2007 FLAMENCO PA’ TOS FESTIVAL
PEDRO SIERRA, ALICIA GIL, EZEQUIEL BENÍTEZ, BLANCA
DEL REY
A night of justice
S.C. Madrid, July 19th, 2007
Pedro Sierra (Photo Daniel
Muñoz)
The 2007 Flamenco pa’Tos Festival
bids farewell with an act of justice. It had been no less
than twenty years since Pedro Sierra had offered a solo
performance in Madrid. And he was able to do so at last.
Incredible, but very true. Coincidentally, in the entrance
hall to the auditorium of the Colegio de Médicos
(Medical Association) in Madrid, there was the latest
issue of the magazine ‘Alma 100’, with an
article alerting about a problem the flamenco programs
are suffering from: “The bills of many festivals
are nearly copies of one another. That is, the same artists
are repeated”. And one of those artists who is usually
left out is Pedro Sierra. However, he didn’t take
advantage of the occasion to lodge any complaints, but
rather he simply did his utmost to demonstrate that the
public likes concert guitar... and a lot.
Of course, this musician’s isn’t
just any guitar. He has the balance between the respect
for tradition and the defense of his own creation, besides
the valuable gift of subtlety. He appeared alone on this
stage where he said he felt as at ease “as in my
dining room at home, but surrounded by a lot of friends”.
And by the way, he was one of the few to make a note of
the charity foundation of this event over the past few
days. He just needed some bits of rhythm from percussionist
José Carrasco. As one enthusiast shouted: “That’s
the way to play; with nothing up your sleeve”. With
the calmness of someone who has nothing to prove, more
observant than talkative, he gave away pearls included
on his latest album ‘Nikelao’, such as the
farruca ‘Cadencioso’, the granaína
‘Corral del carbón’, the soleá
‘Los caudales’, the taranto and the superb
seguiriya ‘Duquelas del tiempo’, which says
it all but with well-chosen words. He finished por bulerías,
knocking it up a notch, letting loose that hand so well-trained
from a thousand battles next to the baile of greats such
as Manuela Carrasco. And he was showered with more olés
and more shouts and more applause from standing ovations.
And the question echoed from the aforementioned article:
“Who is everyone?”
Ezequiel Benítez
(Photo Daniel Muñoz) |
|
That might be why it’s so relevant
to give the youngsters a chance. And two cantaores got
theirs on this fourth night. On the one hand, Sevillian
Alicia Gil, who changed register for the first time following
her Niña Pastori-style album début, to reveal
herself as a cantaora. A hoarse voice, stage ease, her
finger on the fiesta, but without surprises. The cantaora
performed a classic repertoire in which, besides the initial
tonás and the soleares in the middle, she focused
on lively rhythms (backed by guitars, clapping, and box
drum), and tangos, alegrías and the final bulerías
she bid farewell with, on her feet and dancing about.
And on the other hand, cantaor Ezequiel Benítez
also had his. As he himself explained, he premiered several
of the songs which will make up his first album, which
he is currently recording. The Jerez-born artist came
in por alegrías, then combined trilla with cabales,
showing the desire to prove personality, and brought up
gratitude to the guitar with a version por bulerías
of the song ‘Guitarra mía’ by Cuban
singer-songwriter Polo Montañez. As was necessary,
the epilogue was por bulerías, showing off his
lungs and his aunt Ana, whom he brought from Jerez to
let sparks fly with a ‘little kick’ of art.
| |
Blanca del Rey
(Photo Daniel Muñoz) |
The finishing touch had to be special.
And it was. Blanca del Rey is about to retire, but first
she had the deference to leave her elegant mark on this
venue. The veteran Córdoba-born bailaora offered
her two star bailes, her two banners: the seguiriya with
a bata de cola and castanets, and the praised soleá
with a shawl. And she did so faithful to her maxim: “You
have to set your mind aside to dance; it’s your
soul that has to be expressed”. Upon that cozy stage,
she gave free reign to that inner expression which in
the eyes of the impressed audience takes the beautiful
shapes of a woman with a history. She coils the train,
curves her fingers, the castanets moan, there’s
silence, there’s stillness. And her countenance
locks up the drama which still hasn’t found comfort.
Guitarists and cantaores come forward, while the bailaora
changes attire. And she returns divine and majestic with
a shawl. So close that you can even feel the storm. The
fringes fly over the stage, airing other times that never
expire. “Air!”, shouts the lady. And the crowd
lets loose a resounding olé. The road to the climax
still remains, the break-off por bulerías, the
wink, the flirtation, the great final ovation. And as
a bonus track, “since I’ve done little footwork
and now it’s so “in”, a playful rhythm”.
Long live class. Don’t go, queen.
