Special Rafael Riqueni, present 'Parque María Luisa' in Seville

Special Premiere
“PARQUE DE MARÍA LUISA”
by RAFAEL RIQUENI

Text: Pablo San Nicasio
Photo: Mariano Gutierrez

New start for a genius

When 2011 was just getting underway, this magazine focused its attention on Rafael Riqueni.  The year began, and there were rumors about the reappearance of this historic guitarist who still has a lot to offer flamenco.  We wanted to be with him and confirm that it was so, take a reading, maybe a little weak at the time, of a person who had just lost one of his closest friends, Enrique Morente.  We were all familiar with this man’s sensitivity, but it hadn’t come out in a long time and his profile has always triggered maximum interest among his peers.

We got to his regular work-station, Amor de Dios, and found Riqueni in high spirits, scheduled to play a few days later in Barcelona (an unfortunate tendonitis later kept him from that date), and with plenty of new work accumulated over these years of reflection, struggle and soul-searching.

Among his projects, Fali emphasized how excited he was about a conceptual work of his devoted to the María Luisa Park.  Again Seville is his inspiration, and always via the guitar with no additives, an identifying element of respect, and the central axis of his flamenco.  He has one of the most personal visions anyone has ever had of this music.

More than a dozen numbers, fourteen to be exact, in addition to a bonus track of tangos de Triana, make up “Parque de María Luisa, a descriptive work for solo guitar”.  Without a doubt one of the guitar high points of this year, and whose coming-out celebration is September 15th at 9:00 pm at Seville’s Lope de Vega Theater.  We can all be sure the unique guitar of Rafael Riqueni del Canto will once again shine brightly.

On stage will be a group made up of Manuel Calleja, Guillermo McGill, Yago Santos (second guitar with whom he’s been cloistered for days of hard work), Pablo Maldonado and José Luis López, in addition to the special collaboration of Mayte Martín.  Without a doubt a solid bet for artistic sensitivity.

The work is divided in two parts, the first one in which we’ll see the guitarist alone, outlining his plan, and the second with the complete group that features two cantes by Mayte Martín.

Once again engaged in lively conversation with Riqueni, the man describes himself as “extremely focused on what may turn out to be one of the most important concerts of my life.  I’m in good form, I’ve overcome the problems I was having with my hand at the beginning of the year and I hope both this live performance and the recording scheduled to be released at Christmas God-willing, go over with everyone”.

The project is the work of Paco Bech, Seville film-maker, author of the documentary of the same name which parallels the musical work and whose first screening is scheduled to coincide with the release of the record around Christmas-time.  “We might be able to unveil the documentary in Huelva at the Festival de Cine Iberoamericano” says Paco.  Rafael was no unknown for him: “I’ve always been a follower of Rafael Riqueni’s work.  And now that I have the opportunity to get involved in one of his projects, I want to make his legacy even more known, if that’s even possible.  Here we have his reappearance on stage and as a composer, after fifteen years of silence.  It’s an important piece of news for all of us”.

Regarding the documentary, Paco tells us “it was recorded while Rafael was working in the studio making the record.  Also in Amor de Dios, in the actual María Luisa park and at his house in Madrid.  It lasts about ninety minutes and has more of a cinematographic format than full-length features previously made of Paco de Lucía or Niño Miguel for example.  “In this documentary there are key artists in the life of Riqueni, like Pepe Habichuela, Enrique de Melchor, Vicente Amigo, Tomatito, Manuel Molina…it was really a pleasure to navigate through this man’s personality, and more so at such an important moment for him”.  A film with a signature to narrate the genesis and recording of an equally singular work.

The record of Riqueni’s music, still in the mixing stage, includes the single vocal intervention of Estrella Morente for a very special piece of great emotional content due to references to the bond that always existed between maestro Morento and maestro Riqueni.

“It’s going to be one hell of a recording” say people in the know who have been able to privately sample portions.

The man himself said it, and we say it:  Rafael Riqueni is back.