JOSÉ MERCÉ

Tribute and Gold Insignia of the El Gallo Flamenco Association.
Sunday June 6th, 2004. 1:30h. Morón de la Frontera

Cante: La Macanita, Nano de Jerez, Luis el Zambo, Mariana Cornejo,
Juan Manuel Guerra.
Guitar: Moraíto Chico, Paco del Gastor, Manuel de Palma, Eduardo
Rebollar, Manuel Coronado.
Flamenco cuadro: Antoñín Campos, David Palomar, Oscar de
los Reyes, Daniel Méndez.

The great stars of any art form need no prizes or honors to let people
know who they are. Nevertheless we fans love to express our gratitude
and affection for a performer who has stood out over the years and whose
product, if it may be called that, has provided powerful moments which
have enriched us spiritually.


Mercé & Moraíto

The Flamenco Association «El Gallo» of Morón de la
Frontera, one of the longest-running flamenco clubs in Spain with more
than 30 years of activity, has decided to awared José Soto Soto
(Jerez de la Frontera, 1955) its Insignia de Oro. Mercé will then
join the ranks of a group of flamenco artists which includes among others
Chano Lobato, Fernanda and Bernarda de Utrera, Antonio Mairena, Gaspar
de Utrera as well as Morón natives Paco del Gastor, Diego del Gastor
and Joselero de Morón, and dancer Matilde Coral who was the last
person to receive the distinction four years ago.

On
Sunday June 6th beloved flamenco stars such as Luis el Zambo, Macanita,
Nano de Jerez, Mariano Cornejo and Moraíto, as well as Morón’s
virtuoso guitarist Paco del Gastor will be on hand along with many others
to help honor Mercé in a show sponsored by El Gallo.

 

Paco del Gastor

In an improvised press conference, Juan Espinosa, president of El Gallo
declared: «We’ve wanted to give the Insignia to José
Mercé for years. Not only is he a wonderful person, but he is bringing
flamenco to all parts of the world in an extraordinary way…flamenco
was on the decline and he returned it to the place of honor it deserves.

Luis el Zambo
La Macanita
Mariana Cornejo
Nano de Jerez

 

At 49 years old, with an eternally boyish look, José Mercé
is currently the most noteworthy singer of traditional flamenco of his
generation, and his pop repertoire which has allowed him to bring good
solid flamenco to the entire world, is another inseparable facet of his
artistic persona. Fortunately the cantaor has known how to keep the quality
of his flamenco high at the same time new fans discover him every
day thanks to his flamenco-tinged pop songs.

He
began as a dancer and his short improvised dances still get audiences
begging for more. Nevertheless his true vocation became apparent at an
early age and since 1970 when he was hired at the Cádiz tablao
«Cueva del Pájaro Azul» with singers Juan Villar, Rancapino
and Pepa de Utrera, his career has been unstoppable receiving an important
boost after a recording with Vicente Amigo, the work which made him known
internationally.

Mercé who comes from an impressive dynasty of flamenco singers,
has one of the most expressive and flamenco voices today, and his knowledge
of the art is quite up to the level of his technique. Morón de
la Frontera’s flamenco fans are braced for what is shaping up to
be the most important flamenco event of 2004 in this preeminently flamenco
town – a show which will be tough competition for the Gazpacho Andaluz,
the town’s annual flamenco festival.

Deflamenco
Photos: Estela Zatania

More information:
Flamenco encounters
– Granada 2003


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