“Piano Jondo” Diego Amador Wednesday, 22th september, 2004. 2100h. Teatro Central, Seville   Program XIII Bienal de Arte Flamenco Seville

Daily coverage BIENAL DE FLAMENCO sponsored by:

Diego Amador: piano y cante.
Diego del Morao: guitarra flamenca.
Luis Amador: percusión.
Joselito Fernández: palmas y baile.
Jairo Barrull: palmas.
Miguel Vargas: contrabajo.

Piano Jondo.

Nowadays it’s no longer debated among less orthodox circles whether or not the piano is an instrument that can be adapted for flamenco. Each day more fans discover flamenco piano and record companies are taking note. This has led to a new generation of artists and the development of “schools” of piano flamenco that promote and popularize the art.

It took Diego Amador years of learning at home among family the music he now serves up. He grew up immersed in the world of musical creation provided by his brothers Rafael and Raimundo Amador whom he deeply admires, although it didn’t take him long to develop his own artistic personality and style. From the hardscrabble neighborhood of “3000 Viviendas” to Seville’s Teatro Central.

And then there was light. Diego, “El Churri” as he is affectionately called, seated at a grand piano. With taranto and “Pa lo viejitos” he really digs in. After tangos he tries to seduce the audience, but not until “Comparito” (bulerías) does the warmth start to flow, even if it’s not that profound. “El llanto de la lluvia” is like a steady drip or a tanguillo toy to raise spirits. And soleá, his soleá, where he emulates great stars of flamenco, which is the end of the short first part, just over a half hour in which he demonstrated his abilities and drawbacks to a nearly packed house.

Churri’s piano is contemporary, flamenco and jazz all in one, decorated with his special touch. Diego del Morao joins the group and catches the audience’s attention with his complex falsetas and accompaniment. The percussion is quite good, always in perfect compás and responsive to the musicians’ needs. The dark tones return with taranta, then soleá, a little tangos to lighten up and then bulerías where Amador forgets the words and is forced to improvise. The repertoire is Camarón-style, he adds little new material because although he composes and plays a variety of instruments, his originality is not what shines. Joselito Fernández in the dance department is nervous and has some effeminate gestures and suggestive dances. At the end (it was a short show including intermission) after the applause, the curtain call: Diego takes the baton and uses it to strike the piano strings within the grand piano turning the instrument’s innards into a drum set. Some showy effects, more applause and the final curtain.

Text: Estela Zatania

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