Cante:
El Cabrero, Capullo de Jerez, Antonio Reyes, José Valencia,
Curro Malena. Dance: Los Farruco. Guitar: Antonio Carrión,
Niño Jero, Antonio Malena, Manuel de Palma.
Text & photos: Estela Zatania
If last week in La Puebla the summer flamenco festival
format demonstrated its viability with a varied bill of artists
and first-rate ambience, in Lebrija the night of July 15th,
detractors who systematically call for the disappearance of
festivals which they find irrelevant, had their day. Would
it be the absence of any female voice? The inevitably cold
atmosphere of the athletic field? The lack of true interest
in flamenco on the part of the audience? Perhaps all those
things, or none of them. What is clear however is that it
was not a particularly memorable night, despite beginning
punctually at the appointed hour, a condition some have established
as the prerequisite of a successful festival.
Master of ceremonies Manuel Martín opened the evening
remembering three guitarists who passed away over the last
year: Isidro Sanlúcar, José Cala “El Poeta”
and Manolo Domínguez “El Rubio”, as well
as famous Lebrija artists of the past. Straddling Seville
and Cádiz, Lebrija flamenco has always had its own
unmistakable flavor and compás.
Younger singer Antonio Reyes from Chiclana kicked off with
the magnificent accompaniment of Antonio Carrión. With
a personality and facial features that recall Dustin Hoffman,
the singer applied his velvety flamenco voice to soleá.
In tientos tangos he followed the fashion of using tientos
as a mere introduction for tangos. A few decades ago an experienced
singer could raise gooseflesh with tientos, and then end with
a short snippet of tangos, just as soleá is today ended
with a short clippy verse. The siguiriyas were correct and
straightforward with a pleasant flavor of traditional cante.
After the seriousness of Dustin Hoffman, came “Mick
Jagger”, Capullo de Jerez. Manuel Martín reminded
us that Capullo, “that phenomenon of rhythm”,
began like so many other young people in Jerez, thanks to
Manuel Morao. Normally a ball of energy and spontaneity, tonight
he seemed a bit toned down, possibly saving himself, in view
of the date, for a second show somewhere else. Soleá
por bulería was just as God intended, with the singer
creating as he went along, hanging his inspiration on the
great clothesline we call “compás”, and
doing it convincingly and well. He ended with the soleá
of Mellizo – soleá por bulería makes use
of bits and pieces like this. Fandangos, his tangos song and
a bulerías ending with “lucha por la libertad”
[‘fight for freedom’] which despite the noble
sentiment, was already getting old a few years ago. The singer’s
numerous fans, tickled pink, and the guitar of Niño
Jero junior was the perfect complement.
Soleá por bulería,
just as God intended, with the singer hanging his inspiration
on the great clothesline we call “compás”
José Valencia, formerly known as Joselito de Lebrija,
a young Peter Ustinov, energetic, rhythmic, convincing and
dynamic, the most sought-after singer for dance – his
ubiquitousness in the most recent Festival de Jerez became
a standing joke. When he sings solo he dons a jacket and tie
– the young man is fighting to achieve the place he
so well deserves. Por soleá he’s got plenty of
material, but probably links the styles too much – some need
air space around them to breathe. So much cante heaped together
seems to distort the original intent and even begins to look
like a stunt. Cantiñas in E position gives an earthy
sound to these cantes with an appetizer of Pinini styles,
a half-portion of mirabrás and a variety of small cante
tapas. He’s impressive in siguiriyas, although possibly
a bit too “original”, depending on your taste,
but in bulerías there’s no question about it,
he dominates the terrain like few others. Guitarist Antonio
Malena provided the corresponding Lebrija sound.
José Domínguez Muñoz, “known the
world over”, “hard-earned fame”, “a
man concerned about his times”, “two Córdoba
prizes”… With these words Manuel Martín paved
the way for el Cabrero, our Andalusian Clint Eastwood. This
singer is a cult figure who draws diehard fans everywhere
he goes. Malagueña ended with rondeña, flavors
that refresh the palate, soleá done at a clip, the
way it used to be, and Manuel de Palma’s guitar reveals
the strong influence of the guitar-playing of Morón
de la Frontera. Fandangos de Huelva and its towns, Santa Eulalia,
Calaña…rich and tasty. Manolo Caracol’s “Carcelero”,
one of Cabrero’s specialties, a breezy bulería
in E position, martinete with political protest included,
the audience demands more and more, fandangos de Alosno recalling
Toronjo, the mind boggles at so much cante and no end is in
sight…
A cult figure who draws diehard
fans everywhere he goes
Curro Malena (ex-president Clinton?), veteran singer from
Lebrija, comes on stage limping, but his cante is solid and
correct. In soleá his Triana styles come out well,
his “tiny bit of siguiriyas” as the singer announced,
is inoffensive, the tientos, excellent, and he wraps it all
up with bulerías, not without his customary wink at
Chozas.
The night is then rounded out by the happening known as “Farrucos”.
The most extense flamenco dance dynasty of the moment has
an unmistakeable style that combines intensity with rhythm
and fury, no other word describes the product. La Farruca,
dark and feline, her son Farruco, impetuous, dynamic and anxious
to show off what he knows, aunt Pilar “la Faraona”,
voluminous and basic, cousin Barullo, a family clone with
something more, tiny Carpeta, who at 8 years old knows more
than all of them put together and offers a “master class”
at the family dance school in Seville.
More information:
XXXVIII
Caracolá lebrijana – Lebrija – 2003
XXXIX
Caracolá lebrijana – Lebrija – 2004
XL Caracolá
lebrijana – Lebrija – 2005
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El Cabrero – Encina y Cobre
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Capullo de Jerez
'Directo…'
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Curro Malena
'Calor de fragua'
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Farruquito, 1996 – Bodas de Gloria
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