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Reviews 44th Festival
Cante: Enrique Morente. Guitar: Niño
Josele, Manuel Parrilla. Bass: Alain Pérez.
Percusion and chorus: Bandolero, Angel Gabarre
The last day before the start of the of the La Unión
contest began with an informal conference by Juan Verdú
and Miguel Mora titled “Motivo de un sentimiento”.
With anecdotes, observations and recollections, the two men
painted a portrait of the personality of the singer who would
arrive minutes later to receive the festival’s official
recognition.
 Just
one hour after receiving a commemorative plaque and miner’s
lamp symbolic of La Unión, the man from Granada offered
his concert “Minerico” developed specifically
for the occasion, with the noteworthy collaboration of guitarist
Niño Josele.
A classic circle of friends doing bulerías palmas
illuminated by an overhead spot was the dramatic presentation
and Morente’s implicit declaration that whatever he
does, it is inspired in traditional flamenco. The fiesta a
capella was short but tasty, with the surprising dance of
percussionist Ángel Gabarre.
Classic alegrías and caña brought memories
of a more innocent time before fusion fever gripped the world,
when cante was self-sufficient and Morente was one of the
most promising young singers. The decade of the nineteen-seventies
saw him come of age artistically along with Manuel Agujetas,
Camarón de la Isla, Pansequito, Turronero, Rancapino
and Juan Villar, quite an impressive roster.
A painless way of bringing
the uninitiated into flamenco, although the natural dynamic
of the cante seems to suffer
 An accelerated
tempo, as is now the fashion, was employed for siguiriya and
cabal, peppered with invented melodies between verses, just
as Morente’s disciple Carmen Linares had done two days
earlier with soleá. The intent appears to be to make
other flamenco forms into the type of universal receiver that
bulerías has long been, a rhythmic structure to accommodate
any music, and written poetry, as opposed to anonymous popular
verses, dominates. It is a painless way of bringing the uninitiated
into flamenco although the natural dynamic of the authentic
cantes seems to suffer by these additions.
Taranta, cartagenera, malagueña, all with the characteristic
Levantine and Morentian melodic twists, and the hypnotizing
effect of notes held with no hint of vibrato. Not even the
release of rhythmic abandolao cante at the end – fandandos
de Lucena and de Granada – broke the melancholic ambience,
because Morente revels in these oriental-tinged scales and
doesn’t want to loose the thread with rhythmic flourishes.
The evocative music – no
other adjective seems to apply – of the young maestro
Niño Josele
Another hybrid, this time soleá por bulería
with some invented melodies, and the evocative music –
no other adjective seems to apply – of the young maestro
Niño Josele with the capo on two and barre on eleven
most of the time, creating novel combinations of low and high
notes. This is followed by two undefined compositions where
Morente appears more the folk singer than cantaor, and “El
pequeño reloj” from his more recent recording
of the same name.
Straightforward tangos with a strong flavor of Granada, and
we’re treated to another great dance moment by the percussionist.
For the inevitable curtain call, nanas and bamberas to the
compás of bulerías and a lovely round of tonás
with Morente and two voices to end once again in the intimate
circle with which the show began.
 The
documentary could easily have been titled “Morente-land”
But that wasn’t the end of the night. Immediately following
the last bow, the one-hour documentary “Enrique Morente:
Buscando Miradas”, by director Onésimo Samuel
Hernández Gómez, a production of the Festival
del Cante de las Mians and the Didactic group of the ETSID
(Valencia Polytechnic University), was shown. A strikingly
beautiful piece of film, a sort of dream documentary with
declarations by Miguel Poveda, “I follow his forms and
deformities”, Mario Maya, Carmen Linares and others
with images of the desolate mountains surrounding La Unión,
all bathed in an eerie yellow light giving a surrealistic
ambience. The documentary could easily have been titled “Morente-land”.
And rounding off the night, the last “Trasnoche Flamenco”
on the Bienal de Arte Flamenco stage, “Baile clásico
de la escuela sevilla” featuring Eli Parrillas and Luisa
Palicio with the cante of Juan Reina.
Text & photos:
Estela Zatania
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