No New Year’s celebration, and certainly no concern for the state of flamenco were mitigating factors when José Díaz Fernández passed away this week in a Madrid hospital just as Spaniards were preparing the traditional twelve grapes that are supposed to bring good fortune throughout the coming year. With the passing of Chaquetón we’ve lost, not a little bit, but a good-sized portion of the history of Cádiz flamenco, as well as a generous and kindly man.
At
last year’s flamenco festival in Grenoble, France we shared a brief
but intense few days where I was able to appreciate his wonderful sense
of humor and humanity – for years I’d already known of his
vast knowledge. In France young guitarist Jerónimo Maya who had
come to play for his recital assured me that Chaquetón had been
his most important maestro regarding cante.
He was born in Algeciras (Cádiz) in 1946 into a family of noble
flamenco lineage: his father was Flecha de Cádiz, his uncles and
aunt were Tomás el Chaqueta, Salvador Pantalón, Adela la
Chaqueta, and most notably, Antonio el Chaqueta, one of the most complete
and gifted singers flamenco has known.
In the book “Antonio el Chaqueta” by Ramón Soler Díaz,
Chaquetón recalls how he started out singing at the Manzanilla
inn along with his father El Flecha, his uncle Chaqueta, Felipe de Triana,
Pepe el Culata, Manolo de Huelva, Niño León and Manolo de
Badajoz among others: “I was so ashamed to sing, I was just a kid
next to those people. My uncle Antonio encouraged me a lot, but Felipe
de Triana was a giant…and Culata’s knowledge. I used to go out
sometimes so nervous I couldn’t even sweat”.
From
early childhood he lived in Madrid and at eighteen he was already singing
at the legendary Zambra tablao with the most important flamenco stars
of the era. Later on he toured the world with dance groups such as those
of María Rosa and Carmen Mora. For five years he was house singer
at Madrid’s Café de Chinitas, and one year at the Corral
de la Morería. Artistic maturity led him to solo performances in
flamenco festivals and clubs (peñas), and he went on to win the
Enrique el Mellizo prize at Córdoba’s Concurso Nacional de
Arte Flamenco. Like many other specialized critics, Alfredo Grimaldos
wrote of him: “almost no other singer can speak with such authority
about the most obscure details of flamenco history”.
In modern times the traditional cante of Cádiz is in danger of
being lost, and the golden age of Aurelio, Pericón, Manolo Vargas
and Beni de Cádiz are but a distant memory. Chaquetón was
one of the most representative interpreters of this school and his version
of the malagueña del Mellizo is considered to be one of the most
faithful as well as inspired. Also noteworthy are his cantiñas,
bulerías, tangos and tanguillos, always with that Cádiz
flavor perfectly distilled and a sound that recalled his famous uncle
Chaqueta.
Chaquetón with Paco Cepero, photo Luis Chávez (Triste
y Azul)
With his 2002 recording ‘Mis Adentros’ Chaquetón entered
a new stage of his life and he was enjoying his return to the professional
circuit after a decade of little activity. He had just signed a contract
to perform three weeks in Zamora in March 2004, and everything was looking
good for this singer who defended the traditional flamenco which is slipping
through our fingers. We are left with his recordings and his memories.
Chaquetón left, with his parents. Photo Ramón Soler's
book.
