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Vicente Soto. 1999
Why "Between Two Worlds?
Because
we used poems from two different worlds: Latin America and Spain.
You sing the work of poets that have never been used by flamenco artists.
Especially
the poets of the generation of 98. Besides being great poets, some of them had
never been put to music. I've never heard anything sung by Miguel de Unamuno,
or Valle Inclán. The rhythm in their writing is easy to identify with my rhythm.
I'm a very rhythmic singer, and I think they have the rhythm that I carry inside;
my rhythmic, or genetic rhythm.
How did you select the poems? Rhythm is very important, but the poem has to be
sung to one of the flamenco rhythms.
Besides
the meaning, the message of the text, we selected poems that have really outstanding
rhythm, like the punto cubano of José Martí. That worked out perfectly. Also the
tanguillo that I did of Miguel de Unamuno.
When
you read a poem do you realize at once the kind of rhythm that will work?
Yeah,
the rhythm and the theme of the text make it clear.
The production credits are shared by you and your brother José Soto "Sorderita."
A lot of people will be pleased to hear that you're working together.
Remember,
we're talking about the pioneer of "New Flamenco," along with Ray Heredia. My
brother is younger than I am. He's like my shadow.
He may be one of the people that knows the most about traditional and modern flamenco.
Without
a doubt, he's a flamenco artist with a solid identity. He knows siguiriyas and
martinetes, and he's able to bring them to modern times. He's always worked with
me, and this is no exception.
Is it hard to work with your brother?
Well,
we know each other really well. He's seven years younger than I am, and that's
a big thing when you're younger. He used to be my favorite student. He knows me
perfectly and knows what I want to do. Maybe the difference in age shows up more
in his modern approach, so we mix my orthodoxy with his avant-garde.
A lot of important guitarists worked on this recording.
Enrique
de Melchor, for example. Everyone knows how great he is. He's an excellent guitarist
with a lot of experience. I think he's great. Moraíto, Moraíto is different; he
practically grew up with me. He's in nearly all my recordings. He's from Jerez.
Moraíto has recorded on a lot of sessions in the last two years.
He's
everywhere he should be. It's no surprise that they call him.
And he's very original.
And
one of the best at accompanying singing. On this record we've also got Paquete
from "La Barbería," who fits in really well on the Latin material. Manuel Parrilla
is young and plays great. He's from the Parrilla dynasty. José María Molero, also
from Jerez, worked with me on this project and also played with me on "Sevilla",
one of the recordings from the flamenco trilogy.
You prefer your guitarists to accompany you Jerez-style. Is that more comfortable
for you?
There's
absolutely no doubt that, when I sing, it sounds like the land I come from. But
"El Paquete" is great on his parts.
Then you look for the best for each style.
Sure,
it's like Moraíto's bulerías. I feel good singing to that.
Do you use the same musicians live?
Most
all of us will try to go; it sometimes depends on each person's commitments.
You know flamenco really well, through your profession and your family. What's
it like inheriting the tradition of the Sordera family, and knowing that there
are people expecting a lot from you?
I'm
proud of where I come from; it's a great responsibility to carry on with a family
singing tradition. In my case we're talking about Paco la Luz on my father's side
and Niño de La Gloria on my mother's side, so... if someone thinks I'm the one
to carry on with the tradition, I think I've done that and you can see that in
my career. It's a pleasure to take on that responsibility. I just might have the
best lineage, the greatest ancestry, of all the singers of my generation. I think
the first trilogy in singing was the "Tríptico Flamenco:" "Jerez," "Sevilla,"
and "Cádiz." That's a good example of my responsibility to the Sordera tradition.
In your career you've tried to record all the essential singing styles.
I've
wanted to build up that archive; a serious approach to singing. Having done that,
now I can make a more open, or more commercial recording.
If you consider that you've proven your responsibility to understanding singing
styles, does that give you greater liberty?
Well,
liberty to do other things now. More liberty means doing things like the punto
cubano, a Cuban rhythm, or other things, but always maintaining my serious approach.
This is obviously a commercial recording, but it has some musical and literary
substance to it, even though you could listen to it in a discotech.
But you can never let down your guard...
Out
of respect towards myself, towards tradition, and my responsibility.
What's
it like to be Gitano and flamenco nowadays? Are there many differences with other
kinds of musicians from other styles of music?
Being
Gitano might have been something a bit more hermetic years ago. Today's Gitanos
are different and, in any case, the Gitanos where I come from have always formed
a part of society; they've been more open. It's not a problem; it's something
in your favor to be Gitano and flamenco.
And
is it an advantage?
It's
an advantage, being Gitano and flamenco. They say that there are four pillars
to flamenco, and I think that at least half of them belong to Gitanos. At least
half.
Then wanting to be a singer isn't the same thing for a Gitano as it is for a payo.
That's
not the case in Jerez. Jerez is where you won't find that difference, or that
racism, because a payo can sing well, and so can a Gitano. That was the case with
Antonio Chacón and Manuel Torre.
It's a mixed culture, between andaluz and Gitano.
Yeah,
because we grew up together. We're integrated.
That's not how things are in Madrid.
I
think it's a little more closed here, on both sides.
As a successful cantaor, how do you feel when you see so many Gitanos suffering
poverty and discrimination?
It
makes me very sad, not just for the Gitanos, but with poverty all over the world;
the economic discrimination... The problems in Rumania, wars in Europe. Nobody
likes it. It's really depressing.
There seems to be a place for Gitanos in the world of music, but what about other
arts and professions?
Gitano
culture is different. A Gitano poet... That's, well, more difficult. Gitanos are
not readily identified with the literary world, for example... Today there are
Gitanos in the university, but I think singing is an easier thing for a Gitano
to do than painting is. In flamenco singing, everyone knows that a Gitano has
something to say; he's got a certain amount of authority, but that doesn't happen
to us in other areas.
How do you feel when you hear your music on the radio or in the street?
Any
artist's dream, or at least mine anyway, is to live for and from this. You give
birth to these things, you love them like children. They're such a part of you
that, when you see people accept them, you receive the greatest kind of satisfaction,
something that money can't buy. If I see some kid singing one of my songs it makes
me very happy. If you sing my stuff I'll think you're a good aficionado. I'm a
flamenco artist, and very critical of myself, very demanding, and I just assume
that you like singing.
The oldest flamenco is being discovered by new aficionados continuously.
This
whole thing about new flamenco... and the bit about sevillanas... I think it's
all a big mistake. Sevillanas can be great, at a given moment and by people that
know how to sing them, but this has gotten way out of hand. Some people hear a
rumba and think that that's flamenco. Flamenco is much more serious than that.
It's singing siguiriyas, tarantos, soleás, martinetes... It's something else.
There hasn't been much information, but if people read or make an effort, they'll
find the real thing.
Do you think that someone who listens to Sorderita could eventually want to know
who Sordera is?
People
that are interested in Sorderita, if they take things seriously, will probably
hear an orthodox singer, I'm sure. When Ketama started they were close to their
flamenco roots, and anyone that follows that road could easily end up listening
to Camarón and others.
In
the case of José Mercé, with his successful new recording, it seems that the market
has opened up to other singers. Flamenco has never been so commercially successful.
It
always contributes something. It opens up the public. This is a great moment for
flamenco because, unfortunately, it's always been subject to rich people's fancy,
to elitism; just high-class party entertainment, like one of their toys.
Jazz was promoted by intellects, rather than the wealthy. For some time only a
privileged few could enjoy flamenco, and in private.
Some
people say that the best singing happens in a private room. That might happen
sometimes, but when you're on a stage, even though there are five thousand people
out there, if you feel well and the sound system is good, you can sing just as
well.
I guess the cantaor tries to do his best in both situations.
I
have great respect for all singers. I think an artist always wants to give people
his best. Flamenco is a culture that was born in Spain and belongs to all Spaniards.
We have to let everyone hear it; it's not just for a few people.
Do
you think flamenco's roots might one day disappear?
I
don't think so, especially with all the reeditions of old recordings. They're
reediting all the recordings that were hard to find. People have more means to
be able to hear everything. I can't see flamenco disappearing.
Interview:
Daniel Muñoz, 1999
Translation:
Norman Paul Kliman
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