Giorgio Rizzarelli (urbania70) performs a piano jazz interpretation of the aria from the 2nd movement of Concierto de Aranjuez, composed in 1939 by Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-99).

The piece was inspired by the sounds of nature in the gardens of Palacio Real de Aranjuez, which is still a residence of the King of Spain near Madrid. It is an interesting crossover between Classical and traditional Spanish music, being a dialogue between classical guitar and orchestra instruments. It's quite popular in Spain but also worldwide in television and movies.
It has been interpreted in jazz by various big musicians including Miles Davis (with the help of Gil Evans) and Chick Corea on piano. I here do a piano jazz interpretation too. Interestingly, though this piece is guitar-based, Rodrigo didn't play guitar (he was blind) and instead was a pianist.
The melody develops on the natural minor scale, typically Spanish, and some other unusual scales. In my interpretation I put also some Middle-Eastern scales and tetrachords (after all Spain had Arab influences).

Check this marvellous performance of the original version, featuring the top level classical guitarist John Williams (former member of Sky - and not the same John Williams which composed soundtracks for Lucas/Spielberg):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d1WgoSfV_Kg

See also the great Chick Corea's interpretation, which he does as ouverture to his composition "Spain". There are on the tube recordings from many different live performances of this Aranjuez/Spain medley (often improperly entitled simply "Spain"). He now often duets in incredible feeling with Hiromi Uehara, a young Japanese woman which is possibly the best pianist today, and which I consider his artistical daughter. Here are two versions of their Aranjuez/Spain duet:
Tokio 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRU1o-...
Tokio 2008: http://youtube.com/watch?v=I5G4c3J-_0U

This video is dedicated to my Spanish friends on the tube, but among them, first of all to milaraven, which has been the very first one supporting the publishing of my piano videos two years ago, and is still a precious support. Dearest Mila, you were right to believe in me, now I have thousands of visits on my videos! This video also marks my debut on the tube in both classical and jazz, so let's hope that it will attract new kinds of audiences!
http://youtube.com/milaraven

FAIR USE NOTICE: I'm convinced that this amateur recording of a solo piano reduced and free interpretation doesn't damage the copyright owner but spreads the culture about the original version. (less info)