Remedios Amaya at the Sala García Lorca. Juan José Suárez “Paquete”, guitar.
José Manuel Gómez Gufi
A joyful night at the García Lorca room with the return of one of the great voices of the planet. You already know that three years ago Remedios released the record “Rompiendo el silencio”, thus returning to the stage with a recording worthy of her voice and flamenco records in general, produced by Fernando Vacas in which a harp was part of the accompaniment. So we wonder: a harp?…when you have Diego del Morao what do you need a harp for? And you remember the Marx brothers when we used to wear out VHS tapes because that instrument appeared that Harpo Marx liked so much.
Remedios came on with the guitar of Juan José Suárez Paquete and they went from tangos to one of those songs recorded with the harp, “Las Ciudades” from the repertoire of Chavela Vargas, immediately getting into “Angelitos Negros”, which is on the record with Cuban pianist Iván “Melón” Lewis. I think that was the last complete song.
Three years ago Remedios suspended promotion and concerts for that recording to attend to her breast cancer, and since that time fans have awaited her return.
It’s easy to understand why Remedios chose Casa Patas and the García Lorca room for her Madrid comeback, it’s a place where she feels comfortable, a physical sensation, she recognizes the cheers of each member of the audience, and there were many famous singers: Guadiana, Cancanilla and Naike Ponce among others, who enjoyed every moment. Basically, Remedios sang tangos and bulerías, which in any other singer could have been a defect, but in Remedios it’s her greatest virtue making her a figure close to rock and roll or soul music whose stars need the fuel of rhythm to express themselves.
The singer said she’s cured thank God…and her grandchildren, and she was visibly moved when she sang to Morao (Moraíto Chico), there it certainly didn’t matter that she continued with tangos. Remedios Amaya is that kind of artist to whom we owe an explanation, and there’s no better way to pay her back than by listening to her music and…if Spain is ready to make up for Eurovision, send her again but with the musicians on her record: to Diego del Morao and Jorge Pardo add the family chorus, the harp, Diego Carrasco (Rojo, Blanco, Azul, Violeta y Negro) and that etcetera that concentrates the best of Spanish music throughout the world. If you don’t think so, listen to the new version of “Quién Maneja mi Barco”, and if some freak still thinks it’s only good for a zero, we walk out of Eurovision and that’s that.
You leave the temple after seeing Remedios Amaya with the same feeling of a great night with the divas of jazz like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRae: of great fighters from north Africa like Mariem Hassan or from the south, such as Miriam Makeba… Remedios leaves you with the rhythmic memory of Celia Cruz and Celeste Mendoza, the lyrical quality of Susana Baca and the magic of Chavela. Next time, don’t miss her, we owe it to ourselves, it connects us with Mother Earth.
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Photos & videos: Rafael Manjavacas