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And yet, there are examples that break the tendency, such as José Mercé
or Estrella Morente…
Yes but how much does Estrella Morente sell? Fifty thousand copies.
A bit more…
I admire Estrella Morente very much, and she sold an incredible amount when
you consider it's flamenco, but she's never going to sell a million records. Well,
it could happen because a lot of strange things happen sometimes, but I don't
think it's very likely. Because look at José Mercé, he also did
great and sold a huge amount, but then it's not solea or seguiriyas with a guitar
pure and simple. You have to dress it up, a little palmas, a little tangos, cajones,
and liven the whole thing up, because if not…
Niña Pastori with her group (Photo: Daniel
Muñoz)
And even though it wouldn't sell a million copies, is making a flamenco
record one of your future projects?
I consider myself a person with less and less ambition all the time. I'm always
going to do what I feel and of course, some day…why not? If I find some nice
cantes, and a time when I feel more like doing it, sure, of course I'll make a
flamenco record. And what's more, this summer I want to do two kinds of tours
with two kinds of concerts, separately. On the one hand, I want to work with the
band, and on the other, I want to do things with just a guitar, some palmas, and
do some flamenco palos, because flamenco is always going to be a part of my life,
I really like it a lot. Although of course, I very much identify with what I'm
doing now and I like it, it's a release, I'm happy doing what I do.
Perhaps the most flamenco thing on 'María' is the bulerias where
Farruquito takes part, not only with his dancing, but also his pen…
We all admire Farruquito very much. Chaboli and me really love him. I think
he's the best dancer we have. I'm crazy about that kid, I think he's a very complete
dancer. It's hard to find that nowadays; a really flamenco dancer, and macho,
pure, with compas and style when he dances…and very flamenco. That boy really
dances flamenco, the kind we like. And he's got 'duende', something all too rare.
And he's got it, at least as far as I'm concerned. We both love him very much
because he's a good person in addition to being a good artist. And he also composes
and writes his own verses and things. It's been a great honor for us to have him
on the record, and on Chaboli's father's ('Homenaje a Jeros')
And you've also got the guitars of Moraíto Chico and Diego de Morao.
What was their contribution?
It was a pleasure working with Moraíto Chico and his son, Diego de Morao,
who plays liek crazy. For as young as he is, it isn't even logical that the kid
plays so intelligently, and plays with such a good approach…
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"I think flamenco really works according to the mood a person
is in, the moment you're living"
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Although in your records what there mostly is, is tangos and bulerias, are
these the palos you most identify with?
I don't really identify with any palo in particular because then I listen to
flamenco, I like a solea, and it freaks me out. I swear, I really enjoy everything,
because I also like fandangos a lot, and alegrias…I love all the styles.
Actually, if there's rhythm, so much the better, because I'm a very cheerful person
and rhythmic songs tend to be…[without finishing the sentence, she corrects
herself]. Well, that's all very relative too, because a bulerias can be full of
very sad emotion, but since it has palmas and the clippy rhythm it's considered
happier, just like tangos or alegrias. I feel good in any of the styles. There's
an alegrias our guitarist has which is beautiful and in which I feel good when
I sing it, but maybe I can also feel good singing a sad fandango. It depends on
the day, on the moment… I think flamenco really works according to the mood
a person is in, the moment you're living, what side of the bed you got up on that
day, whether you feel happy or sad…
What's your favorite song from the record?
[Without a moment's hesitation she blurts out…] 'Dime quien soy yo', because
it's the song I like best. I felt really good when I was singing it and now I
love singing it live.
Niña Pastori singing (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)
How do you feel the communication with the audience when you perform live?
Performing live is the greatest thing. That's the part the performer enjoys
most. I'm speaking for myself. It's where I really have a good time, where I forget
about my problems. At those moments you don't care about anything except your
music and the people sitting out there in front of you. Let me tell you, it's
because of them we're there…they're our bosses and they're in charge.
She has a long list on her lap of commentaries her fans left at Flamenco-world.com.
"You're the greatest of the great", "thank you for making good
music with feeling", "I can't tell you how I feel when I hear your songs
and that incredible voice that God gave you"… Maria, what do
you feel when you read those words?
You feel a tremendous pride. I've always felt very loved, ever sing I began
in music. I've always felt that people love me, really. I can see that the people
who come to our concerts give me a lot of warmth and that they're with me heart
and soul, a really faithful audience. When you see these things, there are days
that you take it in your stride, and there are days you are moved, because it's
only normal, because at those times, when you're reading any of these things,
it all comes back to you, the effort it took and all the work, and that's when
you remember all the hard work it took.
I feel very good right now, although we always have our own problems, you're
never completely happy. Now I'm going through a very good moment and I sleep very
well at night, calm and peaceful, because we've been working for almost a year,
searching for the material, thinking what musicians could do it, making sure that
each song had something different to say, that the melodies shouldn't sound the
same as each other… And we've really struggled for a long time…it's
a lot of hours of test runs, and studio time, a great deal of sacrifice. And now
you see the record going forward, people congratulate you in the street. And at
this point, I don't even care if it sells. After the record came out, and a woman
said "hey, I love that new stuff you got out, my daughter bought it, really
nice", after that nothing makes any difference. What that woman said to me
makes all the sacrifice worthwhile, everything we've worked for, all the tears
and all the laughter…
And with her hip schoolgirl appearance she says thank you, 'goodbye' and
heads back to the front… responsibility comes first. Upstairs in the studio
the six members of the band who are going to do the tour are waiting: the drummer
shes likes so much; the guitarist whose advice she always takes; the other guitarist
she calls 'compare' and who she tells that she made a great vegetable stew that
day, "with eggplant and everything"; the keyboardist, the bass…
and of course 'Chabo'.
revista@flamenco-world.com
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