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FLAMENCO PA TóS 9
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The Flamenco Pa’ tos festival got under way yet another year, with nine editions and counting, thanks to the duo Gomaespuma, at the anphitheater of Madrid’s Colegio de Médicos which was full for the occasion. On Monday, Juan Manuel Mora opened the program, a young Catalonian artist, although he was formed in Madrid. He is a singer who is gradually making a name for himself at festivals, and on this occasion he offered music with a Sephardic influence (in the verses at least). He started with alegrías, followed by petenera, managing a good rapport with the audience before winding up with tangos and bulerías, with a wink to his paisano Poveda. He has a high-pitched voice, exquisitely placed tones and presence, both on and off the stage. His youth and steady pace augur success. It’s quite another story compared to what we sometimes have to put up with these days. With his sincere intimate style, he won over the audience and paved the way for the guitar hurricane called Pedro Sierra. Also Catalonian, but with more mileage than the singer, Sierra served as soloist and accompanist. With the first piece he astonished the audience with a guajira, and then fandangos de Huelva, both tremendously advanced. Technically great, and musically intelligent, Pedro Sierra, like so many other great guitarists, has received more recognition as a composer than as interpreter. Nevertheless, he has few equals in the latter capacity. With his wife “La Tobala”, and his group, flamenco came to us in the form of caña, polo and soleá apolá, a malagueña, alegrías de Córdoba, mirabrás and bulerías de Cádiz. All from his last recording, “Lenguaje Puro”. Memorably and forcefully Sierra continued, with or without “Tobala”, a singer who shined most in bulerías. The second part of the recital brought a more avant-garde offering, “sui generis” if you will. Pitingo and his accompanist Juan Camborio delighted everyone with the sounds of “Soulería”. The singer began with tonás, swerving his “Harley” voice into Ray Charles’ “Georgia”. He continued with taranta and finally bulerías, incorporating “Wendoline” with popular verses, “Yesterday” and “New York, New York”, ending a capella with a nod to Madrid. Fernando Soto, palmero and cousin of Pitingo, stuck in an emotional bulerías encore with dancing that he managed in summer sandals. The sultry stormy night, very flamenco in its way, was closed by Joaquín Grilo. This is a dancer who choreographs the most primitive instincts, dressing them up for the theater An artist who leaves no one unmoved. Just two pieces: tientos tangos and bulerías. A heel of his shoe went flying and he had to change while the audience kept compás for bulerías. A joy to watch. With the audience with him every moment, physically and emotionally, wanting to applaud, to justify a festival that continues to grow, and earn respect. At the Colegio de Médicos is where you find the most therapeutic flamenco. clic for enlarge photo.
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