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“CUATRO PUNTALES DE BRONCE”
Utrera: Gaspar de Utrera, Pepa de Benito,
Mari Peña, Javier de la Pepa, Antonio Moya.
Jerez: Juan Moneo “El Torta”, María
“Bala”, Manuela Méndez, El Chícharo, Diego
del Morao.
Lebrija: Inés Bacán, José
Valencia, Juana Vargas, Conchita del Lagaña, Antonio Malena
Las Cabezas de San Juan: “Las Cabezas a Compás”.
Nowadays when there’s so much talk about the decline
of cante festivals, many organizations and municipalities are making
a big effort to find new formulas to infuse life into these traditional
events whose popularity peaked during the nineteen-seventies.
The people in charge of the Yerbabuena festival in Las Cabezas
de San Juan this year put together a program based not on specific
flamenco stars, but instead giving the spotlight to four towns situated
along the spinal column of the geographical triangle wherein cante
is said to have originated, from north to south: Utrera, Las Cabezas
de San Juan, Lebrija and Jerez de la Frontera. This interesting
approach gave spectators a unique opportunity to compare, on the
spot in live performance by the most traditional singers, the respective
trademarks of these important flamenco centers.
A
cool brisk wind that came in from the fields couldn’t lower
the temperature generated by the first group which ably represented
Jerez de la Frontera with that town’s calling card: bulerías.
The richly flavorful playing of guitarist Diego del Morao was the
perfect complement to Juan Moneo “El Torta” for alegrías,
María “Bala” for soleá and the festive
cante of young Zarzuelita. Torta dedicated a long bulería
set to Jesús Quintero who would receive the distinction “Yerbabuena
de Plata” minutes later, and to veteran bullfighter Rafael
de Paula also present.
El Torta
After
a few words from Jesús Quintero to express his gratitude
for the honor received, it was Utrera’s turn, and at once
the relaxed air of that town’s rhythms became evident. Mari
Peña broke the ice with tangos, followed by Pepa de Benito
who interpreted fandango por soleá, an Utrera specialty.
The grand old maestro and eternal bohemian from the Perrate family,
Gaspar Fernández “Gaspar de Utrera” offered his
trademark cante, siguiriyas. The mystery of his expressive voice,
full of darkness, created a feeling of slow-motion suffering that
was almost unbearable and raised the gooseflesh of those willing
to surrender to the experience. Bulerías by Mari Peña
and that laidback Utrera sound, expertly carried by guitarist Antonio
Moya, was the perfect vehicle to turn an preeminently festive cante
into a profound statement.
Gaspar de Utrera
A unique opportunity to compare, on
the spot in live performance by the most traditional singers, the
respective trademarks of these important flamenco centers.
After the intermission, singer José Manzano, winner of the
seventh Concurso de Cante Flamenco of the Peña Cultural Flamenco
Fernando el Herrero sang siguiriyas and taranto, followed by the
local group “Las Cabezas a Compás”. No big stars,
but truckloads of compás and talent, essence and roots. An
unusual duet por bulerías complete with harmonized voices
and including even the liviana, was reminiscent of the Hermanos
Reyes.
José Valencia
Lebrija. The town is geographically and flamenco-wise equidistant
between Jerez and Utrera – just a short train ride to one
or the other – but Lebrija has its own unmistakable voice,
as well as an impressive collection of singers, past and present,
amateur and professional. One of the most promising young singers
who remains faithful to traditional cante is José Valencia,
much in demand by the biggest dance stars but with enough talent
and knowledge to sing on his own. With his dynamic and very flamenco
voice he sang soleá with a great variety of styles including
some little-known ones. Antonio Malena’s guitar helped Inés
Bacán pull out the dark sounds of soleá and siguiriyas
with her customary disregard for commercial concessions, Juana Vargas
dressed in polkadots sang some wonderful tangos and a long bulerías
finale brought us to the close of our excursion through the cradle
of cante flamenco.
Text & Photos: Estela
Zatania
XII Festival
de la Yerbabuena 2003
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