Interview with Juan Habichuela. Una guitarra en Granada, new CD

“All that’s left now is to record with Camarón, and I’m going to see it happens”

Text: Sonia Martínez Pariente
photos: Rafael Manjavacas

When a maestro of flamenco guitar decides to spread his experience over different generations, the result is the recording Juan Habichuela has just made.“Una Guitarra en Granada” is his third album, and in it he pays tribute to his hometown. His guitar, a hundred percent flamenco, is once again at the service of singers like Rancapino, Menese, Marina Heredia, Potito… He says he likes cante more than guitar, but when he talks about the instrument to which he’s dedicated his life, tremendous passion, devotion and dedication shine through in every word.And although he claims not to feel up to par, we have here yet another manifestation of the art of Juan Habichuela.

What are the goals in your new record “Una Guitarra en Granada”?
Needless to say, I was trying to evoke my hometown, the place where I first saw the light of day and which I love dearly.In Granada they just gave me the Medalla al Mérito del Trabajo (an award for lifetime achievement). My people love me, and I decided to dedicate this new record to Granada, because of the profound affection I feel.

In this record there’s a mix of festive styles, and deeper ones as well.
Some things are more pure than others. There are some tangos with Potito does tientos. My nephew Pepe Luis does some bulerías, beautiful.

You’re back with Rancapino again, are you an established artistic couple?
(He laughs). Yes, Rancapino again, and he sings a perfect taranto. I really like Rancapino a lot, he has an incredible flamenco voice.

And Chano Lobato is present as well.
Chano is one of the best festive singers in Spain. He’s got some bulerías and alegrías… I think the record is quite well-rounded, there’s something for everyone, some of it more flamenco, some less.

Once again you’ve surrounded yourself with singers. Your guitar is at the service of the cante.It looks like that’s what you prefer.
That’s my thing, because I’ve always played for cante, I really like it a lot.My aunt Marina used to sing to me, by cousin Pepe Luis also sings, my son Antonio… I’ve always played for cante, because I like it more than guitar. I always play without getting in the singer’s way, since I like it so much I don’t want to spoil it, so with rare exceptions, that’s my thing. 

For being a traditional guitarist, you’re always open to collaborations with young people, even musicians from other genres, like Alejandro Sanz, or your sons’ group Ketama…
I like pure flamenco, and less pure flamenco too. If it’s well done, I love it.With a good voice and a sense for what they’re going to sing and knowing what it’s all about… I think there are plenty of singers who really know how to sing and are right up there.

I’ve always played for cante, because I like it more than guitar

What would you highlight about your playing, what’s your trademark?
I don’t rely on virtuosity. I don’t have the facility of the guitarists who play phenomenally well and have fabulous technique. I play for the singer, for myself and of course for the audience. I never set about to become a virtuoso because my playing style wouldn’t go with it. My way of playing was flamenco, that’s what I grew up with and it’s what I like.

With this record it makes three, buy you began recording very late in your career, in 1999. Why did you wait so long?
I’ve always been a guitarist for cante, and singers always liked me a lot. Once, when I was with Camarón, he said: “Juan, you ought to do something alone, like round up seven or eight top singers and make a record ‘Juan Habichuela accompanies this one and that one’ “I’d never done anything like that, I’d only recorded accompanying, I’ve played for them all, there aren’t any I haven’t recorded with. In the end it was my son Juan who seven or eight years ago said: “Dad, we’re going to make a record and you’re going to play for a bunch of singers”, and so we did it.

And now you’ve got three on the market…did it turn out to be stimulating?
Yes, I had a good time doing it and it sold well, so my son and the record company, Universal, made sure there would be a second and a third. 

Does the name ‘Juan Habichuela’ have a touch of prestige?
No, I gave everything I had to the guitar and to flamenco.All that’s left now is to record with Camarón, and I’m going to see it happens, that’s one dream I’m going to fulfill.

There are modern methods… (he nods)

Does the Habichuela family have continuity for the future?
In my family my brother Pepe is phenomenal, and he’s really doing well. A lot of them sing, like my nieces. Then my kids who made Ketama with my nephew and they made it to the top – now they broke up and each one went his way, and doing very well. Josemi is making a great record. My son Juan is with Pitingo and calls himself Habichuela, he really accompanies well.He likes it, and if you like something, you do it well. He goes with Pitingo and lets him sing, and he’s got his father’s playing style, but modernized.

And do you like him to be involved in this?
Of course, I really like the way he plays for cante.

How do you feel about flamenco modernizing?
It’s clear as can be. Singers like Chano, Mairena are the classics, while today’s singers do more music, they fine-tune the voice and achieve some great effects the people really like.

At 75 you’re making records, collaborating with other artists and are still creating and studying.
I never stop studying.In my house I play on a big sofa, the guitar is like my second wife. I’ve got it there all the time, and when I hear music, I try to do something similar.I always like to do things within flamenco. I love the guitar.

Do you have the energy to present this record in live performance?
No no no, because my health isn’t the best and my children don’t let me do anything. The other day I was in Barcelona and we did a thing of three generations, the grandfather, the son and the grandson. We did some great tangos. But when the other two started ‘picking’, there was nothing I could do… (he laughs) and the audience started applauding, but when I do something flamenco, they applaud me too.

Juan Habichuela
'Una guitarra en Granada»