November 3rd 2012 – Teatro Villamarta – Jerez
Text: Antonio Conde
Photos: Manuel Alarcón
Guest artists: Miguel Poveda, Juan Moneo Lara, Manuela Méndez
Jerez de la Frontera had a debt to settle with singer Jesus Mendez. And it’s not that he hasn’t sung in his hometown, because we saw him not long ago at the Fiesta de la Buleria. This time it was different. His career is unstoppable. The maturity of his cante has grown to heights that position him for making it to the top. At the Villamarta theater he presented his second recording called «Añoranza», a tribute to the singers who have shaped him professionally, and from whom he learned.
Jesus Mendez can no longer be called a young hopeful with regard to his singing. And yet he is young. With ten years of experience under his belt, and a new record hot off the press, the singer from San Miguel is one of the best young singers to come out of Jerez, like it or not.
His voice has matured, he takes command of the stage and lets loose his Paquera-inspired sound. What we saw at the Villamarta, which sold out for the occasion, was a great show in every way. The staging was superb and classic: a singer with his group of musicians, percussionists, etc…but with a result that was greater than the sum of its parts.
That special thing called “duende” seemed to be circulating in the wings. There was great expectation. Although it’s true that a debut in Jerez with guest artists Miguel Poveda and Juan Moneo Lara “El Torta” was bound to be a success, the star of the night was Jesus.
The evening kicked off with Mendez and the piano of M. Angel Lopez “Lenon”, and the zambra “Dando Vueltas en la Cama”. With the accompaniment of Carlos Grilo, Diego Montoya and Manuel Salado on palmas, Manuel Valencia on guitar and Cepillo and Perico Navarro on percussion, Jesus did alegrias with classic verses. Although somewhat nervous and agitated, he calmed down as the minutes passed. With the mark of Chacon in the malaguenas, the Jerez singer finally found his center, and from that point on it was an enjoyable show. The choice of cantes and the order in which they were interpreted, made for plenty of interest during the hour and a half the recital lasted. And this was one of the selling points of the night.
Soon the very popular Poveda came on, and the entire theater went wild when, with the guitar accompaniment of Manuel Parrilla, he did a bulerias duet with Jesus (La Luz de tus Ojos Grises), followed by Miguel on his own for a tribute to Fernando Terremoto and his “Luz en los Balcones”. The best was yet to come. It was the night of Jesus, and he was the star.
With Parrilla he did taranto, and then with Miguel Salado on guitar, he did the solea of Charamusco recalling Antonio Mairena. Now it was time to take on the so-called “cantes grandes”, and Mendez again managed to make contact with the audience with his siguiriya and the cabal of Serna.
The appearance onstage of “El Torta” accompanying Jesus for buleria, was incredible. His very presence got the place jumping. Once again the audience was nearly out of control. Face to face, the ying and the yan of buleria. I couldn’t say who was better, both were eating the cante alive. The minute-hand kept passing, and then it was time for tangos and fandangos (of Chocolate and Manuel Torre).
The last guest artist of the night was Manuela Mendez. Harking back to Paquera, she recited fragments of “Maldigo tus Ojos Verdes”, and sang a popular song.
The fiesta finale was yet to come with both Manuela and Jesus, and a brief bit by “El Torta” who wisely remained in the backseat on this occasion.
