Interview with Vicente Soto 'Sordera'. Cantaor flamenco. Jerez.

Interview
with

VICENTE SOTO

Text: Norman Paul Kliman

Vicente Soto Barea (Jerez de la Frontera, 1954)
just made his eleventh recording, “eStar Alegre”.
He comes from one of the most outstanding cante dynasties
of Jerez. Son of Manuel Soto “Sordera” and
brother of Enrique “Sordera” and José
“Sorderita”, he follows a traditional line
at the same time as reserving the right to give free
reign to his artistic curiosity, all of which defines
him, at 50, as a singer from the new generation, that
of Camarón and followers. He has set the verses
of poets like Unamuno, Valle Inclán, Antonio
y Manuel Machado, Bergamín and others to flamenco,
and his knowledge of the most orthodox sort of cante
runs deep and wide. The following interview with Vicente
Soto took place on January 14th, 2005 in Madrid in the
dressing-room of the El Duende flamenco club:

Vicente, in which cantes do
you think your father contributed the most?
My father was a very individualistic singer in every
way, and especially in soleá por bulería,
he was one of the ones who enhanced it greatly. His
fandangos were special, and his siguiriyas has a great
deal of personality. All in all, I think we’re
talking about one of the great singers.

Did he have cante where, shall
we say, he created styles or approaches?
His fandangos were….he created a entire approach,
and soleá por bulería as well.

What about yourself? In what
cantes have you contributed?
I more or less add to everything because I’m also
a singer with my own identity. You can see it in all
my recordings. I learn from everyone, but then I add
my own personality and identity. It’s basically
the same thing.

Name some styles you feel
you’ve added new things to…
In general, the rhythmic cantes, wouldn’t you
say?

Do you think history will
treat your father well? Are you satisfied with what’s
been written or said about him?
Well, I do think he’s received due recognition,
in view of what he’s left for future generations…
The dynasty goes on from there, don’t you think?
This is a respected flamenco singer.

After your Tríptico
recordings, would you say you’ve doing everything
you want to do in traditional cante?
Well, no, not everything, because traditional cante
is always there for the taking. Also, you can create
in your own way, taking the base as a starting point,
there’s always that option. Tradhtional cante
is never going to end, never. There are people who give
it their own personality, and when you do that, you’re
creating.

What do you think about the
possibility of creating new styles of siguiriya, soleá
and tonás? Is this very difficult? How do you
see it?
It’s not that it’s difficult. It’s
that in order to outdo what went before, to improve
on a siguiriya that already exists, this is complicated,
and anyone who tries it is taking a big chance, you
know what I mean? So I think the singer who is capable
of doing a good job with what’s already there,
adding something personal, that’s the right path,
you know?

“Traditional cante
is never going to end, never…”

The María la Moreno
style of bulería por soleá?
La Moreno had a special style, and she was a creator;
she gave it form. She created one style, El Gloria another…
It was a way of personalizing the cante I’d say,
and La Moreno stylized it in her way.

That cante, how does it go?
“Dinero…”…
That’s it…she’s the one who sang it.

What about Antonio La Peña?
Antonio La Peña was a distant relative of mine,
on my father’s side, he was an extraordinary singer.
Tío Borrico and all those people, that’s
where they’re coming from…Tío Tati…
Anyhow, he was a Jerez singer with tremendous personality
and a whole school came from there. What I don’t
get is how come you know about Antonio La Peña,
because I’m telling you, it’s the first
time anyone asked me about him. Put that in the article
so all the other critics can read it [laughter]…it’s
the first time anyone ever asked me about Antonio La
Peña…not even those flamencologist types,
not a one. Where you from, man?

Me? I was born in the United
States…
Look at that, they came from the US to ask me about
Antonio La Peña, and over here no one knows who
it is…not the flamencologists, not anyone hardly…look
at that, well, well, well, that’s a good question,
don’t stop now…

That cante “Te he querido
y no lo niego”, whose is that?
La Moreno used to do that, definitely, “que te
he querido y no lo niego”.

[Things are going well, Vicente
is relaxed and at ease, but just then singers Alfonso
Salmerón and Cancanilla de Marbella come in to
say hello. They greet each other warmly and we continue
amidst the chaos…)

“The most important
singers I’ve known are Manolo Caracol and Fernando
Terremoto”

What about the siguiriya
of Juanichi el Manijero? Some singers do it differently,
as if it were cabales…
There are different ways of doing it…I’ve
heard it a way that appeals to me more…

Which is the traditional
way? Cabales or straight siguiriyas?
I like it as normal siguiriyas, that’s how Periñaca
did it.

Do
you see much difference between the siguiriya of Paco
La Luz and Francisco La Perla?
The truth is, each one has its certain twist. But look,
I stick with Paco La Luz [laughter]. They’re very
similar because they have offshoots, but Paco La Luz,
it’s more to my liking.

Within the framework of traditional
flamenco, what innovations would you like to make?
I’d like to do something that communicates. Communication.
It’s very very difficult. We’ll see if I
get something going and if it’s worthwhile [laughter].

As far as singers, whether
recorded or live, who have been your favorites?
Cantaores, I don’t know, I’d have to go
for the older ones. Those of us who are contemporary,
I mean, I like everything. The most important singers
I’ve known are Manolo Caracol and Fernando Terremoto,
the ones who impressed me the most. Obviously I also
like La Paquera, La Perla, I like it all… But
those are the ones who impressed me the most.

What do you think about Juan
Mojama’s legacy?
Mojama? Exquisite…

They say he combined Antonio
Chacón and Manuel Torre, what do you think?
He was a singer who know how to adapt…but he had
something very special.

Do you hear a Mojama sound
in Camarón?
No, they’re completely different.

Do you think the international
audience needs to be brought in to flamenco or viceversa?
No, but I think there has to be an opening. It’s
important that flamenco open up in some ways.

Translated by: Anne Goodman

Photos: Rafael Manjavacas

More information:

Vicente
Soto live: eStar Alegre

Vicente Soto 'eStar alegre'

Vicente Soto 'Triptico Flamenco JEREZ'

Juan Mojama 'Esencia flamenca'