasantly unpretentious, sometimes even serene flamenco playing is on a par with that of many colleagues in Spain. The list of his fellow musicians is ample proof of the respect he enjoys and the network he established there during his long stay. Luminaries of the Spanish flamenco scene, such as violinist Bernardo Parrilla and cantaora Sandra Carrasco, are joined in the seven tracks by several compatriots of the guitarist, such as the nyckelharpa player Erik Rydvall. The fact that there are nowhere near as many participants this time around as on the previous album “Alquimia” (2018), which was almost overflowing with personnel, may only be partly due to the pandemic. Intentional or not, less is definitely more on “Del alma” and the approach has been conducive to musicmaking with an airy-clear, yet poetic essence. Right at the beginning of the album, the eponymous “Soléa” reveals Svärd's dedication to tradition. This goes hand in hand with an open-hearted desire for renewal, seen in his tasteful arrangements integrating piano, violin and percussion.

The 2nd album from the groundbreaking Swedish flamenco guitarist Robert 'Robi' Svärd

The 2nd album from the groundbreaking Swedish flamenco guitarist.

After the release of his highly acclaimed debut album “Pa'ki Pa'ka” (Asphalt Tango Records 2016), the time has come for Flamenco guitarist Robert 'Robi' Svärd to release an equal follow-up, “Alquimia”. The arrival of "Pa'ki Pa'ka" back in 2016 caused quite a stir and Robi's music soon found its way into the hearts of many leading figures in Flamenco.

Many of these giants, such as living legends El Potito, Niño Josele, Luis Moneo and Pepe Torres appear on "Alquimia". Award-winning singer Alfredo Tejada, whose rich and colourful voice we all got accustomed to on "Pa'ki Pa'ka", also makes a re-appearance on "Alquimia", along with some twenty distinguished guests. The results of this alchemical adventure is truly something very special and Robi and friends simply can not wait to unleash "Alquimia" on the world!.

Born in 1975 in Sweden, Robert 'Robi' Svärd´s interest in the guitar awakened at an early age. At the tender age of four he strummed his first chords on the instrument which was to captivate him until the present day. In 1992 Robi left Sweden to continue his music studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in Australia. And 1998 Robi finally followed his true passion and moved to Sevilla to study Flamenco. There he quickly earned the respect of the “flamencos” of Sevilla. Even though he now once again resides in Sweden, Robi is constantly involved in numerous projects in Spain.

In 2017 KAP (The Swedish Society of Songwriters, Composers and Authors) honoured Robert Svärd with their World Music Award 2017.

'...'Robi' Svärd lyckas koda flamencons signaler...'

Robert 1

"...Alquimia is stunning as both the guitarist and his Spanish collaborators contribute to an exeptional album..."

Robert 2

'...Die gitarrenzentrierten Stücke wirken bei aller Virtuosität angenehm fliessend... Im Dialog mit Gesangsstimmen hat der Schwede in einer Soleá und einer Siguiriya seine Sternstunden.'

Robert 3

'...detta är ytterligare en lysande skiva...'

Robert 4

'Fingerfertig!...Der schwedische Gitarrist wird in Spanien als Flamenco-Meister gefeiert...'

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Robert 'Robi' Svärd

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