Text: Rubén Gutierrez
Photos: Málaga en Flamenco / Carlos Díaz Martín

CHILD’S PLAY

In this vein, the opening piece, a martinete with the four stars, was neither here nor there, more improvisation than intent.  Next up was Alejandro Moreno to interpret a malagueña on guitar, ending with abandolao.  As is the norm these days, the young guitarists have good technique but are short on feeling, and the harmonic excess leads down a dead-end street if you compare the expressive possibilities offered by well-developed melodies.  Accompanied by Juan Ortigosa on percussion, he played tangos in the same line.

Alejandro Moreno

Jesús Mendez

Each one did his or her personal best

With this pace established, it’s no wonder singer Jesús Méndez surprised us.  This young man from Jerez is making his way in dance companies and with Gerardo Núñez, and offered a typical recital from his hometown.  Sounds of the San Miguel neighborhood dominated in the soleá, siguiriya and bulería, with special memories of his aunt Paquera.  Manteca and Manuel Cantarote were at his side keeping rhythm, in addition to Antonio Rey, a very good guitarist but not really specialized in cante accompaniment, and he covered up this shortcoming with guitar variations.  Before intermission, Madrid dancer José Maya appeared.  His dancing, as electrifying as the red suit he wore, marks the third time he has performed in this biennial festival, which did not enhance the impression he left, as he is rather limited.  He danced alegrías with Jesús del Rosario on guitar, Simón Román and Saúl Quirós singing and the percussion of Lucky Losada.  True enough he has a very gypsy style, but sometimes that just isn’t enough.

José Maya

Rosario La Tremendita & Salvador Gutierrez

When we returned to our seats, we were in for a surprise.  Antonio Rey scrapped the program plan and came on to delight us with Paco de Lucía’s rondeña.  Here he demonstrated why he has won first prize at every major guitar contest in Spain.  Another solid guitarist, Salvador Gutiérrez, accompanied Rosario la Tremendita.  Her rough voice, almost hoarse, was perfect for dramatic forms like the zambra dedicated to Paquera, and the milonga “Hija de Juan Simón”, but her thin thread of a voice failed to come across in tangos de Granada, and even less in bulerías.  Once again José Maya took the stand, this time for soleá.  Although he began elegantly enough and with a flamenco feeling, the dance looked progressively like a copy of the previous one, despite Simón Román’s best efforts singing.  All that was left was the fiesta finale, all the performers por bulerías, but I’m sorry to report that very few times have I ever seen a show ended in such chaotic fashion.

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