VIII Festival de Jerez – 1 de marzo. Ballet Español de Murcia 'Penélope' – Niño Josele

Lead dancers: Beatriz Arce, Ramón
Martínez, Estefanía Brao, Pedro Córdoba, Daniel
Navarro, Carmen Coy, José María Maldonado. Corps
de ballet: Ana Machua, Carmen Martínez, Natalia
Pardo, Isable Abenza, Eva Martínez, Gloria López,
Emilio Serrano, Andrés Fernández. Solo guitar:
Carlos Piñana. Bass: Carles Benavent.
Guitar: José Torres. Cante: Antonio Campos.
Flute: Raudel Betancourt. Violin: Luzia
Sánchez. Cello: Marivel Cabrera. Percussion:
Miguel Ángel Orengo.

The first day of March, fourth day of the eighth Festival
de Jerez found us once again in the lovely venue which is the Sala
de la Compañía, this time for the recital of Niño
Josele and his group.

Ever since the young man from Almería made a splash in Seville’s
1996 Bienal, his name has been on everyone’s lips, and he
is currently enjoying an especially sweet moment in his career.
In 2003 he recorded his second solo CD, participated in Enrique
Morente’s newest record, and the emcee of the Flamenco Hoy
critics’ awards presentation quipped that Josele had been
nominated in every category except best female dancer. He played
a couple of pieces that were true solos, that is, without the support
of other musicians, and an assortment of jazz-influenced compositions
with his group that included the warm flamenco voice of Guadiana.

Guadiana & Niño Josele

An attractive, professional and entertaining
show

‘Murcia’ you say? Yessir, though I must confess it
was with the greatest trepidation I headed toward the encounter
with the Ballet Español de Murcia at the Villamarta Theater.
It’s seems to be a constant that in every festival there is
always one ‘lemon’, and this show seemed to be the most
likely candidate for the dubious distinction. So it was a pleasant
surprise when what had sounded like another convoluted work (the
program said “the story of Ulyses based on Homer’s Odyssey”),
turned out to be an attractive, professional and entertaining show
that paid scant attention to the story line. There were no stars
except the corps de ballet itself, and of course, choreographer
Javier Latorre. Famous faces were to be seen in the orchestra pit
however: Carles Benavent on bass and Carlos Piñana on guitar.

Once the tangos, soleá, colombianas, martinete, siguiriyas,
farruca and bulerías got under way, with a preponderance
of the latter, the ancient Greeks turned into Andalusians like in
the old Lola Flores film where the Egyptians dance por fiesta, and
we discover that Ulyses has all kinds of great bulerías combinations.

Despite
the presence of Granada singer Antonio Campos, there is too little
cante, but this is a frankly agreeable production, with agreeable
music that is at times truly beautiful, a tasteful wardrobe and
a very good overall impression.

After the theater there was just enough time for a couple of quick
sherries and tapas before heading for the Don Antonio Chacón
flamenco club where young Carmen Herrera from Jerez offered her
dance with the excellent backup of singer Jesús Méndez
and guitarist Miguel Salado.

Carmen Herrera

Text : Estela
Zatania

Theater
Villamarta Program
De Peña
en Peña Program: Trasnoches,
De Peñas, Peña de Guardia
Other
shows(Gloria Pura, Bordón
y cuenta nueva, De la Frontera, Café Cantante, Sólos
en Compañía)
Courses
and workshops