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THE ART ABOVE ALL

To know Moraíto Chico, you must first imagine yourself in the 1950s-1970s in Andalucia. Decades that were laden with musicians who spent the majority of their time in the corrales (patios) such as Terremoto, El Serna and El Borrico among others. Manuel Moreno Junquera (1955) was born into the heart of the Santiago district in Jerez, on Sangre Street. The young flamenco from Jerez was nourished in the corrales of his neighbors, whose doors were always open.

The pains and hardships for a Gypsy at that time were combated on a daily basis with a sense of humor and a steady flow of flamenco juergas. Any excuse was good enough to break out singing. There were two types of singers at the time; those who earned their living at the flamenco tablaos, selling their music or lending a voice to the parties of the señoritos (wealthy land owners), for baptisms or private gatherings. On the other hand, the "aficionados," didn't rely as much making money, but were singers in their own right. They demonstrated their talents in the tabancos and the special places where people gathered to bring out the purest flamenco. Nevertheless, both types of singers went together to the nocturnal flamenco juergas (many Gypsies claim that one can't truly understand flamenco until you have gotten drunk with the musicians at least eight-hundred times) or the corrales, where singing, playing and dancing flooded the neighborhood of Santiago. This ambiance helped to make Moraíto Chico who he is, along with many others who were pursuing the art form that the elders so fluently dominated.

His family and the guitar go hand and hand. It is enough to mention his uncle, Manuel Morao. They were some of the first players that dared to add their own personal techniques and innovative styles to the four chords that had been the standard for the guitar during the previous decades. Moraito began to challenge himself, treating it as a game, to improve on the techniques of his colleagues. Thanks to his humble demeanor and talent, he was well received by the flamencos, and his guitar always seemed to find a way into the most important parties. Soon it would be the other musicians who mimicked his sound- the one that he himself confirms that he always carried in his pocket. Paco Cepero and Parrilla de Jerez would be among his first sources of inspiration. His attention also shifted toward a player who brought out a special brilliance in his music: Paco de Lucía.

And so Moraíto began to see the country, on a path that seemed predetermined, playing for singers who were making their name at the time. It would be easier to name the singers who he didn't work with. These years deeply shaped his career and his personality. To make ends meet, he often had to disrupt the magic of the night to entertain the whims of more than a few señoritos. It wouldn't take long for him to get jaded- the circuit of festivals barely earned him enough to fill his stomach and the art form still had not begun to claim the prestige that had been denied since its origins.

The sound of Moraíto seemed to be touched by divine intervention, although nobody could explain it. What was his secret? The recipe still remains a mystery on his two solo albums: "Morao, Morao" and "Morao y Oro," except for this introverted man's ability to create a pleasant shiver for his listeners. With a greatness that defies reasoning, he never breaks the four walls of jondo song, yet he crosses into new frontiers with a dose of imagination and exquisite taste. It isn't his impeccable technique or amazing arpeggios that make him special, but rather that his technique is without limits. Moraíto curiously knows how to search within himself and unveil the mystery of simplicity. He defends the virtue of silence and plays with sincerity, grace and humility. He always opts for playfulness. Humor versus insufferable technique. The art above all.

The end result of his efforts would not take long to come to fruition. His compas, his rhythmic phrasing and his finishing touches have marked him forever and have helped him to become great without loosing the purity of his playing. They say that from the end of the soleá came the bulería. How many "pataítas" come out when the player from Santiago joins in the fiesta? The magic doesn't come from the guitar, but from the adventurous spirits that jump into the unknown without a net to break their fall- they have faith that they will remain suspended in the air.

Air ("Aire") is precicely the name of the new album that he recorded with José Mercé and Tino di Geraldo and produced by Isidro Muñoz. "Aire" is a work that makes its mark with the first few chords. Moraíto has met the challenge of the project without complications, playing on all the songs and lending his touch to some fandangos with the feeling of "Gloria," and also on the soleá known as "El Cafe." Four beginning notes and... Oh this is definitely him! His admirers will recognize him immediately, despite the images, like the back of the album cover. He appears to be passing from the magical flamenco nights to the most privileged musical chords of the jondo panorama.

In reality, this is how it is.

By David Fernández
Translated by Jessica Lorber