Juan Moneo 'El Torta' presents MOMENTOS, CD + DVD in Madrid. 7/11/07

EL TORTA presents “Momentos”

Text: Manuel Moraga
Photos: Rafael Manjavacas

CARRIED AWAY BY FLAMENCO

Juan Moneo “El Torta” presented his latest CD with a dozen themes and a DVD with seven pieces (plus a “making-of”), inaugurating the “Flamenco en Lavapiés” collection of El Juglar Recordings.  The Jerez singer had a fine performance with an audience of unconditional fans of his art.  Torta let himself be carried away by flamenco, and took us along by the hand.

The recital got underway with tientos.  From the very first note you could see Torta came to give his all, and that’s important because with this type of temperamental performer, nothing is guaranteed until the artistic struggle ensues.  But Juan had a good day – or night – and he found pain in each bit of cante.  Once again he demonstrated that in addition to plenty of soul, he has knowledge and dedication to the art.  He made difficult things seem easy and even squeezed emotion out of less dramatic moments.

If he had a propitious beginning with the tientos, the level of commitment went up in the cantiñas, bulerías por soleá and bulerías de Jerez with which he closed the first part.  The second began with siguiriyas giving it everything he had, some wonderful tangos, and the rest, a variety of bulerías, some frankly masterful.  It’s possible he was less inspired in the second part, but when Torta has a good night, things like that hardly matter.

Juan Moneo is flamenco from top to bottom, a performer who bases his work on the inspiration of the moment – very risky business – and whose singing is delivered in generous bursts, almost out of control.  When el Torta is inspired he needs to express it whenever, however and wherever.  At such times flamenco takes control of his being and the Jerez man is at the mercy of his art.

In this way the El Juglar recording company and the Flamenco en Lavapiés collection are born, a logical result of the noble work the El Juglar club has been doing for flamenco since 2002.  In this double recording (CD and DVD), Juan Manuel Moneo is on guitar, Manuel Gutiérrez on percussion, Rafael Peral and Tomasito provide the palmas and additional singing is by José Salinas.