DIEGO EL CIGALA, ‘DOS LÁGRIMAS’.
VERANOS DE LA VILLA 2007
Blessed weeping
Silvia Calado. Madrid, July 24th, 2007
‘Dos lágrimas’.
Diego el Cigala: cante. Guillermo Rubalcaba:
piano. Tata Güines: congas. Changuito: percussion.
Machado: trumpet. Jaime Calabuch: piano. Yelsy Heredia:
contrabass. Diego del Morao: guitar. Sabú: box
drum. Veranos de la Villa 2007. Patio de Conde Duque.
Madrid, July 24th, 2007. 9:30 p.m.
Diego el Cigala and group
(Photo Daniel Muñoz)
Never before had weeping reflected so
much happiness. It wasn’t black at all. A few years
ago, the black tears of ‘Lágrimas negras’
caused a radical change in the career of Diego el Cigala,
who went from being a cult cantaor to an international
star of the masses. A cantaor can’t achieve that
with his cante alone. He needs company. And in his case
it was that of Bebo Valdés and in general, that
of Cuban music, which the flamenco artist understood himself
with perfectly. That might be why such a solid entente
couldn’t break off just like that. And the project
lives on. Although he has announced the release of the
album for September, he decided to provide a preview of
the contents of ‘Dos lágrimas’ live.
The premiere, with the cancellation of yesterday’s
show in Valencia - took place in Madrid. And his hometown
welcomed him with a full house at the Patio de Conde Duque...
in the bleachers and standing.
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Diego el Cigala
(Photo Daniel Muñoz)
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Perhaps because there was still daylight,
and you know what happens to vampires, Diego el Cigala
sent out his group to do a prologue. The full flavor of
Cuban sound was concentrated on stage, livened up by the
entrance of old-time percussionists Tata Güines and
Changuito. And now it’s nighttime. And out comes
the cantaor. That quejío of his adapts itself to
the band, which mollycoddles it... and a lot of rhythm
in ‘Si tú supieras’. Everything turns
soothing with “te odio tanto”, but without
losing any flavor. And then Tata bursts out on congas,
while someone snitches that he’s “eighty-one!”.
Cigala thus presents his version of the copla ‘El
día que nací yo’, which has clave
rather than compás in its clapping. The group behind
him providing inspiration, wisdom. Marvelous. But still
missing was the master key, veteran Cuban pianist Guillermo
Rubalcaba. Dressed in perfect white, hat included, he
is introduced by the host as “another of the old
glories of Cuban music and I’m very happy to have
him by my side”. And then he intones “ya no
estás más a mi lado, corazón”.
The cantaor takes a breather, the rearguard takes over.
And again song, cante, copla. “Están clavadas
dos cruces” goes from Seville to Havana, without
fail. And the invention has its special something. Cascorro
calls for bulerías. And the renowned artist asks
for patience. There’s still ‘Compromiso’
to go.
Now then. The flamenco guitar of Diego
del Morao snuggles up to the microphone. Flamenco
requests a place for itself. But Cigala’s way, who
dedicates his fandango-style version of ‘Se equivocó
la paloma’ to his mother there present. From the
repertoire of his album ‘Picasso
en mis ojos’ he also picks out ‘Chanelando’,
amidst some cantecitos por tangos which draw olés
from the audience. The warm-up leaves him at the starting
grid to face the great cante, the soleá. And he
chooses the ideal lyrics. “Fui piedra y perdí
mi centro...”. He tempers, lengthens, feels. He
takes advantage of the ambience to premiere a song which
he’s recorded for the soundtrack of the film ‘¿Tú
quién eres?’ by Antonio Mercero, which aims
to increase awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.
“Me apetece cantárosla”. (“I
feel like singing it to you”.) And he does so alone
with his guitar and his contrabass. He wanted to sing
por bulerías, but he couldn’t hold the band
back any longer. They came back in completely refreshed,
ready for the final release with ‘Dos gardenias’,
a real pleasure, a breath of fresh, clean, playful air.
Diego el Cigala just as easily sang or laughed, or grabbed
the baton and moved around stage conducting his musicians,
giving them lead-ins, lead-outs and signals to double
up. The choruses and cheers are Cuban-style, the bailes
with the crowd standing between flamenquillo
and salsa. The two pianos challenge one another. Cigala
sings. The energy flows. Flamenco and sound were never
so close. And there was a tremendous ovation, and of course,
requests. Although it was a delight, ‘La bien pagá’
wasn’t what was needed. Can you guess? By popular
demand, ‘Lágrimas negras’. And not
just one voice was heard.
Tata Güimes (Photo
Daniel Muñoz)
