RECORD PRESENTATION. MOMENTOS. JUAN MONEO 'EL TORTA'

RECORD PRESENTATION
“Momentos” Juan Moneo “El Torta”

Text: Estela Zatania
Photos: Rafael Manjavacas

CRAZY LIKE A FOX

Nothing is more difficult for a critic than having to review the work of a cult figure.  No matter what you say, diehard followers won’t tolerate the least hint of anything negative, while objective fans criticize you for not telling the truth.  In today’s flamenco I reckon there are three cult figures: Enrique Morente, Capullo de Jerez and Juan Moneo Lara “El Torta”.  The latter just made a record, “Momentos”, taken from a live recital at Madrid’s Sala Juglar which debuts in the recording business with this release.  

The Jerez singer came to his hometown where he enjoys a wide audience of ardent admirers, to present this work at the famous Villamarta theater.  With a packed house despite the rainy night, José Luis Gálvez solemnly read his presentation, outlining the life and work of the star of the night.  A backup of five men, including percussion and palmas in addition to guitar, set the mood with a long siguiriya dance by a young dancer from the family.  With a sweetly pained voice, Torta’s very young nephew sang for her, and after a dramatic closing, you hear the voice of the singer we’ve all come to hear.  El Torta makes his entrance singing martinete as he walks…  Thunderous applause, shouts of admiration, the mostly young crowd can barely sit still.

Then, with cantiñas, begins the recital of barely three quarters of an hour.  On guitar, another nephew, Juan Manuel Moneo, the singer’s regular accompanist.  At this point I must confess that I liked Torta’s singing fifteen or twenty years ago, but as he became a mediatic figure, the output became less and less convincing.  Torta’s way of singing contradicts the concept of “spoken”, unadorned cante we associate with Jerez.  His entire approach is theatrical, in the flamenco sense of course, aimed at raising gooseflesh with cante that is always over the top, and histrionics that don’t quit.  In soleá and siguiriya there are some frankly superb moments, with the singer’s customary blend of classic Jerez cante, Camarón influences and a huge helping of charisma, but the aggressive delivery treads heavily, like a bull in a china shop, through styles that require a sensitive approach.  Duende cannot be chased down, you just have to wait until it comes knocking.

A song to tango rhythm, “Santiago y la Plazuela”, from his great friend Luis de la Pica, and the audience reacts wildly; you feel they’re half flamenco fans, half curious – “let’s see what Torta does this time”. He interprets a well-known song of his own, followed by bulerías, and again bulerías.  And why not?  For all practical purposes, bulerías is the only living cante that remains – other forms are cultivated and treasured, but they barely exist outside the recording studio.

A brief fiesta finale, with the participation of Luis Moneo, in which the dancer kicks off her shoes, and it all comes to a finish far too soon for most of the fans of this uneven but very interesting singer.