SIXTH FESTIVAL DE JEREZ
INMACULADA AGUILAR, MANOLETE. CÓRDOBA, GRANADA...

Beyond the 'triangle'

Silvia Calado Olivo. Jerez, March 3rd, 2002

CÓRDOBA. Inmaculada Aguilar: dance. El Boquerón and Manolo Cortés: cante. Manolo Flores, Ramón Rodríguez and Niño Seve: guitar. José el Pipa: palmas and jaleos. El Pele: cante (guest artist). Manuel Silveria: guitar. GRANADA. Manolete: dance. Pepe Jiménez and Jonhatan Cortés: cante. Felipe Maya and Basilio: guitar. Paco Cortés, Miguel Ángel Cortés and Ochando: guitar (guest artists). Teatro Villamarta. Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), March 3rd, 2002. 9:00 p.m..

Inmaculada Aguilar (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Flamenco exists outside the triangle formed by Cádiz, Jerez and Sevilla. Córdoba and Granada are two of those centers 'beyond the fringe'. And in order to demonstrate their contribution, the organizers scheduled a kind of festival within the Sixth Festival de Jerez that encapsulated the dance, cante, and guitar of Córdoba and Granada. Such an ambitious range drew out the evening excessively and disjointed the structure of the presentation, causing certain restlessness among the crowd...half empty or half full, depending on how you care to look at it. One side dominated in sheer length, the other in Manolete.

Inmaculada Aguilar brought what was to be expected from the city of the Mosque: "Elegant dancing, the purest emotions of Córdoba with its serenity and majesty". And she went all out to make it happen, except in the third number perhaps, using soleá as a vehicle she detoured through martinete closing with bulerías. Always with a light touch, always reserved, with a touch of the Seville style. The occasional strong footwork efforts were marred by terrible sound.

	Manolete (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

The stage brought forth El Pele who fearlessly bellowed out fandangos from the shadows. His singing was overwhelming, from one side of the stage to the other, delivering, interpreting...with guitar, with piano. The audience was awed by his display of talent. And the singer grew for himself, and for Jerez. "I dedicate this seguiriyas to everyone with heart and soul". Now like a cantaor, seated, he seized the cante until he got it under control, endlessly dragging out the laments, lavishing his powerful voice. Superb. Applause for bulerías followed by more of the same. A master of phrasing, he expands and withdraws. The retreat is followed by a brief impasse, one of those inexplicable moments that rarefies the night... Until finally, the alegrías, again bringing out the dancer from Córdoba and at the same time taking more time away from the Granada people.

Those of the caves which gaze upon the red fortress came on after the intermission with the guitar trio formed by Paco Cortés, Miguel Ángel Cortés and Ochando. They began timidly, with granaínas, having a restful effect upon those who were already squirming in their seats. Easy conversation, harmonic, fluid. Their exit from the stage was followed by Manolete's regal entrance. Farruca, his eternal farruca. He did his own thing, Manolete's thing...dominating right up to the farthest millimeter of the stage, stirring applause, freezing poses, meting out technique with controlled breath. Again the curtain falls and...what's this? Once again the trio, this time with a cajon traveling through the land of 'ida y vuelta'. Monotony, exercise (???). Manolete returns to close out the metafestival, projection and composure. A muffled guitar carries him up and away. From Granada to Cádiz via alegrías. Pose, flash, pose, flash. The stage belongs to you and to the audience as well. Listen to him, pant, shout... Granada has had its day. No more Moorish kings...