“Diego de Morón” [Morón de la Frontera, 1947] is the professional name of Diego Torres Amaya. His father was flamenco singer Joselero and his uncle, guitarist Diego del Gastor. Although he grew up accompanying his father?s singing, he later turned toward solo playing. He has given recitals at Seville?s Bienal and performed throughout the United States and Europe. Like his uncle before him, he dislikes the demands of professionalism and prefers to live quietly in his hometown where the following recital took place.
Diego de Morón by J. Segura
Diego de Morón clearly feels right at home at Morón’s Peña Flamenca Montegil. And this is something absolutely necessary for any performing artist to reach the outer limits of their respective capabilities.
He gradually took charge and coaxed out all the instrument’s expressive potential.
With a full house made up mostly of people who know how to appreciate Diego’s work, last February 29th the Morón guitarist offered a recital of just over two hours. The audience listened with an almost religious silence which the artist repaid by throwing himself into the soleá, guajira, bulerías and siguiriyas, and other original compositions which he lovingly offered, like precious jewels. You could see and feel how he gradually took charge and coaxed out all the instrument’s expressive potential.
Diego de Morón is a virtuoso of his instrument, with a fabulous left hand, although at one point he begged the audience’s indulgence as he was about to play the guajira explaining that the execution might not be perfect given the extreme difficulty of the piece. An admirable show of modesty which turned out not to have been necessary. Diego can be forgiven any small defect in execution because what really matters is the depth of expression he manages in his musical discourses.
In this sense Diego de Morón is in a class by himself. Because we might like other guitarists, but Diego has the ability to fill his listeners with emotion, he is a musician of overwhelming sincerity. Diego melts into his guitar until one can longer distinguish the man from the instrument, the wood becomes flesh and blood, the sound is a prolongation of his own vital pulse.
Genuine feelings that are always tinged with melancholy.
This explains why Diego is completely exhausted after his recitals, a result of the total immersion and continuous tension required to convey his feelings in the most authentic way. After the performance, relaxing in the dressing-room, he explained that at one point while he was playing his eyes had glimpsed the portrait of his father, Joselero, and he began to recall members of his family who had been so involved in the art of flamenco.
Another well-rounded recital from someone who is an unmatched master in the art of transmitting genuine feelings that are always tinged with melancholy. If one were to put a label on Diego de Morón that corresponded to a school of painting, without a doubt he would be an expressionist. Not only because of his music, but because of the different states of awareness reflected in his face when he plays. A splendid and enjoyable afternoon for all those lucky enough to be present.
