2005 FLAMENCO PA TOS FESTIVAL. BELÉN MAYA AND MAYTE MARTÍN

Trembling flamenco

Silvia Calado. Madrid, June 21st, 2005

2005 Flamenco Pa Tos Festival. Belén Maya and Mayte Martín. Salva del Real. Antonio Pitingo. Medical Association. Madrid, June 21st, 2005. 9 p.m.

Juan Luis Cano: Go ahead and ask me.
Guillermo Fesser: Is flamenco nice?
Juan Luis Cano: Precious.

	Mayte Martín and Belén Maya (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

That was the recurring joke which the radio duo Gomaespuma used to once again present a day of concerts at the Madrid Medical Association. And all jokes aside... how right they were! Above all, if you're talking about ‘Class A’ artists, like the ones closing the second night of the 2005 Flamenco Pa Tos Festival. Belén Maya and Mayte Martín. Mayte Martín and Belén Maya. Cantaora and bailaora displayed that classic, rigorous, sober, and at the same time creative feeling which has borne fruit such as ‘Mayte + Belén’ and ‘Flamenco de cámara’ (‘Chamber Flamenco’). From the latter show, which has left audiences agape and touched in dozens of theaters all over the world, they chose two sections: alegrías and the taranto. Though first, to warm up, the cantaora - with José Ramón Caro on toque - offered the beautiful vidalita appearing on the album ‘Querencia’, the one dedicated to Juan Valderrama, and which she puts forth at the expense of the crowd's shivers. Along the same melodic wave, a cute round-trip cante.

Belén Maya came out immediately thereafter, to have a fabulous time through alegrías... with her most faithful accomplice, the bata de cola (dress with a train). Now backed by the group - violin, another guitar, two on clapping -, they went with the flow of traditional forms. The bailaora, dressed in a black bata de cola, adorned with white polka dots and embroidery, sketched out old pictures with an indelible smile. She played with the train, flirted with the crowd, became woman and girl at the same time, stirred up the air with her hands and arms, beat the floor with her feet. Alone with Olvido Lanza on violin, she concentrated on her personal esthetics... bringing the audience to their feet in a finishing touch. Fluttering her train about and making the sign of the cross to the beat left the stage free for the guitar. José Luis Montón performed a farruca of his own, impressively boosting the concert's level of toque, composition and music. The group returns for the taranto. Belén Maya, in a simple grey dress, takes off from the floor. Each of her movements is a world of its own. She neither betrays tradition nor herself, her freedom, her time. And the emotion... She is taken by the throat to a triple wrist spin, from quejío to gesture, through an invisible channel that trembles and trembles and...

Mayte Martín (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

As openers in the first part of the night were guitarist Salva del Real and cantaor Antonio Pitingo. The tocaor, author of the album ‘Alí-Katí’, went back over a basic repertoire with styles such as the soleá, bulerías, alegrías and tangos. The cantaor, considered a surprise talent on the capital's flamenco scene, kicked off sugary and copla-style through granaínas. Next came the soleá, malagueña and fandangos from his native land, Huelva. With José Luis Montón as his squire, the way was cleared for this cantaor beginning to take off. He sang the bulerías standing, with no microphone and like a pop song; it wasn't a question of wasting the occasion. Like Salva del Real, he received a standing ovation; this audience is more than grateful. By the way, don't forget to click on where it says ‘donations’, since the proceeds from these four days of flamenco are going to finance projects to aid children affected by the tsunami in Sri Lanka as well as poverty-stricken children in Nicaragua.

Antonio Pitingo (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Salva del Real (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

magazine@flamenco-world.com