GALA CONCERT IN HONOR OF Enrique el Mellizo Wednesday, May 24th, 2006. 9:00pm. Gran Teatro Falla. Cádiz

Cuadro flamenco de El Junco:
Dance: El Junco. Cante: Miguel Rosendo, Reyes Martín, Vicente Gelos. Guitar: Andrés Martínez, Ramón Amador. Percussion: Roberto Jaén.
Grupo “Aires de mi barrio”
Cante: Antonio Reyes, Chiquito de Cádiz, Momi de Cádiz. Guitar: Antonio Higuero, Andrés Martínez, José Herrera, Ricardo Rivera, Ignacio Alvarez.
Grupo “Duende flamenco”:
Cante: Carmen de la Jara, Joaquín Alegría, Paco de Solano, Selu de Cádiz, José Anillo. Guitar: Antonio Carrión, Niño de la Leo, Pepe Ruso, Juan José Alba.
Grupo “Jondura y sentimiento”:
Cante: Encarnita Anillo, Felipe Scapachini, Pepi de Ignacio, Miguel Rosendo, Nani de Cádiz. Guitarra: Adriano Lozano, Víctor Rosa, Paco de Cádiz.
Cuadro de Lidia Diáñez:
Cante: Paco Reyes, Zamara Montañés. Guitar: Niño de la Leo. Percusión: Edu Gómez, Jaleo, Naín Real, Miguel Cortés, Ma. José Franco.

To commemorate the hundredth anniversary of historic singer Enrique el Mellizo’s death, the flamenco community of Cádiz, el Mellizo’s birthplace, deployed its considerable resources for a gala show with the participation of numerous artists from Cádiz. For various reasons several major stars such as Rancapino, Chano Lobato, Juan Villar or Mariana Cornejo were not able to be present, but we were able to enjoy others such as Carmen de la Jara, Encarnita and José Anillo in cante, and the young dance star El Junco.

Singer Carmen de la Jara offered a biographical sketch of Mellizo and El Junco’s group interpreted an assortment of cantiñas for the lead dancer. The group “Aires de mi Barrio” took over the stage with a more traditional sort of Cádiz cante with the noteworthy Antonio Reyes who sang siguiriyas and malagueñas. Veteran Chiquito de Cádiz was pure art and grace with his Caracol-style fandangos and enough charisma to get the audience to their feet.

Of the third group, “Duende Flamenco”, Paco de Solano recalled the old style of Cádiz cante with festive material from Pericón and Manolo Vargas, and Selu de Cádiz mixed classic alegrías with cantiñas. José Anillo who has been singing for the Farrucos, sang soleá por bulerías with many personal touches as is only fitting for this form, and Carmen de la Jara, a woman with a great love for cante, sang siguiriyas.

The unmistakable compás of Cádiz bay

With the title “Jondura y Sentimiento”, Pepi de Ignacio opened with caracoles, a cante in danger of extinction, Nani de Cádiz sang por soleá, Encarna Anillo offered an interesting assortment of cantiñas, young Miguel Rosendo lent his richly-textured voice to siguiriyas and veteran Felipe Scapachini closed out the first part with his malagueñas.

After intermission there were official acts to show thanks for Fosforito’s presence, a singer who spent the better part of his youth in Cádiz where he developed a strong repertoire of cantiñas. He received the gold insignia from the Cátedra de Flamenco de Cádiz. There were also honors for Gonzalo Rojo, president of the Fundación Nacional de Arte Flamenco.

The second part of the show consisted of a long alegrías dance with all its traditional elements by dancer Lidía Diáñez and her group, with the only omission perhaps being a bata de cola to round out the traditional flavor that was cultivated.

A lengthy fiesta finale with the thirty-some artists who had performed was to have taken up the rest of the evening, but the absence of the major stars of Cádiz, and the presence of so many semi-professionales led to a certain chaos, all with plenty of wit and the unmistakabble compás of Cádiz bay. Encarnita Anillo danced bulerías with her brother José Anillo and the fun-loving crowd danced off into the wings bringing this unusual event to an end.

Cádiz: Special report

'Por alegrias'

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