Cante: Juan Peña el Lebrijano, Curro Malena, José Valencia, Aurora Vargas
Guitar: Antonio Malena, Pedro Mª Peña, Pedro Peña, Fernando Moreno, Diego Amaya
Dance: Antonio Canales y su grupo
Fiesta: Sabor Jerez

At the ripe age of thirty-eight the Caracolá Lebrijana ranks among the elders of cante festivals, and this year the organizers decided to pay tribute to one of the most memorable flamenco characters to come out of Lebrija, in honor of the one-hundredth anniversary of his birth. José Vargas Vargas "El Chozas" was born in Lebrija August 30th, 1903 and spent a large portion of his life in Jerez causing him to be known as El Chozas de Jerez, although his cante and his personality are pure Lebrija. The festival opened with a touching presentation by the town's most representative singers: Juan Peña el Lebrijano, Curro Malena and the young José Valencia, together with guitarist and singer Pedro Peña took turns singing Chozas' fresh and original bulerías.

Styles reminiscent of romance with the characteristic
flavor and compás of Lebrija.

José Valencia

Next up was Curro Malena with his son Antonio Malena on the guitar, cantiñas and romeras in E position, a good sound for the latter, less so, the former. Then por fandangos - the prohibition against fandangos in cante festivals imposed years ago by Antonio Mairena has been completely overcome. Siguiriyas with his son's just-right accompaniment, and amplification problems, complete with annoying feedback which would not be corrected over the course of the night. To finish up, bulerías, once again sounding of El Chozas and styles reminiscent of romance with the characteristic flavor and compás of Lebrija. For the ending the singer stepped away from the mike, a futile and meaningless gesture considering the vast expanse of the athletic field.

His thing is, always has been and shall always be traditional cante.

Juan Peña Lebrijano

Juan Peña Lebrijano with his nephew Pedro Mª Peña providing the accompaniment settled in on the large stage. The veteran singer hasn't given up his fondness for novelty cantes but his thing is, always has been and shall always be traditional cante. Tonight he is into medleys as well: bamberas, a cante Lebrijano gave a new lease on life when he recorded it more than twenty-five years ago at the height of his popularity, is served up with the romances especially cultivated by the Peñas. Then a tour of the cantiña family including not only verses of mirabrá and Carapiera, but the seldom heard alegrías de Córdoba. A classic siguiriya set with styles of Marrurro, José de Paula and Loco Mateo among others, with the wisdom and authority inherited from Mairena. Bulerías "a lo Lebrijano" situates the singer in his most familiar territory, followed by a trip through "galeras", the non-cante that Juan Peña steadfastly promotes although no other singer has to date shown any interest in reproducing the creation.

Twenty minutes of compás and pure inspiration
transformed into elegant madness.

And it was time for Antonio Canales who is doing a series of cante festivals this year as if to atone for certain theatrical excesses and rectify a less than favorable image. The man knows how to dance flamenco and came to prove it. With quality back-up, heavy on Morón artists (guitarists Daniel Méndez, dancer Juan de Juan and singer David Sánchez in addition to Rafael de Utrera), he danced long, well and with dignity, throwing himself into it as only he can. Twenty minutes of compás and pure inspiration transformed into elegant madness. Juan de Juan was noteworthy with his ever more polished and controlled dance, and a pair of flaming red boots.

After a break with 'caracoles' and 'caña', not the flamenco sort but rather snails and beer, "Lebrija's hopeful young voice" as he was presented by Pepe Marín, José Valencia, formerly Joselito de Lebrija, came up on stage with Antonio Malena. His flamenco voice, his compás and his knowledge are always impressive. A good assortment of soleá, and another of siguiriya, verses well-phrased and linked, perhaps forcing his voice a bit too much in search of the duende. He then showed off his considerable talent for bulerías with the complicity and palmas of some of Canales' people who were clearly delighted and having a good time.

Antonio Canales

Aurora Vargas, never lets you down,
always beautiful, flamenco and instinctive.

Aurora Vargas, who never lets you down, always beautiful, flamenco and instinctive, started out with alegrías as is her custom. "Aire" with a capital A. With her regular guitarist Diego Amaya she then offered her limited but flavorful repertoire of tientos tangos, fandangos and of course, bulerías. A few voices from the audience shouted out for Pansequito who was watching from the sidelines.

Aurora Vargas

The cuadro Sabor Jerez with guitarist Fernando Moreno was precisely that: "sabor", flavor, and very Jerez, and their performance made for a perfect dessert. This year we had no djembe and no Indian tablas on stage for the Caracolá. In fact, the lengthy bill of artists and the intense activity at the bar recalled the festival-happenings of the nineteen-seventies and even the defective sound was somehow a nostalgic touch.

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Text & Photos: Estela Zatania