CHICK COREA & TOUCHSTONE. RHUMBA FLAMENCO

Flamenco is universal

Chick Corea & Touchstone. Chick Corea: piano and keyboards. Jorge Pardo: sax and flute. Carles Benavent: bass. Rubem Dantas: percussions. Tom Brechtlein: drums. 2005 Madrid Jazz Festival. Centro Cultural de la Villa (Madrid Cultural Center). Madrid, November 5th, 2005. 9 p.m.

Chick Corea and Carles Benavent (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

And here's the confirmation. The universalization of flamenco has been talked about for a long time, but such clear proof of it is an eye-opener. Chick Corea, who has been in love with this genre for a long time now, has been sharing a musical project for nearly two years with three of the authors of what has come to be called flamenco jazz (or vice versa) and ‘partners’ of Paco de Lucía for decades: Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent and Rubem Dantas. He shares jazz style with them and, with the same naturalness, flamenco style. And that is what's so impressive about the experience. After touring Europe and America, in the meantime leaving a live album recorded and another one at the studio, the band appeared at the Madrid Jazz Festival, enrapturing those attending.

And that, despite the fact that the American pianist opted to present not the ‘Rhumba Flamenco’ repertoire, but the new ‘Arabian Nights’. Even so, the flamenco came little by little. A glimpse of it was first caught in Jorge Pardo's magical melodies, next in some turns of Carles Benavent's magnificent bass, later on in the rhythm marked by Rubem Dantas... and finally led to an original finale through bulerías in which Tomasito and Auxi Fernández took part on baile.

Jorge Pardo, Tom Brechtlein and Rubem Dantas (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Chick Corea let all of them do their own thing and sparkle, enjoying his “amazing genius partners”. Until he called them to gather... and gather, they did. The concert was really enjoyable, a warm, fresh, free conversation with so many touches of genius that it nearly overwhelmed the senses. Full bloom did come about when flamenco openly appeared on stage with the tangos ‘King and Queen’. They start off with simple clapping and whistles, until all of them come together in a journey which will eventually give way to the duel between the piano and flute, and the duel between the bass and drums. The entry on stage of bailaora Auxi Fernández, member of the Sara Baras Company, shook up the crowd and Chick Corea himself: “Mamma mia! Nice, eh?”. The next dose of ‘flamenco-ization’ was begun by Carles... strumming. The rest join in in small doses, as if riding through jaleos. And here comes Tomasito with his peculiar way of understanding baile and compás to ‘distract’ the instrumentalists. Auxi flutters her arms around beside the piano. And the music sounds nearly soundlessly.

There's no more pretending. Bulerías. Clapping to the beat amongst the crowd. Drum solo. A sui generis piece, with bits, inspirations, pressure. Not even Falla wants to miss it. The standing ovation calls for an encore. And there is an encore after more than two hours of concert. Rubem Dantas takes up the position in the center and does an impressive kalimba solo. A bit of piano plus a bit of flute... and everything's ready for the finale. Spain in all its splendor, with its little bit of ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ and a lot of play between the musicians. The bailaores come back out on stage to finish off Touchstone's job with the latin flamenco jazz beat. Chick Corea speaks flamenco so well!

Chick Corea, Carles Benavent, Jorge Pardo, Tomasito, Rubem Dantas,
Auxi Fernández and Tom Brechtlein (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

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