LARA’S SECRET
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JUAN VERGILLOS An overwhelming, powerful zapateado. Epic, as one would expect. Those are the first notes, the first chords that open the doors through which Lara walks into the history of recorded music. The first recording from this very young Jerez guitarist. A recognizable melodic phrase, hummable, that once became popular. Not only at this guitarist’s solo recitals, but also with Mercedes Ruiz who put steps and movement to the piece. He plays the high sounds against the low. That’s his secret, Lara’s secret: balance.Between intimacy and surprising technical command (that includes melodic-harmonic aspects, and of course, being from Jerez, rhythmic ones as well). The result is calm and peaceful. That is the constant element in contemporary flamenco guitar, and it reaches incredible heights. The only problem being those times when we occasionally hear records where the quest for technical perfection, often relying on studio recording tricks and cut and paste, tends to drain out life from the music, and this is flamenco, the soulful art, an art more of the heart than the head, all the more reason to be full of life.
This is not the case with this record. The guitar is alive.The guitar has shading. The guitar cries and suffers, shouts and mourns. But the result of the struggle is peace. There is peace because there has first been conflict. If that were not the case, why even go to the recording studio? At this stage of the game, there’s no more room for subterfuge and half-truths. The musical variations weave a subtle harmonic fabric around the listener. And they take us to a world full of color made up of short definitive brushstrokes. The contemplative bulería is full of emotion. Once again the rare combination: epic intimacy. The occasional wink, sometimes shy, sometimes bold, to the guitar tradition of Jerez. The beautiful bottom line is not camouflaged by a work which, without resorting to harmonic feats, has the sole intention of expressing, in the clearest manner possible, the desired message: a clear message and the means to express it. In this way both the listener and interpreter have no doubts about what is being communicated. Music which takes flight like the feet of Mercedes Ruiz when they materialize. Danceable alegrías with a jazzy feel thanks to the muffled trumpet and the clear, crystalline voice of Carmen Grilo. 
In the same hummable range of the zapateado that opens the record, is the rumba, which is somewhat weighted down by a conventional arrangement that includes an electric bass. This leads to two solo pieces. A static taranta, and a tremendous soleá, the latter being absolutely traditional and modal. In other words, it’s the best example of how the diversity of this recording not only works, but does so in a natural way, with complete relevance. There’s also a rondeña.Very free-form, suggestive, virile, sensual. A powerful display of technique and emotion which goes from playful to solemn. And suddenly, just when it seems that everything is a precise vision from within and without, the human voice is heard with a song in four by four rhythm. Pity, because the work is imposing and just right as is, with no need for this type of arrangement. All in all, a great album from a 22-year-old making his recording debut. I must confess I don’t like the literary aspects of the work, from the title of the record and the various pieces, to the verses. Daring truthful music and nothing but literary clichés. This is something that needs to be looked at in flamenco concert guitar, beginning with the most classic contemporaries (Paco, Gerardo, Vicente: Sanlúcar had the good sense to make use of classical poetry in his last recording, but it must be said that there is more than just Lorca). |
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