2009 CAJA MADRID FLAMENCO FESTIVAL
In memory of Antonio Mairena
Alejandro Escribano. Madrid, February 28th, 2009
Photos: © Paco Manzano
Cancanilla de Marbella
(cante) with Chaparro de Málaga (guitar) / La
Macanita (cante), with Manuel Parrilla (guitar)
and Chícharo and Gregorio (clapping) / Canela
de San Roque (cante) with Antonio Carrión
(guitar). 17th Caja Madrid Flamenco Festival 2009. Teatro
del Canal. Sala B. Madrid. February 28th, 2009. 8:30 p.m.
With the title “Recordando a Antonio
Mairena en su centenario” (“Remembering Antonio
Mairena in His Centennial”), the third day of the
Caja Madrid Flamenco Festival was devoted practically
entirely to the sublime figure of Antonio Mairena. A recollection,
present in the memory of the artists and enthusiasts gathered
at the Teatros del Canal, which had a voice of its own
in the heartfelt words of Manuel Martín, president
of the Gypsy Presence National Association, which opened
the evening by commemorating the centennial of the birth
of the maestro from Los Alcores. In his appearance Martín
was also considerate enough to recall other centennial
anniversaries, like that of Manolo Caracol, La Niña
de la Puebla and Isaac Albéniz. And he even commemorated
another more distant day, but not less important; that
of the 150th anniversary of the birth of another brilliant
artist, guitarist Paco el de Lucena. At the same time,
Martín emotionally evoked Antonio’s brothers,
absent due to health problems, finishing his appearance
with the reading of the manifesto in favor of the celebration
of Antonio Mairena’s centennial.
Cancanilla (Photo ©
Paco Manzano) |
The night, artistically speaking, was
opened by Sebastián Heredia Santiago, Cancanilla
de Marbella. The artist of artists, Cancanilla is a cantaor
with excellent conditions, with a good timbre and great
mastery of rhythmic styles. All of it was present in the
interesting recital which the Marbella-born artist offered,
which began with a very special recollection por soleá
por bulerías of La Moreno, La Niña de los
Peines and, as it couldn’t be any other way, Antonio
Mairena. He continued with personality por tientos-tangos
and displayed his gypsy echo por seguiriyas, with Chaparro’s
perfect accompaniment. He delighted por bulerías,
a little dance included, recalling Caracol and Los Canasteros,
a tablao which was owned by the Sevillian cantaor and
where Cancanilla worked in the late ’60s. He finished
his performance with the recitative of Juana La Loca,
showing that with art and wit, you can even dance por
bulerías without heel tapping.
La Macanita started off her recital por
tientos and tangos, full of old Jerez flavor. Por soleá,
she recalled Mojama, firm and sure, adjusting herself
to the precise compás of Manolito Parrilla. She
continued with two unquestionable sets of lyrics por malagueñas
and was liked por seguiriya and cabal. “I’m
going to sing a little por bulerías. And I’m
going to remember my land”. And boy, did she ever.
With a traditional repertoire, mainly with classical lyrics,
like the ones of the fiesta por bulerías off the
historical album Canta Jerez, she captivated the crowd,
finishing por bulerías a cappella, singing and
dancing to lyrics from her previous discs and recalling
two emblems of Jerez art: La Paquera and Lola Flores.
Little kicks of art and prestige which, by the way, were
also signed by clappers Gregorio and Chícharo.
Canela de San Roque (Photo
© Paco Manzano) |
Following the intermission, it was the
last cantaor of the night’s turn, Canela de San
Roque. Although the gypsy from Campo de Gibraltar doesn’t
appear very often in Madrid, it’s always good luck
to be able to enjoy an artist so attached to tradition.
A cantaor who makes getting things across his banner,
as he made more than clear in the wonderful soleá
which he opened the recital with, dedicated of course
to his maestro Mairena and in which guitarist Antonio
Carrión also sparkled. He continued por seguiriyas
and por fandangos de Antonio el de la Calzá, which
he uttered with authority. Por bulerías de Alcalá
and por bulerías por soleá, he had the audience
eating out of his hand, recovering old lyrics with his
excellent gypsy echo. He bade farewell por taranto, with
lyrics which had already been sung by Camarón de
la Isla:
“Pride and love / fight one
another in my mind / a war without headquarters, where
there’s no death / oh, there’s only a woman”
